My firm has gained a contract to pull fridges for Ferrymasters, as well as the current Euroliner work. Got trained up on them this morning, but I have a few questions.
When running empty between jobs, should the fridge still be running to maintain the correct temperature for the next load?
If I have to park up overnight whilst loaded, should I park up with other fridges away from non-fridges? There are notices at some truckstops, telling drivers to turn off their fridges after 22.00.
Do some places have washout facilities to clean the inside of the trailer once you’re tipped?
I’ve already done three fridge shifts in rigids when I was on agency, but these were carrying a single type of product set at 1-2 degrees, and I ran back to the yard empty.
Garbo2018:
My firm has gained a contract to pull fridges for Ferrymasters, as well as the current Euroliner work. Got trained up on them this morning, but I have a few questions.
When running empty between jobs, should the fridge still be running to maintain the correct temperature for the next load?
If I have to park up overnight whilst loaded, should I park up with other fridges away from non-fridges? There are notices at some truckstops, telling drivers to turn off their fridges after 22.00.
Do some places have washout facilities to clean the inside of the trailer once you’re tipped?
I’ve already done three fridge shifts in rigids when I was on agency, but these were carrying a single type of product set at 1-2 degrees, and I ran back to the yard empty.
Not really, if I’m loading frozen I’ll usually chill the trailer down on the way there, turn it on when I’m about an hour away. Its not necessary but some places won’t load you if the trailer is too warm, only found that with frozen.
I always try and park away if I can but if you can’t, well you can’t. You need to park too. I avoid anywhere that doesn’t allow running fridges, far as I’m concerned they dont deserve my business. I stick it on constant as I sleep better with it like that.
Some places do, some don’t. Any decent truck wash will wash out the inside.
Washing out can be a bit hit and miss worth getting a decent sized drum full of water and a squeegee to save getting caught out, tip 30litres of water in the back close the doors and head to the next place will usually have it clean by the time you get there if you need a dry fridge for the next load then constant at 20 degrees will usually have it dried out
It takes a good hour and half to a couple of hours to get a trailer down to minus 20, just run it enough to get it something like when you’re loading. No need to run it all the time. Some places insist you leave it on, some want it off. There’s no hard and fast rule.
Not an issue for me but overnighting with a running fridge is a can of worms I’m glad I don’t have to deal with.
mick.mh2racing:
It takes a good hour and half to a couple of hours to get a trailer down to minus 20, just run it enough to get it something like when you’re loading. No need to run it all the time. Some places insist you leave it on, some want it off. There’s no hard and fast rule.
Not an issue for me but overnighting with a running fridge is a can of worms I’m glad I don’t have to deal with.
sent using smoke signals
Personally I won’t run my fridge when on a bay if tipping it is up to them to get the stuff off once I’m on the bay with the doors open and it’s not up to me to waste diesel if they’re slow to tip. If loading at -20 and you’re sitting on a bay with a fridge running in the summer you will clog up the fridge cooling system with ice due to the massive temperature difference plus the fridge will be roaring it’s head off burning diesel for no good reason, turn up with it at the correct temp and then it’s up to them to load it ASAP
Getting an empty trailer down to -25 takes ages, so if you are sent for frozen, it’s best to start the fridge straight away. For chilled @4 degrees, there is no need to run the fridge until you are loaded. When I got caught on a night out, I used to turn it down to zero while I had dinner and got sorted, and then switch it off. Unless the night is really warm, the insulation will keep the temperature down overnight. This may not be possible os there is a working recorder on the trailer.
Ask the customer what temperature they want their goods run at and get it marked on the paperwork. Any problems then call your firm and get a temp setting from them. It’'ll be your arse in the sling if there’s a temperature rejection at the delivery point.
Different firms have different settings for chilled. We run at 0 degrees (in the summer months we drop down to -2 degrees)whilst I believe Eddie runs his chilled at +2.
My vote is with the ‘turn it off whilst tipping/loading’ team. My understanding is that all the time the fridge is screaming it’s nuts off with the doors open on a bay, it’s sucking warm air from outside and drawing it in and under the pallets. If they tell you leave it on then you’re backside is covered.
Ask the customer what temperature they want their goods run at and get it marked on the paperwork. Any problems then call your firm and get a temp setting from them. It’'ll be your arse in the sling if there’s a temperature rejection at the delivery point.
Different firms have different settings for chilled. We run at 0 degrees (in the summer months we drop down to -2 degrees)whilst I believe Eddie runs his chilled at +2.
My vote is with the ‘turn it off whilst tipping/loading’ team. My understanding is that all the time the fridge is screaming it’s nuts off with the doors open on a bay, it’s sucking warm air from outside and drawing it in and under the pallets. If they tell you leave it on then you’re backside is covered.
Correct - ask the customer .
If they want it running - leave it running .
If they want it off- switch it off .
You are correct a running fridge with the doors open just ■■■■■ in warm air and blows out the cold air but its their party if thats what they want its what they get . When your finished loading and have your paperwork and have been cleared to leave hit the defrost button - you thaw all the ice that has built up in the internal workings of the fridge unit and let it start again to get it down to temperature .
In the summer when warm & had a dozen load took down to -26/27 when that was unloaded I could pick up a load that was +15-18 would set fridge away then when that was unloaded could pick up a load that was -25-27 so set the fridge away to cool
If in doubt at fridge temps ask customer or office
Would leave running on a night especially in summer I could sleep with it on stop/start or constant ( slept better with fridge running took all other noise out )
There are some truck washes that will do trailers as well last time I checked a few years ago was £25.00 that was down at purfleet mind
That being said I saw a driver get an entire lorry of ambient goods rejected because the goods on the pallets shifted a few cm to one side on the pallets.
That being said I saw a driver get an entire lorry of ambient goods rejected because the goods on the pallets shifted a few cm to one side on the pallets.
So either way it’s all just grief now.
Less hassle than fridge work?!
Arrive, switch fridge off, open doors, remove bars, tip/load, bar across back plts, close doors, turn fridge back on, drive.
5 years on fridges now, happily never pull another flat or curtain sider!
That being said I saw a driver get an entire lorry of ambient goods rejected because the goods on the pallets shifted a few cm to one side on the pallets.
So either way it’s all just grief now.
Less hassle than fridge work?!
Arrive, switch fridge off, open doors, remove bars, tip/load, bar across back plts, close doors, turn fridge back on, drive.
5 years on fridges now, happily never pull another flat or curtain sider!
Yeah I’ve been doing fridges for 11 yrs and can’t see I’ll ever do anything else again.
That being said I saw a driver get an entire lorry of ambient goods rejected because the goods on the pallets shifted a few cm to one side on the pallets.
So either way it’s all just grief now.
Load rejected?..
Walk back to your cab, phone the company clowns department and then drive it to where ever they want it to go. I’d call that much less hassle.