You uploaded this video in 2013. It is now 2021 and I searched and searched the internet for days to find out what could be wrong with my mini fridge/freezer. Many sites suggest to change parts on the back by the compressor. I am glad nobody talked about my specific model so I kept searching. Suddenly I found your video. Could it be so simple? I was so exited that that could be it! Thermostat, never thought about it... I took it apart (hope I can put it back together, light included). I bridged both terminals and a miracle happened, the fridge started vibrating and vibrating full of life and yes, I kissed you! if you felt it, it was me! Love you!!!

@myname9252

2 жыл бұрын

He passed away in 2016 sadly.

Thanks Bill! I turned my thermostat off then back on and the fridge would run. Couple hours later it would quite. I checked ohms on the thermostat like you showed. Ya it was bad. I like to fix my own stuff. Your teaching is clear and to the point.

I've seen quite a few of your repair vids. All of them are informative, simple & understandable for a DIY person...Thx for taking the time to share your knowledge with all of us trying to do more with less!

I've looked at several how to videos on how to troubleshoot a non working fridge with working freezer this is the one that cleared it all up and made it easy to understand. Also the first one that I've come across that showed how to bypass the thermostat.

@cactusladysouth1000

3 жыл бұрын

so I have the same problem was yours the thermostat?

Finally found someone who describes the problem before tearing up the fridge and replacing a flipping relay. Thanks , I will now replace the thermostat because I know that's it. 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Thank you, certainly helped me. 2,000 subs you mentioned to 3,000 and now I see 169,000 9 years on. Still helping people 👍

Bill, just wanted to say thank you so much for your videos. My Frigidaire freezer stopped working one month outside of warranty. $500 appliance was suddenly trash! :( I finally found some time to try and diagnose the issue, and after testing the defrost thermostat (it was find), replacing the defrost timer (didn't actually need done), I finally found this video. I wired the two wires together to test, and it finally runs again! (I disconnected it again until my new thermostat comes in. Thank you again!

Thanks for the video, Bill. You do a great job explaining things in a clear way.

This video is still the best after all these years

Bill you are a life saver. My Whirlpool side by side refrigerator just went out yesterday and I did not know where to start. I did like everyone in this situation - check youtube. Your videos popped up and I began getting a clue to the root cause. The compressor is not working and the fan is not working so I deduced the problem to be the refrigerator thermostat. Didn't know how to check for continuity on a multimeter (embarrassing), but your video walked me through the steps and I nothing registered so it appears that I have a bad thermostat. Just wanted to tell you thanks cause I'm sure you saved me lots of dollars.

Bill, thank you for sharing your knowledge. We love your videos :)

Nice job man. Appreciate the info. Saved me time and money. Thank you very much!

Really good video. Thank you, Bill. You explain it really good, so even me I got it!

Thanks! Helped me determine positively that my thermostat was bad!

You just saved me almost $3000 and 35 days of hassle. Fridge stopped working sometime Friday night. Ohmed out the compressor it was good, I had replaced the diodes and capacitor about 4-5 years ago. Defrost thermostat was replaced about 10 years ago and still tested good. Pulled the fridge control apart and found out it was the one that controlled the flap between freezer and fridge. Pulled the freezer control apart and jumped the thermostat wires and it fired right up. Ohmed out the thermostat and it tested good. put it back together and the fridge was working. I think I'm going to buy a replacement anyways just in case. You wonder how this saved me almost $3000 and 35 days. The fridge broke the last weekend in Aug. My wife went to Home Depot and found a matching Black Stainless French door fridge, microwave, stove and dishwasher for their Labor Day sale. Because of Covid, the fridge is on back order until Oct 6.

Don't be surprised lot of people look for do-it-yourself stuff. My little thermostat in my refrigerator just went out and that's how I found your channel good job. I'm going to buy the thermostat on Amazon

Thank you so much for the tips!!! I did connect the 2 terminals together inside the fridge where thermostat connects and it worked… lesson learned, buy the OEM part. I did replace this thing a few months ago, a part ordered from Amazon that was obviously not good. Get the original. Thanks!

i love your videos man..GREAT JOB!!

You are the boss BIll!! You have just made me save 125 Eur. Thx

hey bill, just want 2 say ur help videos were awesome thanks for the help great job tyty

Thanks a lot for your info! You saved me 120$!

