Can the refrigerator be transported lying down? Transport regulations - Setafi

Can the refrigerator be transported lying down? This is a question that sooner or later worries everyone who uses a refrigerator. And given that a large number of people use the refrigerator, the question is quite relevant.

There are rules and guidelines for transporting refrigeration units that must be taken into account. For example, most manufacturers of refrigeration devices do not recommend transporting refrigerators lying down. And some even in the case of transportation of the device in a horizontal position automatically relieve themselves of obligations for warranty repair and replacement of the device.

At the same time, the refrigerator belongs to large-sized devices and its transportation in a vertical position in most private cars is simply impossible for technical reasons. Therefore, you have to rent large cars, but this is not always a way out. For example, you want to transport your “old” refrigerator to your country house, instead of buying a new one, you don’t want to spend extra money at all. In fact, there is a way out of this situation and it is still possible to transport the refrigerator lying down, but carefully.

Is it possible to transport the refrigerator in a supine position

So we have determined that most refrigerator manufacturers do not recommend and even prohibit the transportation of refrigeration devices in the "lying position". At the same time, some manufacturers still do not exclude such a possibility in the instructions for operation intelligibly prescribe how to properly transport a refrigerator of a particular model in a "lying position." So the first thing to do is read the instructions. Why is it important? Because if the manufacturer allows you to transport the refrigerator lying down, then this can only be done under certain conditions and on a certain side.

If you are buying a new refrigerator, then there should be no problem finding out the side of the horizontal transport, since this information should be on the package itself. At the same time, the manufacturer independently took care to pack the refrigerator for safe horizontal transportation.

If you want to transport an old refrigerator, and the instructions from the manufacturer are lost somewhere, then read our article to the end and read our recommendations to keep the refrigeration unit in working order during transportation.

How to transport a refrigerator lying down

The refrigerator only seems reliable and monolithic. In fact, this is a very fragile device. The “pain point” of the refrigeration unit is the cooling system, which can be damaged during horizontal transportation.

Recommendations for horizontal transportation of the refrigerator:

1.  initial preparatory process. It is clear that the refrigerator must be transported completely empty. That is, first you need to remove all the products from it, then disconnect it from the mains and wait for the device to completely defrost. While the refrigeration device is defrosting, all movable elements can be removed from it: shelves, drawers and niches. Then carefully pack them separately and prepare for transportation. It is possible to pack in paper or cloth, or not pack at all if you plan to transport them in the vehicle.
2.  Find out on which side of the refrigerator its “lying” transportation is allowed. If there is no instruction, then the side can be determined independently by looking at the compressor at the back of the refrigeration unit. The principle is this: the tube through which the refrigerant comes out of the compressor should be oriented upwards. This is very important, because in this position, the oil from the compressor will drain into the return part of the circuit, and then, after the refrigerator is started, it will fall back into the compressor. If this rule is neglected, then the oil will flow further into the cooling circuit, and then, when the refrigeration device is turned on, the refrigerant will drive it further through the cooling system, tightly clogging the smallest tubes and thereby put the refrigeration device inoperative. Determining the desired compressor tube is quite simple: after you have disconnected the refrigeration device from the mains, after 5-10 minutes, carefully feel the tubes coming out of the compressor with your hands. Those tubes that will be hot will be the ones that should be oriented upwards. If your compressor only has one side of the tube, then that side should be facing up. If it is possible to fix the compressor with special bolts, then do it.
3.  Refrigerator packaging. Before packing the refrigeration unit, be sure to secure the doors to prevent them from opening during transport. Sometimes the doors are generally removed while the refrigerator is being moved. It is very good if you have kept the original packaging with foam elements from your device, as they provide ideal conditions for transportation. But, if the refrigerator is already many years old, then the packaging is hardly preserved. At this stage, your task is to protect the outer casing of the refrigerator. This can be done in different ways: wrapped in thick paper, cardboard, bubble wrap, etc. Here you can show your imagination, the main thing is that the external “packaging” helps to save the refrigeration case device from small impacts and shaking, which may damage the cooling system.

As you can see, the most important task when transporting a refrigerator horizontally is to determine the direction of transportation. Everything else is up to you, but the better you protect the refrigerator from external influences, the more likely it will reach its new destination safe and sound.

Is it possible to transport the refrigerator in a supine position: what to look for

There are several important points "before and after", as well as during transportation, which you need to pay attention to. For example:

1.  Horizontal transport side. How to determine the side, we described a little higher. Transporting the refrigeration unit on the back side is possible only if this condition is described in its instructions. If you have not found the instructions or it does not describe what you can do, then do not take risks and do not experiment, but transport the refrigeration device on its side. Exactly the same situation with the front wall of the refrigerator. From practice: most manufacturers of refrigeration devices strictly forbid transporting the device on the back and front side.
2.  After horizontal transportation, you need to wait. You can’t turn on the refrigeration device immediately after you have installed it in a new location, as it needs to “settle” for some time, during which the oil will collect back inside the compressor. If you transported the refrigeration device in winter, then you need to let it “settle” for about a day, at least 15-16 hours. If the refrigeration device was transported in the summer, then it is necessary to let it “breathe” for 6-8 hours. The most interesting thing is that during vertical transportation, the refrigerator also needs to be allowed to “breathe”, but in half the time. If you do not let it settle, then when you start the refrigeration device can easily fail forever.
3.  Precautions may not save the refrigeration unit from damage. The ideal transport option is a vertical position. The horizontal position of the refrigeration device, even with a very careful approach, is much more dangerous in transportation than the vertical one, so it is better to use it only when absolutely necessary.

Conclusion

Can the refrigerator be transported in a horizontal position? Of course, you can, if there is no other way out and you decide to approach this action with all responsibility. Important:

•  correctly determine the direction of transportation;
•  pack the refrigerator well and protect it from external influences;
•  it is good to fix the refrigerator at the time of transportation, because every extra movement can disable it.