Can I Put an Air Conditioner on Its Side?

Air conditioners can be turned on their side for shipping and storage but should never be run or installed vertically. She just cut her electricity bill to 60%, click here to read. All air conditioners are also dehumidifiers, and the dehumidification system relies on gravity to take water away from the unit and drain it from the bottom of the air conditioner's case. An understanding of how an air conditioner works can help explain why a vertical positioning will lead to unit damage.

The compressor of an air conditioner is a bit like a small electric motor in that it has gears and turning parts that require lubrication. The lubrication in the air conditioner compressor comes in the form of oil, typically located in the compressor case itself. When an air conditioner is turned on its side, this oil settles on the bottom half of the compressor and potentially deprives part of the compressor of oil, which can lead to damage and, eventually, compressor burnout.

Window air conditioners, just like all other air conditioners, dehumidify the air to improve indoor comfort. The air conditioner pulls in indoor air and blows it across cold copper coils filled with refrigerant. These coils "sweat" the humidity in the air in the form of condensation. This condensation drips, through gravity, down into a condensation pan. If an air conditioner is positioned on its side, this water will drain down into the case, potentially damaging the unit and leaking water back into the home.

Air conditioners have ventilation grates, or fins, on the sides and bottom of the unit, which allows sufficient airflow in to the hot side of the unit, allowing for the dispersal of heat removed from the home. If an air conditioner is situated on its side, rainwater will drain into these grates and damage delicate internal mechanisms.

If an air conditioner has been stored on its side, or when receiving an air conditioner that has been shipped, take care to ensure it has been turned horizontally for a period of at least 24 hours prior to running the unit, which allows sufficient time for any oils and lubricants to resettle back to their proper levels, providing protection for internal gears and moving parts.

Can I install my air conditioner sideways? - JREF Forum
forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=8814515 replies from July 2007
Can I install my air conditioner on its side? My bedroom is on the third floor of a 3 flat and there are two windows, both of which are quite narrow.
Can I Put an Air Conditioner on Its Side? eHow
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Air conditioners can be turned on their side for shipping and storage but should never be run or installed vertically. All air conditioners are also dehumidifiers ...
Can you put an air conditioner window unit on its
Full questionBest answerOther answersanswers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=...Resolved 13 total answers Published Jul 02, 2006
Jul 02, 2006 Best Answer: It certainly will.... the compressor contains refrigerant oil.... the oil need to be at the proper level to
Can You Turn an Air Conditioner on Its Side? - Ask.com
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It is extremely important not to install an air conditioner sideways. When an air conditioner unit is turned on while placed on its side, the freon inside the
Can you store an air conditioner on its side - The Q&A wiki
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it is best to store an air conditioner upright the way it sits in the window. if you must store it on its side be sure to leave it upright at least 24hours so the oil ...
Can You Install an Air Conditioner on Its Side? eHow
www.ehow.com Home Appliances Air Conditioners
If you are tempted to install an air conditioner on its side--don't. Air conditioners cannot be installed on their side. Window and wall air conditioners have various ...
Can you turn a window AC unit on its side?
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can you put an air conditioner sideways, can you run a window ac unit on its side, ... can you turn an ac unit on its side, can you turn an air conditioner sideways,
Can you install a window air conditioner on its side - The Q&A wiki
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Answer NO, NO, NO ! The compresser is made to have the freon or oil in it at all times. turning it on its side , the oil (freon) runs out . The compresser burns up ...