Bill, Keep up the good work saving us DIYers some money.

Fabulous, thanks for the video this was the problem. Thanks for all the details it helped tons!!!! Yeeee!!

Thanks, an easy step to elimate or confirm the problem.

you have always be amazing..thanks man

Clear and simple!

Exactly the problem I had. $12 total. Thank you

thanks this helped me alot I finally figured out the problem

VERY HELPFUL !!!

thanks for the informative video on how to check..

Good video! Thanks!!

Thanks very helpful 👍

Your a great help!

Hello Bill, I got a call from a guy a regularly do repairs for, he has a Frigidaire top and bottom unit with a air cooled condenser you know, rear mounted. His complaint was the compressor shut down and didn't start up. I checked it and he had a new defrost timer which was working, the compressor was drawing 1.5 amps which indicates no problem. When I turned the thermostat off, the unit shut down. After waiting a few minutes for the pressures to equalize I turned the thermostat to factory setting and it went on. I explained to him that if the thermostat is satisfied it will also shut the compressor even if the defrost timer is in the run position and it is possible for the thermostat to call for cooling, but will not start because the timer is in defrost. The compressor has a solid-state relay which is not the problem. As you know a relay will work or not work. If the overload is bad, it will not start at all. I will try the test shown in this video. It is possible the sensing probe could be faulty. I had that hunch, but it happens rarely.

thanks for this...

Kenmore upright freezer 2014 model that would not do anything except turn the light on when I opened the door. Did what he said above-no resistance on the thermometer so I bridged across the terminals with wire and plugged it back in and immediately had the fan and compressor turn on. $10 fix. Wish I had seen this before wasting money on a defrost timer. Thanks.

Thank you so much

Very good

Thanks!

Great video!!! Thanks for the 101I have two wires!! And a ground does it matters were of the two wires landed?? On which side of the thermostat (black&Orange) noted that ground is for ground!! My old thermo is way different that the new!! Thanks!!

i have a chest freezer that only cools to 20 degrees. could it be a bad thermostat? you have 3,000 subscribers because you know youe stuff and you make excellent tutuorials. thank you for that.

So in this example with the machine on and the Thermostat we should continuity is that correct? However if we get a OL reading or no continuity with the thermostat on the is no good. Is that right ?

Hi Bill - Thanks for all the great videos. I have a 3-year-old frigidaire all fridge (no freezer). It is running at about 65 degrees. I have checked the defrost timer, timer motor, and defrost control. They are all good. My temp control thermostat tests on all positions show 0 ohms. I am thinking that is the problem, but the fan still goes on and off when I turn the knob, and that has me wondering. Does that mean anything or am I overthinking this? The part is quite expensive for me right now, and I just want to double-check before ordering.

Great video . One question You said set the multimeter on ohms but the arrow showed continuity setting. Is there a difference

Nice video thanks , can you tell me pls if the thermostat has 3 pins , brown, black, yellow , which wires do u short together to do quick test, yours had 2 wires. Thankyou

Bill, I have watched all your videos... thank you for the information. My refrigerator is a Kenmore Elite and is only a refrigerator (no freezer). My refrigerator runs, the compressor is running nice and quietly, there are hot and cold (to the touch) lines coming off of it, the frig cycles on and off regularly, both fans are running and there is no ice on the interior coils, and the heater melted the little bit of ice on the refrigerator when I twisted the defrost timer clockwise. It seems that the system is running correctly and cycling properly, but the frig doesn't get below 40 degrees even though we have it turned all the way down? Could it be low coolant?

Hey Bill - thanks for your videos. They’re great. I have a u-line thermostat with 3 pins - yellow, red and blue wires. Yellow to blue pin had continuity. Yellow to red or blue to red is open. The fans are running, but it isn’t cooling. Can you tell me if this thermostat is ok? BTW, the refrigerator is going in and out of defrost. Thanks for the help.

thanks

Thanks for the advice and information. I have a small Frigidaire (EFR751) that for some reason, will shut down the compressor and then not turn on again. This happens with a power interruptions and it does not turn back on the compressor unless I cycle through the thermostat from off to cool at which point it does turn back on. I’m Thinking of replacing the thermostat to see if that will help. Thoughts? Thanks.

