Don Wiss wrote:
I have a couple of Panasonic window air conditioners that I have stored for
several years with the front panels facing upwards. I switched to central
air a few years ago and I'm trying to get rid of them. I found one fellow
interested, but he and his brother claim that the way I have stored them
has caused irreparable damage. Something about the refrigerant eating
through the tubing and could cause leaking. This is new info to me! The
units are about six years old, and are the ones with the electronic
controls in the CW-XC series.

Is there any basis to their claim?

Not on that basis, no...charitably, they're extrapolating from
something the once heard about orientation and startup pressures, etc.,
and maybe some old ammonia-based systems lore/legend. Realistically,
it's probably a little of that and a whole lot of attempt to get the
price down as someone else noted.

Ask 'em what keeps the refrigerant from eating through the same tubes
when it's being circulated.

You would want them oriented properly and set there for a while before
operating, though. And I suspect if asked, the manufacturer would
recommend storing in horizontal, upright position. But I don't think
likely to have caused permanent damage.