A temperature controlled van, or refrigerated van, is what lets a business carry chilled or frozen goods safely, and further. If you’re buying your first one, this is the ground to cover before you start comparing adverts.
What is a temperature controlled van?
It’s an ordinary van with two things added: an insulated lining in the load space, and a refrigeration unit that cools it to the temperature you set. We line a chiller with 50mm of insulation and a freezer with 75mm, and fit units from GAH, Thermo King, Hubbard or Zanotti. The lining also gives you a smooth, easy-to-clean load space, which matters for food.
The insulation works both ways: it keeps the heat out in summer and helps stop the load getting too cold on a winter night.
Chiller, freezer or deep freeze?
- Chiller, 0 to 5°C: meat, dairy, produce, flowers and most catering.
- Freezer, -10°C: frozen goods.
- Deep freeze, down to -25°C: ice cream, anything that must stay hard-frozen, and some pharmaceutical products.
- Dual temperature: a fixed or moveable bulkhead splits the load space into two compartments, so one van can carry chilled and frozen goods at the same time.
Our vans can work anywhere from +21°C down to -25°C, depending on the unit fitted. Buy for the coldest job you’ll do. More in chiller, freezer or deep freeze? and chiller van or freezer van?
How is the fridge powered?
- Road only: the standard setup. The refrigeration unit runs while the engine runs, which suits rounds where the van is moving most of the day.
- Electric standby: a different unit that can also run from a mains supply with the engine off, so you can load the night before or run all day on a pitch. It has to be specified at the start; it can’t be added after the conversion. See do you need electric standby?
- Electric vans: an electric van can be converted like any other. See our buying guide to electric fridge vans.
Which size?
Most temperature controlled vans are converted panel vans: small (Mercedes-Benz Citan, Ford Transit Connect), medium (Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Renault Trafic) and large (Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Renault Master and others). For heavier loads, a box body on a chassis cab with a tail-lift is another option. See what size fridge van do you need?
Extras to think about
- A fixed or moveable bulkhead splits the load space into two compartments, for two temperatures or to keep products apart.
- Curtains on the side and rear doors hold the cold in on multi-drop rounds.
- Shelving, fixed or folding, designed into the conversion.
- A load temperature recorder that prints a receipt, as evidence the goods were kept at the right temperature.
- A slab side door if a freezer van needs side access, and pallet runners to protect the floor.
See them all on our accessories page.
New or used?
New vans come as cancelled factory orders, or built to your spec: a conversion takes 7 to 10 days once the van arrives with us. Used vans are converted and checked by our engineers before delivery, 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 new or used fridge van?
When you’re ready, see our fridge vans and freezer vans, or call us on 01444 245555 and tell us what you carry.
