Reefer temperature not dropping to the set point of -10

No something is wrong. Is your chute pinched? Or any codes on reefer?
Put a thermometer in the back To double check temp. Your sensors may be bad. Also try plugging the floor holes.

 

What was the temp of product when it was loaded, and was the trailer pre-chilled?

 

If you precooled the trailer to -10 prior to loading a product that is at -10 it should maintain it.

IF the product is too hot, it will fail the reefers ability to maintain and slowly gain temperature.

Reefer trailers maintain temp, they do NOT have the horses or BTU capacity to physically bring temperatures down on product warmer.

If you did not precool reefer, it does not matter what you set it at.

Im hoping you checked the core temps on the product prior to loading. If it is required to be -10 and you had 20 over, that's too much of a difference. Your reefer will eventually begin to gain temperature regardless of the setpoint as the load begins to heat up.

Im sorry I cannot offer more. My thought to you is get to the customer and get rid of it quick before it really gets going on gaining temperature. There is a chance if you failed to precool and combined with failure to check core temp on product, your customer might say you know what? Landfill it. We don't want it. Reject.

 

Call dispatch I'm sure it has fancy temp recorder that is cellular data linked to broker.

 

The questions that will help answer are

1. Did you precool (prior to arriving at shipper) to -10? and if so did the box ever reach -5 or less prior to opening doors?
2. Have you made sure the chute was in tact to the rear before and after loading?
3. Is both rear doors latched top and bottom?
4. Did you load this product in a cold storage facility or a dry goods warehouse, perhaps a border transfer load?
5. Do you have a rear inspection door?
6. Is this a floor load or on pallets?

“Did it cool well prior to arriving at shipper” is the big question. If it did, then either they loaded hot product or damaged your chute or clogged your front intake somehow. Either way you got serious problems

 

So frozen freight here's the kicker is the reefer designed for frozen or just for chilled? it does make a big difference second point try unhooking the truck from the trailer leave a 3 yard gap now watch and see if the temps start coming down give it about 1/2 hour if the temps start dropping to the set temp then that was the issue if it still don't work best off getting a qualified fridge mechanic to look at it. Oh also check the grills on the reefer it there dirty or blocked sometimes blasting that with a high pressure hose with clear it up and help things keep cooler too.

 

Pre cooling doesn't mean crap.
That's just something to make shippers feel good.
As soon as you open the doors all the air
Goes out anyways.

If your product was loaded hot, it might take
A couple days to get the temperature down.
We used to load watermelons straight out of
The Texas desert, in 100 degree heat.

It would take at least 3 days to get the temperature
Down just into the 50's.
All the heat coming off of them would have that
Reefer unit constantly defrosting.
Nothing you could do about it.

 

Sounds like the product is was loaded hot. Did u precool the trailer? If so. Did u shut off the unit before opening the back doors. If you didnt your coils might be iced up. Trying manual defrost if it’s possible on ur unit.

 

I would change from -10f to 50f and I would let run it about 2 hours. it's like doing defrost. then again set back to -10f . Worked on my refers before..