Relay Starter/Overload Unit Bad - Looking For a Replacement - KSRB25FKSS01

tomsza · August 30, 2026, 1:07am

Brand: KitchenAid
Model Number: KSRB25FKSS01
Main Symptom: Bad Relay Starter/Overload Unit
What happens & when: Compressor stopped running. I removed starter/overload unit and it tested bad. Capacitor tested good. I’m not finding a replacement that looks like the one I have and need some help finding a quality piece that will work. I don’t want to buy something from Amazon that’s going to start on fire.

tomsza · August 30, 2026, 6:34pm

I did a resistance test across the three poles on the compressor.

Jeffrey_S_APP_Team · August 31, 2026, 3:39pm

Here is the part # for the whirlpool starter kit (Whirlpool 8201786 Refrigerator Compressor Starting Device Kit | Genuine OEM Part)

tomsza · August 31, 2026, 3:57pm

Thank you for the reply. The link contains a part that states this part is no longer available. Is that true? If it isn’t, I will try to order this part. If it is true that it’s no longer available, is there a suitable substitution part?

Jeffrey_S_APP_Team · August 31, 2026, 4:00pm

tomsza · August 31, 2026, 4:07pm

Thank you for the link. These components look different than the one I removed. Are there installation instructions and/or wiring diagram(s) for these components? If so, can I review them before I make a purchase (PDF download)?

Jeffrey_S_APP_Team · August 31, 2026, 4:59pm

wiringsheet-2220107.pdf (608.3 KB)

tomsza · August 31, 2026, 5:37pm

Thank you. I placed the order. I will update this thread with my progress.

Here’s an image of the component’s inners I removed from the compressor.

tomsza · September 4, 2026, 5:33pm

Received the parts as described within two days. The start/run switch is different than the original. The original start/run switch had two spade connections. This one has three.

The two white wires that went to the start/run were connected to one small spade receiver. I split those up to two wide spade receivers and connected them to the new three spade switch on the two spades that were tested as bridged. The other spade (blue wire) went to the Run Capacitor. Red to Common on the overload protection switch.

When both were connected to the compressor, I slid on the grey cover that came in the kit. Originally there wasn’t this cover, but the fittings on the compressor aligned perfectly. Cleaned out the dust bunnies, plugged it in, and turned the refrigeration unit on. Started right up. No noises, no smoke, uneventful. Let it run for about half-an-hour and the freezer was getting nice and cold. Putting my hand on the compressor it was quite warm to hot. Figured it would be hot because it had a lot of catching up to do, and the back panel wasn’t installed yet.

I turned it off, put the back cover panel back on, rolled it back into place, and turned it back on. Been running fine for 24 hours. Icemaker is back to work and all seems good. Since this frig is at least 23 years old, I figured it’s on barrowed time now.

Jeffrey_S_APP_Team · September 4, 2026, 6:14pm

congratulations on a great job getting that kit to work on t6hat old fridge