First let me thank you for your time, it's appreciated.
turning the thermostat all the way to 0 turns the compressor off? If that's the case then the non-bold post below really doesn't apply but I'll leave it. This bit of information tells me that the thermostat is controlling the compressor, just not the desired/expected way.
Exactly - it seems the thermostat is working as I have replaced it and it's functioning exactly the same.
Did the thermostat have more than two connection points? Were you careful not to kink the tubing between the probe and thermostat when installing it?
No - just two points. I was very careful not to kink it, nor was the original one I removed kinked.
Can't imagine since it's labeled 7up but are you sure this isn't a GDM-12F? Or maybe it was converted to an F model.
It's the standard GDM-12.
I assume you are measuring "freezing" by actually having a container of water freeze, and not just measuring the temperature of the air blowing out of the evaporator, down the rear of the unit, because that air will often measure below freezing.
Okay here's the thing - I have been using three different measuring devices to determine that it's below freezing. One, there's an OEM hanging mercury thermometer installed in it near the rear top of the unit, it always reads in the 20's. Two, I put a digital probe thermometer inside, dangling it exactly in the middle of the middle rack, not touching anything, and it goes down to about 28 degrees and always reads "low" which indicated below that temp. Third, I have been using an infrared thermometer to sample the temperature all over the inside. Always well below freezing.
BUT - after your post I put a bottle of water inside, and after 48 hours it has not frozen. It's just very cold (even on "1"), but not frozen. Not even frosty. So ... I guess it's sort of working correctly. I put my energy monitor on it and it's going to cost me nearly $500 / year in electricity to use this fridge (at $0.15/kwh)!!! It's averaging 350 watts / 3 amps over 48 hours of use. I do hear the compressor cycling on and off, but it's running most of the time, I'd say 80%+.
Does that seem reasonable? If it is I might have to sell the fridge and just get something else. A household fridge would use 8-12% of that annually. I just feel like something's wrong with this guy using that much juice. Please share your opinion if you don't mind.