Most refrigerated van problems are avoidable. After 50 years of selling and converting them, these are the ones we see most, and what stops them.
1. It won’t hold temperature on a hot day
Nine times out of ten the van was bought short on temperature: a chiller asked to do freezer work, or a unit too small for the load space. A unit that’s working flat out every day on a July afternoon is going to lose the fight, and wear out early doing it. Spec the unit for the coldest job you’ll actually do, not the average one. See chiller, freezer or deep freeze?
2. Skipped services and dirty condensers
These are what kill fridge units early. A blocked or dirty condenser can’t shed heat, so the unit runs hotter and harder until something gives. Keep the condenser clean and keep to the service schedule; a well-looked-after unit runs for years. See how long does a fridge unit last?
3. Doors open too long on a multi-drop round
Every stop lets warm air in and the unit has to pull the load space back down. Strip curtains across the doorway hold the cold in while the doors are open, and they’re one of the cheapest things you can fit. See our accessories.
4. Water getting into the lining
A crack or hole in the insulated lining, or a door seal that’s gone, lets water in. The insulation gets wet, stops insulating, and the unit works harder for a worse result. Check the lining and seals regularly, and don’t leave damage from pallets and crates to spread; pallet runners protect the floor in the first place. See extras worth speccing.
5. A freezer van with the wrong side door
A standard sliding side door won’t hold -18°C. If a freezer van needs side access it needs a slab door, thicker and properly sealed. If you’ve bought a freezer van with a normal side door and it struggles, that’s why.
6. No standby when you needed it
Electric standby lets the unit run from the mains with the engine off, overnight or on an all-day pitch. It has to be specified when the van is built; it can’t be added afterwards. See do you need electric standby?
7. Winter problems: batteries and condensation
Cold weather is hard on batteries, which the fridge system depends on, and it causes condensation inside the load space if the van isn’t kept dry and ventilated. See maintaining a refrigerated van in winter.
8. Temperature that wanders about
If the temperature fluctuates despite regular servicing, get the thermostat checked before you condemn the unit. Sometimes it’s a small fix; sometimes it’s the sign the van is on its last legs. See signs you should replace your refrigerated van.
Buying used? Check these
- The fridge pulls the load space down to temperature, and holds it with the doors shut.
- The standby works, if it has one.
- The lining has no cracks, holes or signs of water getting in, and the door seals are sound.
- There are service records for the van and for the fridge unit.
Our used fridge vans are checked by our own engineers before they leave us, and come with a warranty on the van (what’s left of the maker’s, or 12 months, which can be extended), plus 12 or 24 months on the fridge unit. See our used fridge vans.
Not sure what you’re looking at? Call us on 01444 245555 and tell us what the van does, and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s worth fixing or time to change it.
