Frigidaire/Electrolux Apartment Size Fridge FRT12B2Dk

[appliance_grasshopper]

Happy New Year to All Enlightened Samuri Appliance Technicians & Grand Master(s),

This one is killing me already.

Parts clerk told me the model # is actually FRT12B2DkO, and everyone omits the O, but I wasn't tired or smoking anything.

Opened up the cover to the evaporator coil and found the thing frozen over. Turned the timer until I heard the usual click and heard the compressor shut down. Waited & nothing but crickets.

Okay, checked the defrost element and no continuity. Okay lets do the usual swap the defrost element, defrost  thermostat and timer. This manuver is usually money.

After dealing with the completely uninspired parts store clerks, installed the new parts, double checked the defrost element for continuity which . Turned the new timer to defrost cycle and nothing, defrost element wouldn't light up.

Since it was Friday afternoon and the parts clerks looked about as happy as lab rats, it wouldn't be beyond me to assume I got the wrong parts. Defrost cycle seems way too short, in the order of 15 minutes.

I was wondering where the defrost element gets power from ?

Why the defrost thermostat is in parallel with the defrost element?

What sort of voltage powers the defrost element ie 120v AC, 12 V DC or something else ?

Any tips or tricks to get me out of this hole ?

Which animal should I sacrifice at the alter to get some good karma from Appliance Gods ?

Tim

[AccApp]

Did you allow time for the defrost thermostat to cool down? If it was room temperature it would not allow power to the heater. The defrost thermosat should be in series with the heater, not parallel. You should be getting 120v to the heater.

[BrntToast]

the defrost heater is in series with the def therm, the extra wire you saw leads to the test plug(its the extra plug in the defrost timer hole)

you can jump out that plug without ripping apart the freezer(this will power the heater regardless of where the timer is set)

you can test continuity between orange wire on the plug and 2 on the timer to check the DTS

much easier than ripping that divider out to get that cursed freezer floor out when its all iced up