Something from an experienced reefer driver.

Some tricks I've learned over the years. Small stuff, but maybe some don't know and it could help you in the long run, especially if you're a newbie.
1. Fueling. Shut the reefer off before fueling. Certain units ( mainly Thermo King) can build an air bubble while fueling when it's running, making the unit believe it's out of fuel. Shut it off, and remember to TURN IT BACK ON!!!
2. Every time you stop to fuel the truck, fuel the unit. Make it a habit, then, no worries.
3. Most go up to 80 degrees or better. If you're being loaded, it's hot out, and those doors have been open for a while, you've got a lot of condensation built up, which will not allow the unit to run properly. For 10 minutes, turn it all the way up. You'll melt the ice off the unit that built up and the reefer will run properly.
4. Buy a cooler or small fridge for your truck. Sometimes stuff gets rejected and they'll ask you to dispose of it. Who can't use a case of bacon? I sure can.
5. If you have a smartphone,you'll be able to look up food pantries to take rejected product off your hands if the shipper can't find one. You'll be doing good and will feel good about feeding people who are less fortunate.
6. Always check your temps. Before bed, pee breaks, etc. someone could've messed with it or it might malfunction en route. 40,000 lbs of bad food is real hard to get rid of. And it could cost you your job.
7. Remember to call ahead before loading, sometimes with produce, it's real real heavy. Get an idea of weight before you fuel up when picking up. It'll save you hassle in the long run.
8. And last, if you run Multi-Temp trailers, we do, remember those are heavy trailers. And touchy as well. If you're picking up a single temp load on a Multi-Temp trailer, only run zones 1 & 2. Running the 3rd zone will make the temp wrong because the sensors will be in conflict.
Hope this helped a little! Be safe!!

 

#10 Produce......Pulp, pulp and pulp AGAIN! Count, count and count AGAIN!

 

#3- The defrost cycle will do the same thing. Just push the button. That way you aren't driving down the road trying to remember if you reset the temp to the proper setting.

#6- Can't stress that one enough!

 

Setting the temp high will do it real quick, sometimes of there is a lot of ice built up it won't get to 45, where it would be able to defrost.

 

Joesph1135 that RARELY happens. Whats your defintion a awhile. Yes 6+ plus hours might do it where the humidity is high. I'm usually loaded and unloaded in 2 hours. One thing you did forget. Do a pretrip on the Reefer Unit at the same time you are doing one on the truck. That means check belts,oil,and such. This will reduce the chance of malfunctions.

 

It's happened to me. Was loading a load of potatoes out in Florida. The doors were open for a few hours and it was HOT outside. A friend of mine from TK told me to do this a few years ago. You're right, it rarely happens. But if it does, this usually works.

 

Couple more.

• Keep the floors clean. Those grooves are meant to flow return air, especially if you have an un-palletized load. If they are crudded up with pallet wood and junk, your unit works harder.
• If you are operating in humid areas, especially with open doors for loading and unloading - defrost the unit. If you cycle it through and see no water coming out of the drain tubes a few minutes later, you're good to go.
• Do not pre-trip a non running reefer unit in cycle sentry mode. Shut it off before you open the engine bay doors. I know it sounds like a common mistake, but I have seen guys poking around in there with the switch live. Keep yer fingers, we don't want you to have to pay someone to pick yer nose.
• Monitoring those temps is a big responsibility. People eat that food, and the last thing you want is a load of chicken poisoning 10,000 people. 40,000 lbs. of food is not only hard to get rid of, it can cause a lot of grief if mishandled.
• Keep your trailer locked, and make it a point to check on the integrity of that lock/seal on your walk-arounds.

When I was working warehouse one week at PJ Foods in Orlando, a guy with a load of ham/sausage/beef had the trailer broken into so someone could steal a few cases of meat. Well, they got paranoid that the remainder of the load could have been tampered with, and we had to destroy each and every case. It took 2 roll-offs and 10 people ripping and dumping each and every box to make it unusable.

That was a hefty bill to the carriers cargo insurance. And,they had to pay it. Cover your ###.

 

One more tip.
Reefers only seem to break down late at night, weekends and with loads that have a tattle tale. just sayin'

 

that aint no lie....

 

Ha ha ha ha! You ain't kidding! I came out of Cali with a load and the dn thing would run all day but shut down at night!!!! I had to deliver in Baltimore with it. Ran fine up until I got into Missouri. Then it would shut down before I went to bed. It was a clogged filter. And it only stopped at night. Stupid unit.