Freezing cooler product

the cost of doing business with old trailers .. and no temp check

 

Reefer units are designed to HOLD a temperature, not change a temperature one way or another. If you put a fully thawed product in cases, on pallets and fully load a trailer that you set at -10, you will freeze a LAYER of product but never all the way through as it is not getting airflow to the product in the cases in the middle of the pallets. It's a good idea to request temp monitors be used and to use a newer trailer that provides a log, and also to check temps before loading and never turn off the unit while unloading a freezer load. If the receiver wants it off, let them turn it off.

 

The key here--is to be ABLE to check product temp at loading point(I know w/d&h etc..cant always be done)BUT--as stated b4 IF product is NOT frozen--no trailer is going to freeze it...
Of course this is an oversimplification--because we do use trailers to cool product--and to continue freezing process(ie:fresh kill chick that has been in blast but not really long enuff and the internal temp is still hi)
BUT in the case of pre frozen product--cold storage etc--if part of the load is loaded warm--it will actually work to WARM the product around it....
The answer to these situations is ALWAYS be proactive---Get out on dock--and TEMP Product--ALWAYS carry a pulp thermometer!--If it is one of THOSE type of places that do not ALLOW drivers on dock
CYA ALWAYS
Call company and broker (if there is one)Inform them of situation--then sign the bills
SL&C and Temperature at loading COULD NOT BE VERIFYED--Driver and Company NOT RESPONSIBLE,,,,,
And b4 you go into all the scenarios you say it cant work--Ive done it for years---rejected loads get real pricey real quick...
Oh and BTW--IF the product is truly deep frozen(as it should be)and you have half a decent reefer--you can all but leave the unit OFF for a day--and the product will STILL be frozen.....
Think of the procedures for defrosting a Thanksgiving turkey(if you buy a frozen one--and how long it takes to get that sucker to room temp.......

 

It's actually better to have the unit off if the doors are open. All your doing is sucking warm air across the product and the unit isn't going to do any good to keep it colder than it would be with the unit off. You do get a nice puddle under your trailer however from the defrost cycle. Most places want the unit on however.