Fridge thermostats: the part or a fitted swap

Signs the thermostat is the problem

• The compressor runs non-stop and the fridge section ices up, even on the warmest setting.
• The compressor never starts, but runs if the thermostat contacts are bridged by a technician.
• Turning the dial makes no difference, or you hear no click when you turn it from off to on.
• The temperature swings widely through the day.

Check with a thermometer in a glass of water on the middle shelf, not the dial. A fridge should sit at about 3 to 5 °C and a freezer at about -18 °C.

Rule out the cheaper causes first

Warm food is not always the thermostat. Dirty condenser coils, a blocked air vent between the freezer and fridge, a failed evaporator fan or a defrost fault can all look like a control problem. A worn door seal makes the fridge run longer too. If the compressor clicks and will not start, the relay is the likelier suspect. A technician can test all of these in one visit; see fridge not cooling.

Mechanical, electronic and universal

Mechanical thermostats have a capillary tube clipped to the evaporator; the new one must be fitted with the tube in the same place. Universal versions are common and work on many older fridges if the cut-in and cut-out range suits. Electronic fridges use thermistor sensors and a control board. A sensor is cheap and easy to swap, but a board usually has to match the model exactly. Send a photo of the old part and its markings. Chest freezers and bar fridges have their own ranges, so a fridge thermostat may not pull a freezer down to -18 °C.

Part price and fitted price

As a guide, shop prices are about R150 to R500 for the part, depending on the type and model, and about R600 to R1,500 fitted, which includes the call-out and labour. Boards are quoted separately. A competent DIY repairer can swap a dial thermostat with the fridge unplugged and the wiring photographed first. Electronic boards on frost-free models are best left to a technician who can test the sensors first. If you want several parts at once, see fridge parts.

What to include in your request

• Model number from the rating sticker
• What the fridge does: too cold or too warm
• A photo of the old thermostat or sensor
• Part only, or fitted by a technician
• Temperature reading from a thermometer

Fridge Thermostats for different clients

• Households: a new dial thermostat for a fridge that freezes the milk and lettuce
• Landlords, guest houses and B&Bs: thermostat swaps in guest house bar fridges that run too warm
• Shops, cafes and supermarkets: a control for a drinks cooler that runs non-stop and ices over
• Restaurants, butcheries and caterers: an accurate control so a prep fridge holds safe temperatures through service
• Farms, packhouses and dairies: a thermostat for a chest freezer holding meat after slaughter
• Factories and cold stores: replacement controls for canteen fridges and water coolers
• Schools, clinics and public buildings: a reliable thermostat for a clinic or school kitchen fridge
• Technicians and repairers: universal thermostats and sensors kept in the bakkie for call-outs

Frequently asked questions

Fridge Thermostats by province and city

• Gauteng
• Mpumalanga
• North West
• Limpopo
• Northern Cape
• Free State
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Eastern Cape
• Western Cape

• Johannesburg
• Pretoria
• Centurion
• Midrand
• Sandton
• Randburg
• Roodepoort
• Krugersdorp
• Randfontein
• Germiston
• Boksburg
• Benoni
• Kempton Park
• Alberton
• Vanderbijlpark
• Vereeniging
• Durban
• Pinetown
• Pietermaritzburg
• Richards Bay
• Newcastle
• Ladysmith
• Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
• East London
• Kariega (Uitenhage)
• Mthatha
• Cape Town
• Bellville
• Paarl
• Stellenbosch
• George
• Worcester
• eMalahleni (Witbank)
• Middelburg
• Secunda
• Mbombela (Nelspruit)
• Rustenburg
• Brits
• Klerksdorp
• Potchefstroom
• Mahikeng
• Polokwane
• Tzaneen
• Kimberley
• Upington
• Bloemfontein
• Welkom
• Sasolburg

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