Defroster problems my defroster heating element is not heating and my coils are froze over. I talked to a tech who said I can jump a couple wires and put it into a test mode the only problem is I can not find how to get to circiut board. I took the panels off in the feezer and seen the temp sensor. so I need to know how to get to the board and also does the heating element use 120vac on both legs to heat or is it 120vac on one leg and the board sends a ground on the other? also the temp sensor on the line how does that work? opens when too cold? opens if temp of heater gets to hot? thanks

Your Defrost electrical element (heater) is blown, you will need to buy a new defrost heater. Your evaporator coils in your freezer section is froze up (no air flow)...soild ice, thus you're not cooling down properly. You will need to defrost and then underneath the coils you'll find the glass tube with defrost heating element...you will need to replace this part (entire glass heating element)...it's DIY fairly easy to get at.

The defrost relay may be the problem,it also coud be the defrost heating element,you will have to remove the back panel inside the freezer side and do a continuity check on heating element if that has continuity then element is good,then the relay which is located on the wiring loop to defrost element is probably bad.locate a replacemant part and replace relay and that should solve the ice on the coils.

HI. There are two causes here, in this situation. The most common will be a faulty defrost timer, or adaptive defrost control board. The defrost mechanism will vary form unit to unit. Most newer units will be equipped with an defrost control board. This will be located in the control housing, just above the heat shield, in the upper right had side. Older models will have a standard defrost timer mechanism. If this device fails, the evaporator heater Assembly will not receive the command to defrost the coil, on time. The easiest way to isolate the cause, will be to test the heater element. If the element is functional, the defrost timer/board, will eb the culprit.

Defrost heater assembly test procedure:

The defrost heater is usually located at the back of a side by side freezer or under the floor of a top freezer. It will be necessary to remove obstructions such as the contents of the freezer, freezer shelves, ice-maker and the inside rear or bottom panel of the freezer, to access.

The panel may be held in place by retainer clips or screws. Remove the screws or depress the retainer clips with a small screwdriver. On some older top freezers it is necessary to remove the plastic molding to access the freezer floor. Removal of that molding can be tricky, so try not to force it, if possible. If you decide to remove it, you do so at your own risk. it will break, if forced. Warm it first with a warm towel, or hair dryer, set to low heat.

There are three primary types of defrost heater elements; exposed metal rod, metal rod covered with aluminum tape or a wire coil inside a glass tube. All three elements are tested in the same way.

The heater is connected by two wires. The wires are connected with slip on connectors. Firmly pull the connectors off of the terminals (do not pull on the wire). You may need to use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the connectors. Inspect the connectors and the terminals for corrosion. If the connectors are corroded they should be replaced.

Test the heating element for continuity using a multimeter. Set the multimeter to the ohms setting X1. Place a probe on each terminal. The multimeter should display a reading somewhere between zero and infinity. Because of the number of different elements we cannot tell what your reading should be, but we can be certain of what it shouldn't be. If the reading is zero or infinity the heating element is definitely faulty, and should be replaced.

defrost not working check defrost t-stat, timer, or heating element.
find timer and rotate till compressor turns off; defrost should start and melt ice, if no melting then check defrost t-stat ( round disc located nead heating coil) if you remove it and jump around it will begin to heat normally. If so then do not leave it jumped!!!!!!!! Replace it and you're done!!!!!!

you might have a defrost problem. Frost free models have a heating element that is controlled by a timer to automatically defrost ice, defrost timer turns on defrost heating element every 12 hours to melt ice in freezer and allow good air flow.
You can test defrost element with an ohm meter(located inside freezer coils-will have two wires going to a plug connection), if OK replace defrost timer (located in various places depending on make and model

If freezer is icing up, you might have a defrost problem. Frost free models have a heating element that is controlled by a timer to automatically defrost ice, defrost timer turns on defrost heating element every 12 hours to melt ice in freezer and allow good air flow.
You can test defrost element with an ohm meter(located inside freezer coils-will have two wires going to a plug connection), if OK replace defrost timer (located in various places depending on make and model

If freezer is icing up, you might have a defrost problem. Frost free models have a heating element that is controlled by a timer to automatically defrost ice, defrost timer turns on defrost heating element every 12 hours to melt ice in freezer and allow good air flow.
You can test defrost element with an ohm meter(located inside freezer coils-will have two wires going to a plug connection), if OK replace defrost timer (located in various places depending on make and model

If freezer is icing up, you might have a defrost problem. Frost free models have a heating element that is controlled by a timer to automatically defrost ice, ie defrost timer turns on defrost heating element every 12 hours to melt ice in freezer and allow good air flow.
You can test defrost element with an ohm meter(located inside freezer coils-will have two wires going to a plug connection), if OK replace defrost timer (located in various places depending on make and model of fridge)

The defrost cycle is not working properly, there are three things involved in system. #1 Defrost timer in refrigerator #2 Thermostat on coils to tell if unit is frozen #3 heater element located under coils thaws coils when frozen. the defrost timer if it is manual < located at the front of light assembly panel in top of refrigerator there will be a hole with a plastic piece that resembles a screw strait screw head> it turns and every 8hrs aprox. it stops operations and starts defrost cycle by allowing voltage to the thermostat and if thermostat is frozen it allows power to element for thawing coils. If defrost timer is manual look for direction it is facing and mark edge to see if timer is turning< very slow turning and is easiest way> if you can get an ohm meter ohm the element on high setting< if it has continuity element is operable> check wiring just to be sure not problem. If you find the timer does turn and doesn't stay in one position over 40 minutes then the thermostat is bad.If element fails tesing then the element is bad and if timer stays in one position then it is bad. If unit is equiped with electronic defrost timer and element is good in would replace timer and thermostat to guaranty that resolved problem

The defrost cycle is not happening like it should, that's what causes the block of ice (and poor air flow). If you have all that defrosted look at the defrost bi-metal, it usually is a small round disk with a couple wires coming out of it and it's clipped on the coils. When it's cold enough, it passes electricity to the heat elements, when it gets hot enough it "opens" and kills power to the heat elements. If that is bad (swollen cracked or bloated) and not passing electricity to the elements that's the problem. Another item would be the defrost timer itself, if it doesn't work (no clock motor turning) then it will never go into defrost. And the last and usually least expected failure would be the heat element themselves not working