Hauling a new fridge.

September 04, 2019, 05:31 PM

old rugged cross

So I need to pickup a brand new fridge and haul it a ways. One day trip. Do they still need to be hauled up right. Or can they be laid down. It is a Whirlpool if that matters. Thanks guys and gals.

September 04, 2019, 05:41 PM

jimmy123x

You really want to haul it upright. If you absolutely do have to lay it down to haul it, leave it in the upright position for 24 hours before plugging it in.

September 04, 2019, 05:41 PM

MikeinNC

All I’ve ever heard is upright...has to do with the oil in the compressor, and it’s gotta stay oriented upright

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September 04, 2019, 06:30 PM

arcwelder

What Jimmy said.

This includes if you have to tip it to get it in somewhere.

September 04, 2019, 06:44 PM

old rugged cross

Thanks guys. Will do.

September 04, 2019, 07:01 PM

PowerSurge

All you ever wanted to know about fridge hauling: https://products.geappliances....tent?contentId=16603

September 05, 2019, 06:24 AM

45 Cal

I retired from Sears,went to rdc many times for meetings.would wander thru the plant to see how and why things worked.
We sold coldspot refrigerators.
They were made in Evansville Indiana and shipped by rail car.
Might surprise some of you folks here but they are packed in rail car with one layer on its side!. Stacked on a layer upright.No way in hell would a corporation waste cargo space
You also had to lay it down on side to take the wooden flat off.
I have sold many thousand of refrig and
freezers from floor and stock room for dock pickup.
lots were slid in pickup with a camper shell on it.

September 05, 2019, 09:18 AM

old rugged cross

Thanks 45cal. For obvious reasons. Sliding one in a pu on it's side would make transporting one much easier and safer if in fact that is possible. Sounds possible. Just leave upright for a 24 hour period before starting sounds like the right move if so also.

September 05, 2019, 09:36 AM

OKCGene

Another option, a bit more effort required as well as expense, is to rent a trailer with enough interior height, Uhaul or such, and haul it upright.

September 05, 2019, 10:01 AM

arcwelder

quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
Another option, a bit more effort required as well as expense, is to rent a trailer with enough interior height, Uhaul or such, and haul it upright.

Why bother, when it is OK to tip them over? It's not like it's got vertical virginity or something. I've moved too many refrigerators for clients, just stuffing them various places for a kitchen remodel even. Totally OK to tip. Even ridiculously heavy, wide, expensive garbage like Sub Zeros. Those things are the heaviest turds.

September 05, 2019, 11:41 AM

ShouldBFishin

quote:
Originally posted by 45 Cal:
I retired from Sears,went to rdc many times for meetings.would wander thru the plant to see how and why things worked.
We sold coldspot refrigerators.
They were made in Evansville Indiana and shipped by rail car.
Might surprise some of you folks here but they are packed in rail car with one layer on its side!. Stacked on a layer upright.No way in hell would a corporation waste cargo space
You also had to lay it down on side to take the wooden flat off.
I have sold many thousand of refrig and
freezers from floor and stock room for dock pickup.
lots were slid in pickup with a camper shell on it.

I put myself through college with a part time job delivering appliances back in the 80's. Sometimes the semi trailers that delivered the appliances from the factory had refrigerators on their sides or backs stacked on top of the boxes that held washers and dryers...

I'm in the camp of setting them upright for 24 hours before plugging in.

September 05, 2019, 12:59 PM

bendable

many are shipped to the retailers on their backs,
But!
they sit in the ware house and on the sales floor for many days prior to getting plugged in.

Jimmy knows
8 hours on their back = 24 hours upright , prior to plugging in

September 05, 2019, 04:53 PM

Bob at the Beach

quote:
Originally posted by 45 Cal:
I retired from Sears,went to rdc many times for meetings.would wander thru the plant to see how and why things worked.
We sold coldspot refrigerators.
They were made in Evansville Indiana and shipped by rail car.
Might surprise some of you folks here but they are packed in rail car with one layer on its side!. Stacked on a layer upright.No way in hell would a corporation waste cargo space
You also had to lay it down on side to take the wooden flat off.
I have sold many thousand of refrig and
freezers from floor and stock room for dock pickup.
lots were slid in pickup with a camper shell on it.

We receive container shipments of refrigerators at store level. Most always they have a layer on its back. We have to manhandle those units down. There is forklift that fits in a container that gets them down efficiently. Unfortunately we don’t have one of those. I imagine the loading and unloading of those units adds to hidden damage.
We load customer pick up refrigerators / upright freezers on their side or back all the time. We tell them to let it sit upright an hour for every 15 mins it’s laid down before it’s plugging it in.
It has never been an issue.

September 05, 2019, 04:56 PM

Blume9mm

As mentioned... lay it down if you need too.. is easier... but then just let is sit for a couple hours or even a day once you get it in place before plugging it in..... I'm not sure it is a problem but that's also what I've heard.

September 05, 2019, 06:35 PM

Excam_Man

Upright is always best.

If you lay it down, let's it sit for a couple hours and plug it in.

If you want to plug it in immediately, lay it down with the suction and liquid line pointing up. Which will retain the oil in the compressor.