# Moving a refridgerator, Ok to tip over?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 25, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158 "2006-05-25T13:51:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/1 "2006-05-25T13:51:29Z")
Can a modern refridgerator be tipped over on it’s side for a 20 minute drive in a van? If set back upright for 3 hours before plugging back in? I’m trying to determine whether we need to rent a truck.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/2 "2006-05-25T14:17:49Z")
I used to sell and deliver appliances and receive them from warehouses.
The general rule of thumb was to have the sit upright for as long as they were on their sides before plugging them in.
So if you put it on it’s side for a 60 minute drive, it needs to sit upright again for 60 minutes before you plug it in.
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### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/3 "2006-05-25T14:22:04Z")
I just bought a new fridge, and was told not to plug it in for 24 hours if it had been on it’s side.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/4 "2006-05-25T14:26:30Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#):
>
> I just bought a new fridge, and was told not to plug it in for 24 hours if it had been on it’s side.
Yep, 24 hours is the safest bet. In amends to my previous post 24 hours is the max time it would need to sit upright. So even though it may have been stored on it’s side for a week you wouldn’t have to sit it upright for a week, 24 hours would be the max.
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/5 "2006-05-25T15:50:20Z")
The reason for the wait after putting a fridge right-side up is so the refrigerant, and more importantly, the compressor oil, can sink back to where it needs to be.
Something else to watch out for when moving a fridge on its side - take out the racks, shelves and drawers first or they’ll fall every which way while moving and probably fall out on you with a mighty crash when you open the door.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/6 "2006-05-25T16:17:58Z")
I was helping a friend move, and I heard something clattering when we tilted the fridge on the hand truck. It turned out he had taken out only the stuff that was most likely to spill or break. There was a bit of a mess when we opened it up in his new kitchen. He got a withering glare from his wife, and we all knew she’d have more to say about it later.
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### Author:  [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-a-refridgerator-ok-to-tip-over/358158/7 "2006-05-25T16:20:34Z")
Thank you all!