[mickeyt]

I need to test my refrigerator's defroster thermostat. I bought an ohms meter, but now I need to remove the wire harness the thermostat plugs into, in order to apply the meter to the thermostat's pins. You can see a picture of the wire harness here:

Air flow parts replacement parts for WHIRLPOOL KSCS25INSS01 REFRIGERATOR | AppliancePartsPros.com

It is part 12 in the picture, exactly where the arrow points to. For some reason the harness will not come out. I am suspecting that it has a lever of some kind, but I don't see one. I have pulled as hard as I could with my hand, but it own't budge. I'm hesitant to use pliars, lest I break the harness, which is plastic.

Any help would be appreciated.

[denman]

There could be a lock lever but I am not sure.
If there is you should be able to see or feel it.
The part you push down will be towards the wires.
Sometimes you have to push the connectors together first before the lock will release.

Another way to measure it is:
Unplug the unit.
Take a couple straight pins or paper clips and push them into the plug beside the wires. Just make sure they do not short together.
Now measure it for resistance.
Remember it must be frozen as it opens just above freezing.
If the unit has defrosted you can check it by holding it's face onto an ice cube for a while.

In case it is no good here is the replacement
Part number: AP4299920

I would wire it in by cutting the existing wires close to the thermostat and using a couple wire nuts.
Then twist tie the wire nuts so they face down to prevent water from getting into them.
Also as an extra precaution you could fill them with silicone sealant but I would check to make sure defrost works before doing this.

[mickeyt]

Originally Posted by denman

There could be a lock lever but I am not sure.
If there is you should be able to see or feel it.
The part you push down will be towards the wires.
Sometimes you have to push the connectors together first before the lock will release.

I think I see what you mean, but I don't think it's quite what I need. The wiring harness I am referring to has 9 pins, with 4 sets of wires plugged into it. 3 of those sets have either a 1- or 2-wire harness between the part and 9-wire harness. These smaller wiring harnesses indeed have the lock lever you refer to. I experimented with the fan's, and it unlocked and locked pretty easily. The 4th part, the one without the mini-harness, is the part I need to test.

Argh.

Originally Posted by denman

Another way to measure it is:
Unplug the unit.
Take a couple straight pins or paper clips and push them into the plug beside the wires. Just make sure they do not short together.
Now measure it for resistance.

My wife will freak seeing me do that

Originally Posted by denman

Remember it must be frozen as it opens just above freezing.

Is open the opposite of "continuity"? Are you saying it "opens" when it gets up to 32 + 1 degrees? Someone told me that I should test it when I see condensation (meaning its defrosting), and that it should measure continuity.

Originally Posted by denman

If the unit has defrosted you can check it by holding it's face onto an ice cube for a while.

Makes sense.

Originally Posted by denman

In case it is no good here is the replacement

Thanks. I actually ordered it last night, just to have it.

Originally Posted by denman

I would wire it in by cutting the existing wires close to the thermostat and using a couple wire nuts.
Then twist tie the wire nuts so they face down to prevent water from getting into them.
Also as an extra precaution you could fill them with silicone sealant but I would check to make sure defrost works before doing this.

Makes sense.

Thanks for you help! Let me know what you think about that 9-wire harness, without the (obvious) lock.

[denman]

The 4th part, the one without the mini-harness, is the part I need to test.
Unfortunately they do not show an actual picture of the harness so it is hard to tell if it has a lock and what type of lock is used.. In any case if you use the clips/pins you do not have to undo it.

Is open the opposite of "continuity"?
Yes infinite ohms is open. 0 ohms is closed (shorted)

Are you saying it "opens" when it gets up to 32 + 1 degrees? Someone told me that I should test it when I see condensation (meaning its defrosting), and that it should measure continuity.
Yes it opens when when it is up around 50 degrees.
I am not sure what the other person was actually saying.
but can say for sure that it should be 0 ohms when frozen.