Hey Bill, my thermostat ohms out just fine. By turning the knob I can turn the compressor on or off just fine. However the thermostat will not change its state on its own any more based on temperature, only by me manually turning the knob. In other words, my fridge is either running constantly or off constantly, depending on the position of the knob. My questions are: 1.) Is this definitely a sign of a bad thermostat? and 2.) Is this a common failure? Thanks!

Hi Bill, You make very informative instruction videos. This video you made is worth knowing. However, there are so many different refrigerator thermostats (cool control) models and many new replaced need it to be calibrated to work properly according to the proper temperatures required for fresh food section. There is almost no videos on how to calibrate or re-calibrate the refrigerator thermostats. Can you create a new video on this much-needed knowledge? Many new technicians and home repair guys are hungry for this missing stuff. Thanks a million !

@BillNewberry

8 жыл бұрын

+RICHARD ESPINA I will look into doing that. Thanks for the suggestion!

@derekanderson7400

7 жыл бұрын

That is a vaild point. Those refrigerator temp controllers need to be calibrated. Its hard to calibrate though, as you need some really cold media that you can regulate the temperature of to calibrate it. Its not like calibrating a thermometer for a grill or smoker where you can use boiling water to adjust it. I recently replaced a fridge thermostat because the compressor would never turn off, even when the temp of bottled water in the fridge would get down to 33 degrees. Now the new thermostat turns off, but the fridge temp is up above 40, the thermostat shouldnt be satisfied at that temp. Even with the dial set all the way to the coldest setting, its turning the compressor off before it gets down to 37 degrees. The GE Hotpoint thermostat that I bought has a tiny screw inside a hole with the words "COLDER" and a directional arrow printed on the casing, I'm assuming that to calibrate it you adjust that tiny screw inside the hole.

Very good test. Bill would you have the diagram for a 1989 Fridgidaire FPI-17TFWO I can not find this model any where.

Did you publish this steps on any book likes manual guide for us at any bookstore ? I'm interested to buy if there is a book likes that. Thank you.

Thanks for this video . My fridge when I plug in the wire the fridge light inside the fridge working but the fridge compressor and the little cooling fan the one next to the copmressoer not running ?

Bill, I've replaced the thermostat, defrost timer and evaporator fan motor. The evaporator fan motor doesn't seem to be coming on. I tested for voltage at the connectors - from lead to lead, there's nothing. From either lead to ground, I get 120v. Do you have any ideas on what I can do to make the fan come on?

Thanks Bill, my thermostat checked out ok, but it still isn't cooling. I have a kitchenaid top freezer 22cft any help would be appreciated.

Quick question: what if I’m getting resistance from the thermostat (not the control temperature) but no continuity at all? I did the test having the thermostat into a glass of water and ice for 10 minutes. Do I need to replace it?

Only 1 year old out of warranty....SMH.....My exact problem....THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO

Mine one has three terminals instead two as the one you are showing(I am not talking about the ground pin). Could you advise me what is the third pin?

Bill Newberry heres my issue i have a Gibson refrigerator GRT17DRBWO my issue was going on about a half a year ago where the bottom part the refrigerator part was not getting cold and ice was actually hitting the freezer fan. So i'd take the back panel off and melt it all with blow dryer i did this a couple times and ysully it would last a while where the refrigerator would work just fine, it was freezing good and refrigerator would stay cold and the unit would turn off and on all good but than last week it started doing it again. Freezing up the back area of the freezer,coils, and not cold in refrigerator. So i researched and checked that my thermostat for the defrost, timer, or the heater element itself bad. Well i checked the defrost thermostat and it had no continuity so bad, checked the element it was good had 33ohms resistance, checked the timer between one and 3 no continuity so bad. I replaced the defrost thermostat and the timer and the refrigerator thermostat stat too. Well all is cold and no ice or frost on back or on coils and freezing down in refrigerator 30°s. But the problem is the refrigerator will not shut off at all except when the defrost timer gets to its area than off for a bit but the rest of the time the compressor stays on running, air blowing cold. So i put my old thermostat for refrigerator back on same thing, refrigerator runs all the time. Please help me figure this out if you can you seem like a master :)

Do you have the part number for that thermostat? My friend has one almost exactly the same that was on his freezer, I had to match the image to part number 216022900. It isn't available any more. I'm not entirely sure that's the only one that will work on his 1950-60s chest freezer, no model number listed. His turns on and cools, but never shuts off. You can't adjust the temperature, the knob is rusted solid. If you know any other ones that would work in his case, please let me know. It doesn't have to match perfectly, he just has a freezer he'd like to continue using and can't find the part.

