# Refrigerator Thermostat?



## Kevin K (Jan 31, 2011)

Does anyone know how this slide / thermostat works? I've slid it up and down and can't seem to tell a difference. The refrigerator on electric takes forever to cool down and it only takes a few times opening the door and it is over the safe zone on my hanging thermometer.

If I could tell how this thing works maybe I can figure out if it is working.

Help...


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## titanizer (Feb 28, 2009)

Slide it up toward the freezer compartment for the coldest setting. Look at decal on right of fins. Gas will cool more efficiently than electric.


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## Kevin K (Jan 31, 2011)

titanizer said:


> Slide it up toward the freezer compartment for the coldest setting. Look at decal on right of fins. Gas will cool more efficiently than electric.


Yea, I get that... unless the sticker was applied upside down









My question is what does it do. Does it open a door? Does it activate an electric thermostat? The freezer gets cold quick... the fridge, not so much. I'm wondering if it is broken and knowing how it works will help diagnose the problem. I haven't gone back to the dealer in 6 years and two trailers for maintenance, I would rather not start now.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

I don't know the science of it, but I know there aren't any moving parts. I believe it is an electrical resistance method. And yes, the higher towards the freezer, the cooler the fridge.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Kevin K said:


> Does anyone know how this slide / thermostat works? I've slid it up and down and can't seem to tell a difference. The refrigerator on electric takes forever to cool down and it only takes a few times opening the door and it is over the safe zone on my hanging thermometer.
> 
> If I could tell how this thing works maybe I can figure out if it is working.
> 
> Help...


Check this topic out - click here


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Kevin K said:


> Does anyone know how this slide / thermostat works? I've slid it up and down and can't seem to tell a difference. The refrigerator on electric takes forever to cool down and it only takes a few times opening the door and it is over the safe zone on my hanging thermometer.
> 
> If I could tell how this thing works maybe I can figure out if it is working.


The slider has a channel in it in which the thermistor rests. This thermistor is what actually senses the temperature in the refrigerator and uses resistance as a means to cycle the refrigerator on and off. As the temperature in the refrigerator gets warmer, the thermistor resistance decreases allowing the unit to cycle and cool down. As the thermistor senses colder air, its resistance will increase and cycle off.

So the higher on the fin - the warmer. I keep mine on the right most fin at the top - most of the time. I don't think moving the slider to any other fin would make that much more of a difference.

Also, make sure that the thermistor is seated in the channel properly. I found mine laying in the drip tray and not attached and I was wondering why my refrigerator was not getting colder......

The thermistor connects to the circuit board accessed via the outside panel. I've read where you can test this by disconnecting the thermistor from the board (make sure you disconnect 12V and 120V power first!- also you make sure you ground yourself before touching the circuit board) and placing the thermistor end in the fridge in a glass of ice water. Then measure the resistance across the wires that you disconnected - the measurement should be somewhere between 7-10k ohms.


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

Mine wasn't long enough to go up to the top of the fin. So I pulled on it lightly and sure enough, more wire came out, letting me slide it up to the top of the fin. Now my fridge stays in the safe zone. Hope that helps.


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