How to Maintain Your Refrigerated Van

Do you have a refrigerated van for your business? If so, you must maintain the inside of this vehicle to keep it running smoothly. You will need to clean up spills and remove any food particles left behind. It’s also recommended that you vacuum out any dust bunnies or pet hair on the floor mats. And don’t forget about all those hard-to-reach places! That includes the vents, shelves, and spaces between seats with a vacuum cleaner attachment if necessary. Ultimately, maintaining your refrigerated van with these simple steps every month or two (depending on usage) will help increase efficiency in transporting goods and keep everyone safe from potential dangers like bacteria or mould/mildew growth. You have many options when it comes to refrigerated vans from new and used to hire. Moderns refrigerated vans are very reliable when maintained correctly.

Consider your uses case

Whether you already own a refrigerated van or are in the process of purchasing one, it is essential to consider how you will maintain your vehicle. Consider how your use case can affect how much maintenance you will need to perform you can use refrigerated vans for events. For example, if your use case will mean your refrigerated van will be running continuously for an extended period, you must understand that additional maintenance will be required.

Schedule regular expert inspections

When it comes to your refrigeration system, it is best to schedule regular inspections by an expert. When it comes to refrigeration systems, that can be far more complex than an engine or other equipment. An expert is best placed to ensure you full functionality from your refrigerated van.

General Maintenance

In addition to arranging regular maintenance for the refrigeration system, it is essential to set regular maintenance for your vehicle’s engine. Like a typical van, it is necessary to keep up regular maintenance for the best longevity of your car. Below we will outline the most critical areas to consider when planning the care of your vehicle.

MOT

A with any vehicle, yearly MOTs are essential to ensure the reliability of your van. An MOT consists of check several critical components of your car to ensure there are fit for purpose. Arranging your MOT and ensuring it passes can be inconvenient and frustrating; however, your vehicle suddenly breaking down would be even more so. Many companies also offer an MOT like service for your refrigeration system. This can be a great way to ensure your vehicle continues to be reliable and functional for many years.

Servicing

Just like your MOT, service history can have a massive impact on your vans reliability. For this reason, you must ensure that any potential van has complete service history, both for its engine and the refrigeration system. You should also consider that your van will go for some time unused. This may be a requirement of your use of the vehicle, and if so, you should arrange a full service just before and just after the van enters a period of little use.

2017 Winter Connect (25) - BHRV Refrigerated Vans

Regular clean-outs

Regardless of the use case you have in mind, you must ensure that you arrange regular cleaning of your vehicle’s interior. This is particularly important if your car is used for the transport of food and drink. However, cleaning is the only way to ensure no mould or mildew, even if used for other purposes. If your van is used in multiple ways, you should also arrange cleaning between use cases to avoid cross-contamination.

Bodywork inspections

As well as general maintenance and cleaning the interior, you should pay attention to the exterior of your vehicle. This can be seen as trivial compared to other topics we have discussed in the article. However, the appearance of your refrigerated van can significantly impact the perceived professionalism of your company. From regular cleaning to complete bodywork inspections, you should not overlook the effect this can have.

Plan Ahead

When using your refrigerated van, it is essential to plan to ensure as little downtime as possible is dedicated to performing maintenance. This could be as simple as booking your MOT and servicing well in advance to performing any recommended work before components fail or must be changed by law. As with many aspects of running a business, planning and perforation are critical. This is the same mindset need when maintaining your refrigerated van.

Best practise

The best way to maintain your refrigerated van is to build a relationship with an experienced and trust worth garage or mechanic. Doing this can ensure you are given a fair price and are not fooled into arranging work that is not needed. Additionally, if you have a good working relationship with your mechanic, there are more likely to work with you to set the maintenance work at a convenient time.

Important things to consider.

We have covered many things; however, these are the essential takeaways to bear in mind. Arrange your maintenance in advance with a mechanic you trust. Perform frequent cleaning of the interior and exterior of your refrigerated van to ensure a reputation for cleanliness and professionalism. By following these points, you can be sure you will have many years of reliable use from your refrigerated van.

Maintaining your refrigerated van is a whole lot easier than you might think. Check out our blog post for more information on the best practices to keep in mind when it comes to driving and maintaining your truck. We’ve also included some of our most popular products that will help with any issues that may arise over time, like leak detection services or remotes with alerts! The use of refrigerated vans has changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic. If you have any questions or are interested in a refrigerated van, Contact our friendly team here at BHRV.

Why Do You Need A Refrigerated Van For Your Event?

You may not have considered how important a refrigerated van is to serve your guests if you plan an event properly. A refrigerated van can keep food fresh for hours and will also help ensure that the food is at the proper temperature before it reaches your guest’s plate. You have many options when it comes to refrigerated vans from new and used to hire. Moderns refrigerated vans are very reliable when maintained correctly. There are many reasons why having a refrigerated van on hand for your next event could be beneficial, including:
-Keeping foods cold until service time
-Saving energy by using less electricity in an air-conditioned room
-Being able to offer more variety of menu items without worrying about running out or having any spoilage
-Be more environmentally friendly due to lower carbon footprint

What is a refrigerated van?