Mr. Newberry you are very attractive and your video was very good and informative. :D Do you know how to troubleshoot and repair the internal components of the thermostat? Some of us are really excited to start doing the repairs :D

Bill, I have an old amana 20. Runs constantly. Freezer and refer both cold. Any suggestions ?

Help🌻🌻🌻my refrigerator isnt getting very cold the compressor is working and ive been watching these videis so im pretty proud of that but the fan sounds like its trying to kick on and my freezer gets cold not fast but it does wat do i do

Hi Bill. I watched many your video how to repair the fridge. My fridge is not freezing. It just cool only. I changed defrost thermostat is new, fan is running, I checked heater is ok, timer is ok, cold control thermostat is ok, compressor is working. The compressor relay is ok. But my fridge is still not freezing. Do you know what esles I should be check??? I wish to hear from you soon. Thanks

Hi. Is there a major difference with Thermostat models. I have a WPF14 thermostat and I can only obtain a WPF20 thermostat. The connectors are 100% identical.. and I cant see a major difference with the 2. At the end of the day - its a voltage control turning the knob right?

Westinghouse top freezer/refrig. Running but not cooling. I will test the cool control, but it sounds like it might be the defrost control. I took a screw driver and rotated the defrost control screw, but didn't do anything different and still no cooling. Could I have rotated it from one defrost cycle to the next defrost cycle? How far do you rotate the defrost screw?

hi Bill I checked the thermostat with the multi tester and it's working but it's strange that my refrigerator does not have a defrost timer next to the thermostat it has a little box circuit board refrigerator freezer works but the refrigerator the items are warm

Ok so I’m about as green as it is when it comes to this type thing. So I have a mini fridge that does not have the freezer up top. I’ve changed out the relay and overload protector and that did not work so I went and bought a multimeter to test the compressor and the thermostat. The compressor as far as I know checked out fine but the thermostat, when I checked for continuity, it would beep when it was turned off and it would beep when turned on. Again, sorry if this is a dumb question but like I said, I’m a complete newbie when it comes to this type of work. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Should there be a certain ohm reading? My temp control shows continuity, but no resistance when it's turned on. I get zero ohms no matter where I turn the knob. It breaks the circuit when I turn it off, but when on its just zero ohms. I'm not sure if I need to replace it. It seems like my compressor is always running.

Could it still be the thermostat if it never shuts off. Seems like y fridge run forever. It’s is ge profile double door fridge. I manually turned the defrost timer until it clicked and it did shut down the compressor and started heating up in the freezer department so that tells me the defrost mode works fine. But I was confused of how often a fridge is supposed to shut off. Does it only shut off when the defrost timer tell it to. Or does it shut off when the temp control tells it to also

Hey buddy what video is the one to see if its stuck in defrost mode? Mine seems to be running all the time with the temperature good on freezer and refrigerator but just running all the time. Need help please!!!! Thanks

Hey Bill, I enjoy your videos. I have a Kenmore frig that is too warm. It just stops running and if you touch the control it starts running. I am guessing that the temp control thermostat I bad. Thanks, Larry

@Darksbane100

6 жыл бұрын

Hi Larry, did you ever find out what your issue is. I have a similar problem with my Whirlpool refrigerator. It will cool if I turn the temp control to a cold setting but once it is done and cycles off it won't start cooling again until I turn the control all the way off and back on.

