Is it a myth?

[Crumb]

I have wondered about this and I figured I would ask here. This could be a general thread where folks can ask about odd things they have heard or believed in the past if it goes that way.

Is it a myth that it is harmful to transport or store a refrigerator sideways?

[Widget]

Not a myth as far as I know... it's to do with the coolant lines getting air in them and screwing up the compressor.

[Legs]

Not a myth as far as I know... it's to do with the coolant lines getting air in them and screwing up the compressor.

Plus, the eggs break.

[Crumb]

Plus, the eggs break.
It's empty. :rolleyes:

Not a myth as far as I know... it's to do with the coolant lines getting air in them and screwing up the compressor.
So how does turning it sideways get air in the coolant?

[Widget]

Same way as if you turned your car on it's roof, the air at the top of the rad would go to the bottom and get caught up in the U-bends etc

[Crumb]

So there is already air in the coolant? Why would it make a difference if it gets in the U-bends? The coolant is circulated right, so it would eventually be pushed out and end up back where it should be, no?

[Widget]

If it is a suction pump then air in the lines will reduce effeciency and cause cavitating, I believe oil getting into the coolant will also reduce the cooling properties of the fridge.

[Dingfod]

Refrigerators and freezers can be transported on their side as long as you let them stand upright for a day or two before plugging them in. Any refrigerator newer than about 20 years old has an oil-free compressor anyway, the lubricant is in the refrigerant. Letting it stand allows the liquid to settle where the liquid should be and the gaseous form of the refrigerant to rise to where it should be.

[Dingfod]

Appliance411.com says (http://www.appliance411.com/service/Helpful_Tips/Refrigerator/) it only needs to stand upright for at least an hour before plugging it back in.

[Crumb]

:woohoo: Thank you, Dingfod!

[Widget]

I think you should change the name of this thread.

to "Ask Dingfod"

[Legs]

We have a crazy German Fridge that's banned by Greenpeace.

[Crumb]

Way to stick it to the man!

[Dingfod]

We have a crazy German Fridge that's banned by Greenpeace.Because it's used in whaling?

[Legs]

Greenpeace is more than just whales :pat:

[Crumb]

Is it insulated with baby seal fur?

[Legs]

:brooding:

[Crumb]

:giggles:

[MonCapitan2002]

You people are being mean to Legs. Keep being mean and she may take the leggy avatars away.

[Crumb]

Are they banned by greenpeace too? :chin:

[Dingfod]

I thought it might be one of these German frigates:

http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,1075110_1,00.jpg

[Legs]

MonCap, my hero :superfly:

[ceptimus]

Older fridges (and air-con units, etc.) didn't have gas-tight refrigerant circuits. The motor was outside, in the air, and the rotating drive shaft passed through a sealing ring to drive the pump. Refrigerant could and did leak past this seal into the atmosphere, so the fridge would periodically have to be topped up with extra refrigerant. These older fridges also used CFCs such as Freon as the refrigerant - Greenpeace were worried about the harm to the ozone layer caused by these leaking gases.

Most cars still have this type of leaky sealing on their air-con refrigeration pumps, though Freon is banned now so they have to use less harmful alternatives.

[Dingfod]

The older refrigerators and airconditioners would probably benefit by converting to Duracool (http://www.duracool.com/) or Autocool (http://www.autocool-refrigerants.com/) HC refrigerants, they're environmentally friendly and more efficient than R-12 CFC refrigerant (Freon).

[Legs]

Greenpeace were worried about the harm to the ozone layer caused by these leaking gases.

Our crazy German Fridge wasn't working well one day, so I did a google search on the make/serial number to try and find a local dealer. Google gave only one return - Greenpeace, as one of their top enviornmentally unfriendly fridges.

Our kitchen is like the united nations, German Fridge, French Cook top oven & dishwasher, British washing machine. You need a passport to get in there.

[Mr & Mrs Smith]

No it's not Myth My hobby is Refrideration and the compressor is delicate enough so that a small quantity of oil sits where the piston moves up and down in the Compressor. For fear of boring you guys the piston needs oil just like an engine head. The problem with tilting it on it's side is that oil can run along the oulets where the gases compress to an evaporator inside the fridge. So you can tilt a fridge at say 45 degree angle and go over the odd bump but you must let your fridge stand for at least 24 hours before starting the fridge. The ideas is that oil around the system mixes with the gases, liquid coolant and will damage the compressor as it has to work harder to achieve temperatures.
The 24 hours or 12hrs needed is to let any displaced oil to flow back down to the resivoir. Hope that helps I can't be botherd with diagrams but if you want proof I can dig it up! Also its advised that if it does have oiless compressor which must be one expensive fridge as oiless compressors aren't cheap, that the refriderant needs to settle so high pressure does not occur and still over work the compressor or shortern it's life!

[Crumb]

I don't care if it has to sit upright a while before it will work, as long as I can transport it sideways.