Refrigerator Defrost Bi-Metal Thermostat WP10442409

Exact Replacement

Several other appliance part sites want to sell you a 2 wire thermostat. This is the correct 3 wire replacement. Also, other parts sites listed the part as "IN STOCK", but after placing order "OUT OF STOCK" email was sent. Sears listed part as in stock and shipped the day after order placement. My failure was the fan would not turn on, so the refrigerator area was warm. Additionally, the amount of frost that developed at the freezer coils was more than the defrost cycle could melt. Ice was at the top of the coils. The compressor and compressor fan was working, which seemed odd. The old thermostat failure was evident to me by the burst case. There are a series of numbers on the thermostat. Pay attention to 55-35F or similar marking. F=Fahrenheit, 55=Temperature the thermostat will have open circurit, 55-35=20 is the temperature the thermostat will close. Notice 20F is lower than freezing, so placing the thermostat in a cup of ice water WILL NOT close the thermostat connection. Sticking the thermostat in your spare refrigerator freezer for 15 minutes MAY close the thermostat. In any event, I installed the thermostat and turned on the freezer without installing the cover panel. The fan did not initially turn on(too warm), but within 10 minutes did start blowing cold air into the refrigerator.