I have the opposite problem than the video, it seems like my cooler is freezing everything. I have had the freezing problem twice. Once it happened a couple of months back and all I did was clean it out and it seemed to be working fine until a couple of days ago. I cleaned the cooler again and it was working fine, and then started freezing everything even when the thermostat was set on the lowest setting I could put it on (all the contents drinks etc are freezing, not the lines). Last night, I turned off the thermostat when most the drinks were frozen, not all. I left the cooler power on and this morning I had EVERYTHING frozen with a few blown cans. I am trying to diagnose what could be wrong. I haven't tested the compressor (maybe stuck open if there is such a thing??) or do you suspect the thermostat as the culprit? I did OHM out the thermostat, and it responds fine as far as "on off" goes, I have a cheap multimeter that doesn't have a continuity test but is there anything to be gained by testing continuity? Any help is appreciated. This is a one door True glass door cooler about 4ft tall in my garage.

You being a Newberry makes you know what you’re talking about. I took am a Newberry! Lol

I have had a problem with a whirlpool side by side . Would not come on ,took a screwdriver and turned defrost timer refrigerator started. Ran for four days like normal then on day 5 would not come on at all. Replaced defrost timer ,started back up . Now it runs but have to tap the thermostat to get it running again. I have checked thermostat with ohm meter says good .

hey I got a question to ask ya, so I have a Vissani wine fridge and everything is on and the condenser is warm and I hear and feel a vibration, and the copper lines are cold to the touch, BUT my fridge isn't cooling down. I do hear noises from the inside of my wine fridge but its just not cooling. ANY SUGGESTIONS ??????? MY BEER IS WARMMMM LOL

I have problem that refrigerator keeps cut off and re start every few seconds or half minute. I shorted the two terminals of the thermostat and connected the two wires coming from back and then power on refrigerator and it started as same with same problem of cut off after few seconds. So it means thermostat is defective?

Hi my fridge freezer works well but fridge is cool but don't think is cool enough. I also noticed that the fan and compressor runs steady and never turns off before the defrost cycle. Can this be a bad thermastat?

Hi bill, i have a mini samsung refrigerator which i left for 3 months unplug with doors slightly open, when i came back and plug it on the ref is not working properly, the freezer is cooling but just a little, enought to cool certain food overnight. There is no air flowing inside. And the compressor is just humming. What could be the problem?

Does this goes for mini fridge as well?

Hello Bill i have a chest fridge from 1941 mode - 6 it's name is (Ideal) yesterday compressor stopped working, I knocked on thermostat fridge started to work but in the morning compressor was not working again. i knocked again to thermostat compressor started to work again i know the problem is the thermostat. I have a question: van i clean the contacts in inside the thermostat or play with adjust escrow. need your opinion thanks in advance

My problem is that my freezer is staying on and freezing everything in the fridge, so cooling appears to be OK. On testing the fridge thermostat, it shows 0.L on my meter when it's in the off position, but it shows random numbers, then comes back to 0.000 when it's set anywhere in the on position. What does that indicate?

Your videos are a great help! I either have a unique problem (I don't think so) or am missing something. Nothing on the fridge works except the light. Run power direct to compress and it runs. Power coming into compressor is about 90volts. Condenser fan seems to be bad and no power to it. Timer is okay. I jumper thermostat and nothing happens. I am confused or am missing something. Thanks if anyone can help.

When testing the resistance of a circuit in Ohms as in the video: The higher the number/reading, the worse off you are (the bigger the resistance, the less current is able to go through) If your tester number starts to go into down into very low numbers, thats low resistance, current can pass through easily and that circuit is working fully. If you connect the tester and absolutely nothing happens, then the circuit you are testing is broken/dead (if theres a switch on the circuit, make sure its turned ON - he says in the video to make sure the thermostat is turned on) To make sure your tester is working if youre not getting any reading, connect your two test leads to each other, this should start to give you a reading as your tester is a circuit too! Seemed important to clarify as theres no much info in the video for those not accustomed to a multimeter/ resistance tester

@lothianmcadam1

6 жыл бұрын

excellent clarification. thanks!

I have a coke machine that has a thermostat that looks just like the one you are handling but it doesnt make the machine cold, could I possibly use a fridge thermostat?

Do they have universal thermostats can I use one that looks similar to the one I have . it's a Maytag mtb1895 hard to find

So, if they show continuity when on, they are definitely good? Or can they get out of calibration?

My thermostat is showing continuity at all times when the knob is being turn so is that a bad thermostat?

