I am trying to replace heating element. my model has 1 wire coming from the bottom to the element. all videos I have seen show two wires. I am confused...

Hello,

Sounds like you have a defrost problem since the freezer side is working okay . It probably is not blowing cold air into the refrigerator side , so to check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrigerator and inside the refrigerator section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and forward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrigerator 's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Using a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly through the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrigerator back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrigerator and reinstall the refrigerator control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired together and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired together . This would be the adviseable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function .


I hope this will help in solving the problem, do take care in handling the refrigerator....

yes...do you have a service manual?

If it is an older model with the 2 adjustable settings at the top which slide then to check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrig and inside the refrig section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and foreward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrig's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Useing a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly thru the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrig back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrig and reinstall the refrig control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired togather and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired togather . This would be the adviseable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function

Hello,

Sounds like you have a defrost problem since the freezer side is working okay . It probably is not blowing cold air into the refrigerator side , so to check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrigerator and inside the refrigerator section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and forward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrigerator's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Using a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly through the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrigerator back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrigerator and reinstall the refrigerator control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired together and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired together . This would be the advisable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function .

Good luck.....

Hi,

Sounds like you have a defrost problem since the freezer side is working okay . It probably is not blowing cold air into the refrigerator side , so to check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrigerator and inside the refrigerator section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and forward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrigerator's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Using a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly through the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrigerator back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrigerator and reinstall the refrigerator control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired together and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired together . This would be the advisable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function .
Take care...

Hello,

Checking defrost components on Maytag SideXSide refrigerators
To check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrig and inside the refrig section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and foreward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrig's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Useing a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly thru the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrig back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrig and reinstall the refrig control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired together and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired together . This would be the adviseable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function
Hope find it helpful......

To check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrig and inside the refrig section at the top about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull downward and foreward , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4" screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these 5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive defrost board . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrig's , a white box will be seen. Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then another color , then white . Useing a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass the adaptive board and send power directly thru the defrost bimetal ( thermostat ) AND heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrig back in . Now , wait about 3-5 min and look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater .If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bimetal are good . If you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrig and reinstall the refrig control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace then to the top of the coils and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good . If the element IS good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils . This is the defrost thermostat ( bimetal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good . If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the bimetal come wired togather and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bimetal already wired togather . This would be the adviseable replacement part . However , each part can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bimetal and the top plastic " cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bimetal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its designed function .

To check the defrost circuit , unplug the refrig and inside the refrig section at the top
about 2" in from each side in the back , there are "D" slots to put a finger in , and pull
downward and foreword , to remove the control panel cover . Once removed , there is a 1/4"
screw on each side holding the adjustment indicator panel on , 1 phillips screw behind both
light bulbs , and 1 screw holding the complete panel to the rear wall . After removing these
5 screws , at the top right corner , with about 6-8 wires going to it , is the adaptive
defrost board ( adc ) . Sometimes you can see the electronic board and on newer refrig's , a white
box will be seen . Inside this box , is the adaptive defrost control . Disconnect the plug
going to the board and on the right side of the PLUG , the far right wire is yellow , then
another color , then white . Using a small insulated wire with both ends stripped , insert
one end into the yellow wire hole and the other into the white wire hole . This will bypass
the adaptive board and send power directly thru the defrost bi-metal ( thermostat ) AND
heater to check if they are good .Plug the refrig back in . Now , if you have a clamp on amp meter , clamp around the jumper wire while pushing in the light switch ( to turn off the light to get only defrost amps ) which should be 3.5 or above indicating bi metal and heater are good and adc is bad , OR , wait about 3-5 min and
look for a red glow at the bottom of the inside freezer panel , which will be the defrost
heater or listen for sizzling which will be the frost melting and dripping onto the heater
.If NO red glow , watch for a spark while removing the jumper wire you installed , from the
plug . If a spark IS seen , then the heater was on and the heater AND bi-metal are good . If
you see the red glow , hear the sizzling , or see the spark , then the adaptive defrost
board should be replaced . If no glow , sizzling or spark , then unplug the refrig and
reinstall the refrig control section .
Remove the food in the freezer section enough so that the 2 screws holding the lower freezer
panel on and the freezer panel , can be removed . Remove the panel . If the heater (black
element at the bottom of the coils ) wires are visible , trace them to the top of the coils
and disconnect . Use an ohm meter to determine if the element is good ( should show continuity ) . If the element IS
good , at the top of the coils , is a 1" cylinder with 2 wires , clipped onto the coils .
This is the defrost thermostat ( bi-metal ) . Replace this part if the element shows good .
If the element shows bad , replace the element . NOTE 1 : sometimes the element and the
bi-metal come wired together and the replacement part comes with a new heater and bi-metal
already wired together . This would be the advisable replacement part . However , each part
can still be replaced individually . NOTE 2 : If looking at the bi-metal and the top plastic
" cap " looks cockeyed , replace the bi-metal as moisture has gotten inside and disturbed its
designed function .

Wow, not sure how this listing got filed under a Network Firewall, other than the "Appliance" keyword, but here goes...

Your heating element is 1 of basically 3 parts that all need to function to get the heat going, the element is 1, the relay is 2, and the controller is 3. If you've replaced the element, then it must be the relay or controller of course.

CAREFULLY use a multimeter to test the voltage of the socket the elements connect to while they should be heating. If there's no voltage there, follow the socket's wires to a small box (probably 1-2" square) with 1-2 other wires coming from it. Test the voltage at the 2 other wires, or if there only one other wire, at the other wire and the element's black wire. If there's voltage there, it's probably a bad relay, which is much cheaper then the controller. If there's no voltage there, then it's the controller.

Is it the large heating element wire or the thermostat wire? If it is sthe thermostat wire just go to hardware store and get repalcement spade for end., if its the larger element wire whole element should be replaced I have seen some people correct it by just rebending wire around the connector for a temp fix but not recommend should be replaced