What is this piece?

[satsat]

Sorry, I'm a home user asking for help and this seem to be a professional oriented forum but I have really tried to find the solution in many sites.

I'm trying to repair a Siemens KG36NA73/05 freezer the problem seems to be in the no-frost module.

I've noted the freezer has a temperature sensor which I believe is OK (because the resistance is changing with the temperature) and also another piece:

part.jpg

I have no way to find exactly what is this piece and how to test it, in the ITV METALFLEX website there is no information at all, it seems this is some kind of thermal switch but I'm not really sure of how to know if it works correctly or where to obtain a replacement.

Could someone be so kind to tell me what is this?. Is this a thermal switch? Is this normally open or normally closed? At what temperature is supposed to change the state?.

Thanks a lot!

[r.bartlett]

Tonto or ukwhitegoods

[install monkey]

its ITW http://www.itwmetalflex.com/en/contact
its a thermal cut out- as for the switch position- normally closed then open circuit to stop the defrost heater - whats the problem with ur freezer- sedgy lives in spain

[satsat]

Thanks for your responses, yes, I know is itwmetalflex but I can't find the product specifications in their webpage.

The problem is that the freezer is accumulating ice and prevents the upper part (fridge) from refrigerating correctly, so I'm sure this is a problem with the no-frost system. I have tested the heater and the thermal sensor and they are OK so it seems to me the problem is in this piece.

In my tests is always open (infinite resistance) even if you put it in a 100C water or a glass with ice. Is this switch supposed to be closed normally and open starting at 73C? If so it seems is broken, do you know the spare part I can use?. I have visited ukwhitegoods but I can find any replacement. Also, what is tonto? Another spares webpage?

Many thanks to all!

[install monkey]

tonto is the domestic fridge god!-on here

[monkey spanners]

Some of those thermal switch things are in fact thermal fuses, they only work once.

I would expect you should be able to get one from the manufacturers spares department.

I have replaced them with a similar part from RS components, need soldering to high temp cable then waterproofing with heat shrink. The switch i used reset itself once the power was turned off and back on again so long as temperature had cooled below tripping point.