Why Can't You Lay Refrigerator Down??

[Stormin Mormon]

You're saying that you know positively that several hundred readers didn't think of that?

I'm calling for proof.

[dpb]

...

"Freezer Moving Instructions

Please use the following steps when relocating an upright or chest freezer:

Disconnect the power cord from the wall receptacle. Remove the food, defrost, and clean the freezer. Use blankets to protect the freezer finish from scratches. Place the freezer on its side for moving only if you have no other choice. When transporting a freezer, keep it in an upright position. If transporting it in an upright position is not possible, lay it down on the compressor side of the unit. Be careful to secure the door to prevent it from opening. If it has been transported on its side, set it right side up in its final location and allow the freezer to sit for the same amount of time that it was on its side (24 hrs max.). Do not plug the unit into the electrical receptacle without allowing this settling time. The unit can be damaged if it is plugged in prematurely.

If the unit was transported in an upright position there is no waiting time required."

Above from GE is pretty typical of what I've seen from manufacturers -- it's far and away _preferred_ to transport upright; if must transport horizontally, lay on the side so the compressor is down, not up.

As for the basement, we've got both a fridge and an upright freezer down there and both have to be tilted to get them down and in the area. Had to replace the old freezer that finally died just last year; the new one turned out to be taller by just enough had to lay down on back to be able to set it upright; it wouldn't clear ceiling width-wise trying to stand it up. We did, of course, transport it on its side as directed.

Left it sit a day even though it had only been a few minutes simply as precaution; it's now been about 9 months, seems OK. Hopefully it'll last 30 yr more as did the one it replaced.

[thekmanrocks]

Stormin Mormon wrote: "- show quoted text - You're saying that you know positively that several hundred readers didn't think of that?

- show quoted text -"

This IS America, right?

[philo]

It's illegal to dispose of a refrigerator unless the door is off

[Sam E]

What if the hinges are down?

[bob_villain]

Why chide someone that's concerned with saving a child's life...even you li ke to eat fresh meat! ???(?_?)? ????

[Don Wiss]

When my small chest freezer was delivered, the UPS guy flipped it end over end to get it up the stoop by himself. No wonder it periodically gurgles.

Don.

(e-mail link at home page bottom).

[dpb]

On 01/06/2016 11:48 AM, Don Wiss wrote: ...

That'd be beyond pale in my book...it'd gone back on their nickel he done that to me (and I knew it, of course).

[Paintedcow]

About 45 years ago, shortly after I finished High School, I moved into a run-down "Furnished" house. One day our refrigerator quit getting cold. It ran, but did not get cold. We called the landlord, and he came over (drunk as he always was). He told us to remove the contents, then he asked us to help him move it outside to the porch.

We thought he was going to bring us another fridge, but instead, as soon as we got it to the porch, he just pushed it off the porch. That porch was 3 to 4 feet off the ground. The fridge crashed on it's side onto the concrete sidewalk. We just stood there wondering what the hell he was doing. He sat down and said "now we gotta wait", and he drank another pint of some sort of booze. A half hour later he said "Lets put it back on the porch". So we help him get it back on the porch. It's all dented up, but he asks if we have an extension cord. We got one and he ran the cord thru a window and plugged the fridge into it.

He got himself another bottle to drink and said "now we gotta wait". I must admit I, and everyone else was completely amazed to find that within a half hour that fridge was cold again.....

The landlord told us to take it back into the house by ourselves and he left.... (But before he left, he said "now you guys know how to fix a refrigerator").

Although we did not live there very long, that dented up fridge continued to work for months afterwards. UNBELIEVABLE!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Some places require you take the door off.

OTOH, most appliance dealers will take the old one away when they deliver the new one.

[burfordTjustice]

Nonsense.

[Offred]

All three freezers sat for a week. I didn't know they had to be set for a day or so after transport. I never heard that this is a problem with big freezers so why is the compressor so different? Each was at an angle for only a few seconds during transport. After installed each were powered up immediately which apparently was a big mistake. I did not let them sit. I guess by starting them up right away rather then let them sit, damage to the compressor resulted. But seriously, three freezers all failing, transported and installed at 45 d angle at worst? What's wrong here? And there must be a way to fix this, Is the compressor permanently damaged? Is there any way to tell?

I just wish there was a warning in big letters on the shipping box. Years ago I got a Haier, took it home at a 45 d angle and it worked fine. The new ones are China junk.

[Gustav]

LOL, beerFartTJustAss is wrong again:

[mike]

Around here, they pay you $35-50 when they haul it away. Your taxes at work protecting the environment.

The way I heard it, when you lay it over, oil in the compressor may find its way into the exit pipe. When you turn it on, oil makes its way to and plugs up the (whatever they use as) expansion orifice...game over.

Presumably, oil in the big part of the pipe can make its way back into the compressor if you let it sit. Once it's in the capillary tube, it has a hard time getting out.

What you did after you touched it may be irrelevant after a boat trip from China in whatever position it happened to be.

When they delivered my fridge, they started it immediately. No problems. But they carried it pretty-much upright all the way.

50 years ago, I hauled the fridge from college back home. 100 miles on its side in a trailer. Was dead when it arrived home.

[>>>Ashton Crusher]

In past years I transported many many refrigerators for my rentals on their sides. Typically for no more then an hour or two. I always put the compressor side down if possible, that is, if the compressor was on the right side of the cabinet I would put the right side down against the pickup bed, if it was against the back side I would put the back side down against the pickup bed. In many cases I only let them stand upright for a few hours before plugging them in. I never had any problems with them not working.

[Paintedcow]

Unplug them, let them sit for at least 24 hours, plug them back in. I have doubts that the compressors was damaged, but you may need to let them sit idle for a day, so the refrigerant can settle.

If that dont fix them, push them off your porch, wait a half hour, put them back on the porch, wait a half hour, then plug them in.... :)

[Dana F Bonnett]

I've moved a few on their sides, stood them up for 10 or 15 minutes to let the oil in the compresor settle, then started them up. Never a problem.