Can I safely store a GE side by side frig, on its side for a week before standing it upright for a day, then plugging it in?

My instruction manual says no.

It should not hurt it for a brief period. The only problem I could think of would be the springs that the compressor motor sits on inside the shell, but I would tend to think that it would take longer than a week to cause any problems. It's a myth that transporting a refrigerator on its side harms it. I have done this many times over 35 years and never had any problems. Just make sure to secure any glass shelving inside.

Do not lay a refrigerator over on it's side or back unless you have the manufactures instructions and those instructions expressly state that it is permissible to do so.

Not only do you risk the possibility of breaking the springs which the compressor motor sits on, but the real risk is getting oil into the refrigerant lines and not being able to get it out.

It is difficult to draw three dimensionally but consider the drawings below. The first drawing shows the condenser coils having a certain shape and the refrigerator is in an upright position,

The second drawing shows the oil (in yellow) flowing into the refrigerant lines when laid on it's side.

The third drawing shows what happens to the oil when the refrigerator is returned to it's upright position.

When the refrigerator is restarted the oil is pushed through the lines but cannot pass through the cap tube (small regulating tubing between the condenser and evaporator coils).

Whether a refrigerator can be safely laid on it's back or side depends on the specific shape of the refrigerant lines. Why take the risk.

In 35 years I have put hundreds of refrigerators on their sides to move them and nothing has ever happened. The oil goes nowhere when the unit is on its side because it has to be forced through valves. The suction valve keeps it from backflowing as does the high side valve. The oil will simply return to the compressor when the unit is set up and run. Oil circulates throughout the refrigerator the whole time it is running, anyway. It is mixed with the refrigerant. You are not going to break a spring because each spring is wound from 3/16" spring steel at a minimum. That is very tough metal and I defy anyone to break one even putting a compressor in a tumble dryer and running the dryer for several hours. On your diagram you failed to put the line at the top where it is located. You would have to turn it upside down to get even one ounce to flow into the pipe and even then it would be harmless. This whole thing is a myth that I would like to see on MythBusters. Why don't you submit it? The myth started back in the 1930's according to my teacher in HVAC school and has no application now. Back then everything was much flimsier than it is today, but the myth had no application after about 1939 according to him. I am amazed it still goes on today.

This whole thing is a myth
Right, a myth perpetuated by the manufacturer.


The oil will simply return to the compressor when the unit is set up
Right, the laws of gravity don't apply here.

I still don't understand why you would think that oil can stay in a line with freon rushing through it. The line would have to be much bigger than it is, and the manufacturer builds the oil return factor into the piping. We do the same when piping any refrigeration unit by putting in traps and correctly sizing the piping or tubing. Since oil mixes with the refrigerant it is not a problem unless someone adds too much oil in a unit. A few cc's of oil in a 5/16" line will return to the compressor in less than a second and go out with the refrigerant on the high side. Of course, most oil stays in the compressor. It's not a problem.

I don't know what is right and wrong hre but I just looked again and my book says if the side by side is on its back or side (or probably upside down) it voids the warranty.

That opens up the whole "how will they know" conversation but... that's what it says.