How to Repair the Defrost Thermostat on a Frigidaire FRS24WSGW2

Like most domestic refrigerators, Frigidaire FRS24WSGW2 double-door refrigerators are equipped with a thermostat to control internal temperature and keep your unit frost-free. In addition to regular timer-controlled defrost cycles, the thermostat activates the defrost heater whenever it senses ice forming. Since ice is an effective insulating material, the defrost heater keeps the unit running efficiently by preventing ice buildup around the evaporator coils. If your refrigerator appears to be warming up and you notice ice forming inside the freezer compartment, save money and change the defrost thermostat yourself before scheduling a service call.

Masking tape
1/4-inch nut driver
Wire crimping pliers
New defrost thermostat kit
Butane lighter

Instructions

- 1
  Unplug the refrigerator power cord from the wall outlet. If the plug is tucked away behind the unit, trip the relevant circuit breaker switch on your electrical panel, and cover it with a strip of masking tape to prevent someone else from restoring power while you’re working.
- 2
  Pull the plastic retaining clips off the ends of the freezer shelves and remove all shelves and the lower drawer from inside the freezer compartment. Use a ¼-inch nut driver to remove the hex head screws securing the drawer rails to the sides.
- 3
  Undo the four hex head screws securing the lower panel to the back of the freezer. Pull the lower back panel out to reveal the evaporator coils.
- 4
  Unclip the small black tubular defrost thermostat from the copper tube leading up from the top of the evaporator coils. Cut the two wires leading from the defective thermostat to the wiring harness as close to the thermostat as possible with a pair of wire crimping pliers. With the crimping pliers, strip off 1/8 inch of insulation from the ends of the wires leading from the wiring harness.
- 5
  Slip the white insulating sleeves provided in the kit over the wires leading from the new defrost thermostat. Slip the thin blue connectors over the ends of the wires and crimp the ends of the connectors to the wires with the crimping pliers. Insert the wires leading from the wiring harness into the other end of the connectors — blue wire to blue wire and black wire to black wire, then crimp the ends of the connectors to the wires.
- 6
  Slide the white insulating sleeve over the connectors. Carefully run the tip of the flame from a butane lighter along the bottom of the insulating sleeves to shrink them onto the connectors; keep the flame moving and do not allow the connecting sleeves to ignite. Clip the new thermostat over the copper tube leading up from the top of the evaporator coils.
- 7
  Secure the lower back panel to the freezer with the screws removed earlier. Replace the drawer rails and slide the drawer back into the bottom of the freezer compartment. Insert the shelves into their respective holes on the side of the freezer and push the plastic retaining clips over the ends of the shelves to secure.
- 8
  Restore power to the refrigerator to complete the project.

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