I tried using a generic defrost timer on a 2019 Whirlpool fridge

Picked up a cheap defrost timer off Amazon for $12, thought I was saving money. Installed it on a Whirlpool WRF535SWHZ last Thursday, and the freezer turned into an ice block overnight. Learned the hard way that some timers have different cycle intervals, and this one ran too long between defrosts. Anyone know a reliable source for OEM spec timers that won't break the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.kai1mo ago

Bought one of those $12 Amazon timers myself a few months back for a similar Whirlpool model. The thing cycled every 6 hours instead of the factory 8 hour defrost and my ice maker literally froze solid with a block of ice hanging off it. Had to use a hair dryer to even get the freezer drawer open again. If you're looking for the real deal, check out PartsDr. com or Marcone supply - they usually have the actual Whirlpool timer for about $25 and it fits perfectly without any of that guessing game nonsense.

vera_johnson91mo ago

Dude same, I grabbed one off eBay and my freezer was a solid brick in two days.

paul_taylor211mo ago

I read somewhere that those cheap eBay timers are often factory seconds or knockoffs with different internal specs. The guy who posted about PartsDr.com knows what he's talking about. I tried the cheap route once on a GE fridge and ended up with a solid block of ice too. Had to chip it out with a plastic scraper so I didn't puncture the coil. Spent the twenty five bucks for the real Whirlpool part after that and never had another issue.