If it has just been moved, stand it upright and wait
A compact dryer that was transported on its side, or tilted steeply to get through a doorway, should stand upright for the period the manual specifies before being switched on. Several hours is common. A machine that will not start after a move is often better left alone for the rest of the day than diagnosed.
What you find
- The machine will not start and has just been delivered or moved — The circumstance this page addresses, and it is easy to overlook.
- It was transported on its side or back — The specific condition the standing period exists for.
- It starts but behaves oddly or stops quickly — Consistent with a sealed system that has not settled.
- It was fine before the move and dead afterwards — Timing that points at the move rather than at an unrelated failure.
- It has been standing upright for days and still will not start — Not the transport question, and the ordinary checks apply.
- NEAR MISS: a machine that is simply unplugged behind a cabinet — Worth checking before anything more complicated.
Ranked after a move
- Too little standing time after transport — First for a machine just moved. The instruction exists because oil needs to return to where it belongs before the compressor runs.
- A supply that was never reconnected — Second. Machines are moved, sockets are switched off, and extension leads get unplugged for other jobs.
- A child lock or a full condensate tank — Third. Both stop the machine and both are cleared in a minute once identified.
- Transit damage — Last, and it becomes the suspect once the standing time has passed and everything else is excluded.
Wait, then check the ordinary things
- Establish whether the machine was moved and how — It decides whether the standing period is the answer.
- Stand it upright and leave it for the period the manual states — It costs patience rather than money and it prevents damage.
- Check the socket, the switch and the plug — The ordinary supply checks, which are free.
- Check the tank and any child lock — The remaining free causes before anything else is considered.
Owner steps
- Ask how the machine was transported and note whether it was laid down — On its side or back is the case the standing period exists for.
Tools: notepadAbout 5 min
- Stand the machine upright and leave it switched off for the stated period — Check the manual for the figure; several hours is common and longer does no harm.
About 30 min
- Check the socket, any wall switch and the plug while you wait — Moves disturb supplies, and this costs nothing during the waiting period.
Tools: flashlightAbout 10 min
- Empty and reseat the condensate tank and clear any child lock — Both stop a machine dead and both are cleared in moments.
About 10 min
- STOP before any panel is removed or the sealed system is disturbed — Mains voltage and a refrigerant circuit sit inside, and that is the boundary.
Before switching on after a move
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel, and never work on a sealed refrigerant system. Do not switch on a machine that has just been laid down; the standing period protects the compressor. Get help lifting a compact machine, which is heavier than its size suggests, and stop at once if anything smells scorched.
When to call
Call the retailer if a newly delivered machine will not start after the full standing period, since delivery damage is their responsibility. Call a technician for an older machine in the same situation. Say how the appliance was transported and how long it has stood: both facts shape the diagnosis immediately.
Nearest pages of this class
Scope of this page
Written for the Haier dryer class rather than one model line, with compact and heat-pump machines in mind because the transport instruction applies to them. The manual for your specific machine gives its own standing period.
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Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