What is the ohms on the thermostat when turn on and change setting. I have 2.7 on each setting????

i got a 2006 whirlpool refridgerator the fans comes on the light , i tested the compressor and it appears to be good i got beep on all three legs but wont cool ,any ideas woulf be appreciated

Hey Bill, I'm not sure what's going on with my freezer. I have a Kenmore Elite with the freezer on the bottom. I opened up the back and the Compressor is very hot to the touch. I plugged it back in to see if the compressor was turning on. Keep in mind I am not sure what triggers it to turn on. When I plugged it in the fan turned on but I haven't heard the compressor come on. Your help is greatly appreciated.

@someleverpuller

8 жыл бұрын

Mine too. This is my fridge design.That's why I'm here looking around. Compressor always hot, always running. Starter relay shows 11ohms in the (commonly stating 10-100ohms). can't check the capacitor. When fridge is off for an hour or so while I test it, compressor still around 100 degrees. When I plug it in, compressor low side is super cold for about a minute then goes warm for as long as I'm patient to wait. Compressor readings at contacts are 9start 6 run And 17 between them. No ground short to chassis. Stumped where to go from here. Starter relay as stated has 11ohms in the 10-100 reading, so I'm told. So I feel like it's in range yet it does have a "very slight" plastic burned smell. Fridge works enough to keep non frozen side at around 38-42 degrees. Freezer will not freeze ice. Defrost thermostat has recent been replaced. Defrost timer appears to be working when manually cycling. Thermal control seems to work Any help in this matter would be appreciated Wits end

@someleverpuller

8 жыл бұрын

Mine too. This is my fridge design.That's why I'm here looking around. Compressor always hot, always running. Starter relay shows 11ohms in the (commonly stating 10-100ohms). can't check the capacitor. When fridge is off for an hour or so while I test it, compressor still around 100 degrees. When I plug it in, compressor low side is super cold for about a minute then goes warm for as long as I'm patient to wait. Compressor readings at contacts are 9start 6 run And 17 between them. No ground short to chassis. Stumped where to go from here. Starter relay as stated has 11ohms in the 10-100 reading, so I'm told. So I feel like it's in range yet it does have a "very slight" plastic burned smell. Fridge works enough to keep non frozen side at around 38-42 degrees. Freezer will not freeze ice. Defrost thermostat has recent been replaced. Defrost timer appears to be working when manually cycling. Thermal control seems to work Any help in this matter would be appreciated Wits end

@someleverpuller

8 жыл бұрын

Mine too. This is my fridge design.That's why I'm here looking around. Compressor always hot, always running. Starter relay shows 11ohms in the (commonly stating 10-100ohms). can't check the capacitor. When fridge is off for an hour or so while I test it, compressor still around 100 degrees. When I plug it in, compressor low side is super cold for about a minute then goes warm for as long as I'm patient to wait. Compressor readings at contacts are 9start 6 run And 17 between them. No ground short to chassis. Stumped where to go from here. Starter relay as stated has 11ohms in the 10-100 reading, so I'm told. So I feel like it's in range yet it does have a "very slight" plastic burned smell. Fridge works enough to keep non frozen side at around 38-42 degrees. Freezer will not freeze ice. Defrost thermostat has recent been replaced. Defrost timer appears to be working when manually cycling. Thermal control seems to work Any help in this matter would be appreciated Wits end

bill my 3 way fridge is cooling the freezer but not the fridge any ideas before i start

Can you put any thermostat on any deep freezer?

My chest freezer only works on maximum setting, you figure the thermostat?

At my apartment the fridge worked sometimes then just stopped altogether. The maintenance tech came in and entered the front only and got it running. He said he reset the thermostat. How do I do that so I dont need to keep waiting for him? I'm trying to keep insulin cool.

what function on the multi meter do you use to test the thermostat

@monsterrodvonhugen

4 жыл бұрын

Continuity tester, but you could also look at resistance. The thermostat is just a temperature controlled switch, allowing or preventing current from passing through. It should go from extremely high when the thermostat is off (low temperature) to almost zero when it's on (warmer temperatures).

P.s. how do i know when to stop turning the defrotbutton inaide fridge it just keeps turning

My fridge is running constantly and getting too cold. Could I have a faulty thermostat?

If your thermostat is good, when you turn nob, shouldn't the resistance between two terminals change?