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Why are there 4 terminals on a dryer thermostat?

I have 4 terminals on a Whirlpool thermostat. I tested each pair, one pair has continuity the other not. Is this a faulty thermostat?

Thanks.
Rob Diehard Whalers Fan, July 2009
Two terminals for the single pole thermostat switch and two terminals for the bias heater. When the bias heater is operating the thermostat will switch at a lower temperature - enables Low Heat (with bias) / High Heat (without bias)

http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/zapplian/-strse-1367/Dryer-thermostat-cold-control/Detail

Clothes dryer cycling thermostat with internal bias heater. Whirlpool

http://www.appliance411.com/parts/showcase.dryer-thermo.shtml

"The bias thermostat is just like a regular thermostat except it is located inside a bias heater.When the heater is energized it generates a little amount of heat which causes the operating thermostat to open sooner keeping the dryer drum cooler inside therefore a bias heater allows a single operating thermostat to act both as a hi temp and lo temp thermostat."

Peccavi, July 2009
link Click here to see other fixes for Whirlpool.