Newbie reefer questions

No def system on the reefer units. Precooling means cooling the reefer trailer to the desired temp while it’s empty before being loaded. And to run the pretrip on the reefer unit, right after you turn it on, when you first see the number display pop up…hit the menu button, pretrip, equal sign to select, and start Pretrip. It will run thru all the functions and circuits etc and show you the progress as a percentage until its 100% complete. Then the display will say either “pretrip pass” or “pretrip completed and failed” . If it fails it will display a code that your breakdown dept or thermo king technicians will need to help determine what is faulty with the unit. Also you need to know how to check oil and coolant on the unit and check for loose belts, look over the wires etc. there are inline fuses on some wires. One door is also for battery access. You can jump start a dead reefer battery from your tractor if you have jumper cables. Reefers must be washed out before loading any food product. Make sure the chute is intact on ceiling with no large tears or holes etc.

 

Reefer / Produce hauling tips

Lots of good info here.

 

Question #1 no they do not

Question #2 Yes you are correct. Generally pre cooling is for frozen loads. The shippers want the trailer ready to load when you arrive for pick up

Question #3 You don't have to, but there is a pre trip in the menu that will run the unit through a test.

You can get an operator's manual on the unit that you are running by googling it

 

Your trailer does not have to be washed out before all food loads. Not really sure where he got that from. We haul some of the highest quality meats and we don’t even have to do that. Some shippers require it but not very many.

 

My bad. I guess it depends on the load. But I wouldn’t want to eat food out of your trailer that has Last weeks salmonella growing in it. Just sayin.

 

I've hauled many loads of food in a reefer and never had to have it washed out before putting the next load on. Now if you haul a load of fresh chickens or meat with blood running on the floor than you will have to wash it out before they will load it or bulk potatoes and you will have to wash it or if you hauled something with a bad odor time to go to the trailer wash.

 

Mostly it depends on the shipper if it needs to be washed out.
I remember hauling meat for military commissaries and they just about white gloves the trailer!
But I always kept my trailer clean.
Another hint is to keep a can of coffee grounds handy. Throw a couple of handfuls of coffee grounds on the floor to cover up odors.

 

Another tip is to carry a cordless blower with you . This and coffee grounds like suggested above really helped me . Sometimes washouts are out of route and or backed up for hours

 

I love my dewalt leaf blower. I bought the more expensive 60 volt one. I haven’t used my broom in months. Best money I have spent on a tool.