Carrying a chilled load in a rented van is possible as long as you do not expect the cold to come from the van. A panel van arrives unrefrigerated; fitting a unit or touching the wiring collides with the permanent-modification clauses of the contract. The cold source goes next to the load, inside an insulated container.
A closed vehicle heats up fast. In a measurement on a passenger car (Pediatrics, 2005), the interior on a sunny day rose about 22 °C above ambient, 80 percent of the rise came in the first 30 minutes, and opening the window about 4 cm changed neither the rate nor the final temperature. At stops the van is parked in shade with the lid kept shut.
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Contract | Read the clauses on commercial loads, restraint points, electrical use, cleaning and damage |
| At collection | Photograph the floor and tie-down points and have existing damage written on the form |
| Loading | Pre-chill the container, freeze the plates, strap containers down with carrier-approved restraints |
| On the road | Put the logger beside the product and do not open the lid needlessly |
| At return | Photograph the floor again and add leaks or damage to the form |
GEBHARDT states that eutectic plates are frozen at least 5 °C below their melting point with an air gap left between plates, and that freezing takes 8 to 24 hours depending on the cooling technology. How long a container holds cold depends on the product, the fill level and pre-cooling of the container. Send us the route and the product and we work out the temperature course together.
