It's a Whirlpool fridge model EET-172pk, simple model with freezer compartment on top. I bought it new in 1979, so it's barely broken in.This afternoon it became apparent that it had just stopped running. It was drawiog 4 watts, so it really was dead. The compressor was not warm. Only the light worked. At first I tried moving the temperature control knob back and forth, but that didn't help. Then I turned the knob full counter-clockwise to the OFF position, heard the expected click when I did that, then turned the knob back clockwise. And the fridge started up, and has been running since then,Is it possible that there is a physical on/off switch inside the control assembly, and it was cruded up after not being exercised in 40 years, but now will operate normally. Of course I know I need to see if it controls temperature properly, and deftosts, but I wonder if I just got lucky, And perhaps I should exercise that switch a bit more.What do you think? My appliance guy said he doubted he could get a replacement thermostat for a model that old, and thought my money might be better spent on a new one. But I'm going to be moving soon to a place that already has a fridge, so buying a new one now would just be wasted money. I haven't found anything on Youtube that goes back this far.Thanks for any help or expertise.

On Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:00:18 -0500, Peabody wrote:Keep the old appliance - find a new appliance guy. John T.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2021 11:48:46 -0500, Peabody wrote: 15 on and 30 off should be adequate if the door is not opened - -

Vintage Whirlpool fridge - could I have gotten lucky?

Oct 14, 2021 Last reply: 4 years ago 21 Replies

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Clare Snyder 4 years ago

15 on and 30 off should be adequate if the door is not opened - -

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Peabody 4 years ago

I got the replacement thermostat installed yesterday, and it's working fine. So hopefully I'm all set until I have to move.

I did take the old one apart just to see, and it was a mess. The electrodes were almost gone, and there was a part broken off from something that I couldn't figure out. So after 40 years it was definitely time to replace it. Of course the defrost timer and thermostat are the same age. But the compressor just hums along.

Thanks for everyone's help.

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