GardenWeb still exists. The URL via which I access the discussion board is ths.gardenweb.com, which then displays as www.gardenweb.com/discussions.

Just to say, refrigerator condensor coils are exterior to the food storage compartments and operate at warm temperatures so never develop frost/ice. The evaporator coil is inside the food compartment(s), operates to chill the space and develops frost/ice as part of that process, which is periodically cleared by the self-defrosting process. Seems you're having a continuing defrost problem.

Sorry about that, yes - evaporator coil not the condenser coil. There's lots on the web about how all this series of "twin tower" refrigerators has/had this problem that they weren't warm enough up top. Freeze over, inhibit the blower fan, mess ensuing. I'd just add the little heater which costs about $6 but the whole back panel is no longer in good shape and I bet it costs a boatload. If you can even get it. Perfect for a fridge bone yard if I could figure out access to one.

Dadoes - do you like the new fridge you chose?

For longevity you can’t beat Sub Zero, but they are expensive. You pay up front for two refrigerators and no hassle, and for me it was totally worth it. I bought a floor model that was being discontinued. If I ever move, I’m taking it with me.

You bought a relatively inexpensive fridge and it lasted you 15 years. You could do the same again. I’m a big fan of the Samsung Bespoke fridge. My brother has it in his lake house and it has great features. I love the beverage center, the ice maker, and the smart features that make allow the doors to display calendars, notes, and artwork. And buying two of these is still les expensive than a Sub Zero.

We all want longevity, but the truth is that obsolescence to a degree allows us to benefit from new technology. I cried when I could no longer find replacement parts for my Saab, but my Volvo has Apple Car Play.

Do you know if Samsung has fixed their stupid, preventable and formerly-at-least-persistent "twin tower" cooling problem?

I really don’t know anything about this but it’s worth doing a Google search on it. Or if you’re just done with Samsung altogether, that’s also fine. Wirecutter recommends LG and GE French door refrigerators, GE and Whirlpool if you want side by sides, and LG and Whirlpool for their top fridge models. You can check out their recommendations here.

"Or the retrofit but... I'm tried. And if you do the retrofit you still wind up with cracked shelves and drawers and ick in crevices etc"

Huh? What retrofit?

"I'd just add the little heater which costs about $6..."

Why wouldn't you do this?

"the whole back panel is no longer in good shape"

So? Does this prevent the refrigerator from operating?

Well, I'm exaggerating about the $6. That might be the cost of the little doohickey that would help prevent the frosting in the upper right, it needs wiring from the power on the left. I'll attach some pictures; you seem interested.

Lotta issues. But I think some may be that this back piece is old and hammered - you can see some of the insulation got iced over and it had to break getting it out this time. It was WAY harder defrosting all this this last time and I think some of the reason is the internal molding of the insulation channels air in an important way. I used metal tape to keep the metal sheet on last time and I think it may have trapped *too* much cold air in, and also the little soft tape they have to delineate these compartments I didn't/couldn't reproduce and that may have contributed.

You can see, I think, what a mess this molded back piece is with water-logged insulation that's growing god-knows-what in it. I suspect the whole piece would need replacing. I am guessing I can't find it or if I can it will cost a fortune. But - it was to be noted I haven't tried. I'll give someone a call about it tomorrow or Monday just to at least know the possibility.

Someone has setup a little cottage industry selling a kit to retrofit this problem online. The sum total of parts needed is small but they know better than me all that was needed. I think it was on the order of $100; can't remember.

Why would I not do this? Because you wind up with an old machine with who-knows-how-tired a compressor, etc and nearly every drawer and shelf-housing cracked and ducktaped back together. I can keep it going; certainly there's a lot of sweat equity in here already. And maybe I should? I guess I'm intimidated by the wiring task even though it's trivial. Just feels very -- dunno. Just as if I were to do it the whole thing would conk out 10 minutes later....

If you're interested I'm sure I can cough up the youtube videos. Probably google youtube samsung twin towers evaporator fix or something like that. There are smart, creative people out there. I guess fixing it would require planning and organization; have to order parts and etc.... dunno.

I watched this video (which inexplicably has the presenters kids). It's a different Samsung model but I see that there is a fan attached to the cover and positioned adjacent to the coils that freeze up when the cover is in place. I wonder if yours is operational.

Yes, the fan is operational. I agree it's a wonder that it is. You can see it on the photo of the panel, above the metal sheet with the wires draped over it. Melted the ice out from inside, dried it up, etc. you can hear the fan become progressively clatterier and know it's time to defrost. :( Again, it is quite amazing it survives the buildup. The problem is a design flaw that didn't put enough heat at the top to keep it from icing up there. The retrofit clips a little heater onto the line, just a few volts but apparently enough to do the trick. You're right maybe I should do it, just seems like a lot of trouble...? And again, I am entirely unsure about sticking that groddy old back on.

"you can hear the fan become progressively clatterier and know it's time to defrost."

Right. As others stated, the fan hits the accumulating ice and becomes noisier and noisier. Eventually it will jam.

Several defrosted the refrigerator with a hair dryer and didn't remove the cover.

What's the refrigerator model number?

The cover has a lot of insulation. If you don't remove it you're very likely to fail to completely defrost things, not in a reasonable amount of time at least. It's a RFG297AARS

Ice builds up inside the fan, even. It accumulates on the coils and wire principly; the fan is plastic but its cavity is vulnerable.

Maybe it's time to replace it. The Whirlpool WRFF3136SZ and Whirlpool WRFF3736SZ earned "Best" 36" French door ratings from CR, are reasonably priced, and are on Black Friday sale at ajmadison and Home Depot. Compare their specs with your Samsung RFG297AARS.

Service Manual.

TY! I've been greedily eyeing the quad door fridges. Rummaging in the freezer is greaking infuriating.