A refrigerated van in its simplest form is a standard commercial van with a refrigerator rear cab. This refrigerated section is fully insulated to ensure as much efficiency as possible, while the van’s engine generally supplies power. The actual cooling components do not differ that much from your fridge at home. All be it on a much larger scale and with far more durable components. This durability is vital as movement is part of its function; the refrigerator components must not break during transit. Refrigeration vans can have many uses, including medical use and frozen food transport. We will go into more detail regarding their benefits below.

Peugeot Partner Chiller L2 (spring) (13) - BHRV Refrigerated Vans

What are they used for

The uses of refrigerated vans are vast, and we will not cover all use cases in this article. As mentioned above, some of their most important use cases are transporting medical suppliers or frozen foods. Their possible uses, however, can go much further. A refrigerated van can be handy during significant events such as concerts and fairs and weddings, and other occasions. Below we will outline some of the possible use cases for these events.

Can you use one for your event?

Regardless of what event you are planning, a refrigerated van could be handy. From the transport of chilled or frozen goods to the additional shortage they can provide. If you wonder if your event could benefit from using a refrigerated van, why not contact BHRV today? Our expert team will be more than happy to advise how a refrigerated van could simplify the logistics of your event.

Refrigerated Vans for Concerts

Traditional venues can host concerts; however, many others are planned in parks and green places. In these cases, it can be challenging to offer fresh products over a few days or a week without holding your site stock. Thanks to the added capacity you get from a refrigerated van, you will have far more stores on-site and ensure they are at the best temperature. Another important consideration is that using a refrigerated van can also provide you with more stock than you need each day. Meaning you are far less likely to run out of popular products on a given day.

Refrigerated Vans for Wedding

Whether you are planning your wedding or a venue planning a huge wedding, a refrigerated van can streamline your logistics. If you invite many guests or want many products available at your wedding, the location can run out of refrigeration space. Using a refrigerated van provides the additional storage space you may need in the most straightforward package possible. The use of a refrigerated van also gives you the option to purchase your items if your venue allows this.

Refrigerated Vans for Fairs

Similarly to concerts, fairs can benefit from the inclusion of a refrigerated van. Offering fresh products over a few days or a week can be complicated without holding your site stock. Thanks to the added capacity you get from a refrigerated van, you will have far more stock on-site and ensure they are at the best temperature. Additionally, thanks to sophisticated locks and vehicle monitoring systems, you can rest assured that your inventory will remain safe overnight even if the venue does not have security.

Refrigerated Vans for Charity Events

Charity events can come in all shapes and sizes, including fairs and concerts we have already mentioned in this article. If you plan a charity event, using a refrigerated van can significantly increase how professional your event will seem to your guests. Whether you are using the refrigerated van to store drinks, meals, cakes or all of these at once, they can be a great addition to your event.

Thing to consider

When planning your event, think ahead and consider whether you have anything that could benefit from mobile cold storage? You may be surprised by how helpful a refrigerated van can be.

If you plan to serve food at your event, there is a high probability of needing refrigeration. Most people in the catering industry go with an ice chest or refrigerator truck because they can offer more storage space for beverages and other items than just one large cooler. That said, it’s essential not to forget about all of the benefits that come along with having a refrigerated van for your event. As more and more events are given the green light after covid-19. The most obvious benefit comes from how much easier it is to transport everything when using this type of vehicle versus an ice chest that needs additional human resources to load up on-site before departure. Plus, when compared side-by-side against alternative options such as renting out multiple trucks or hiring extra help, a refrigerated van can significantly reduce staff costs. If you have any questions or are interested in a refrigerated van, Contact our friendly team here at BHRV

How Reliable Are Refrigerated Vans

How reliable are refrigerated Vans

We all know that the temperature in our fridge is essential. It’s not just for keeping food fresh but also can be used to maintain different climates in your home. However, maintaining this temperature is hard when you don’t have a reliable refrigerator or freezer – and refrigerated vans are often seen as an alternative solution to this problem! But how reliable are these vehicles? Keep reading below.
The answer: Well, they aren’t precisely designed for long-term use, so if you want something with longevity, it might be better to invest in a more traditional appliance. That being said, there are plenty of reasons why people may still opt for using one of these trucks instead. For example, many people go into business by getting their trucks. You have many options when it comes to refrigerated vans from new and used to hire. Moderns refrigerated vans are very reliable when maintained correctly

Do you need a refrigerated van?

There are endless use cases for refrigerated vans, and you may be surprised just how useful these can be, from transporting medical supplies and organs to delivering the weekly shop, you can even use refrigerated vans for events. If you are thinking about using a refrigerated van for any reason, why not contact our friendly team today and see how useful these can be. Due to how widespread their use has become, reliability has become an essential part of their design and development.

How Hard will it be working

When considering how reliable a refrigerated van will be, one important thing is how hard your equipment will be working during its life. If you have a refrigeration system running continuously, you must expect the part to wear at an increased rate. Additionally, if your use case will mean the equipment need to maintain a shallow temperature, with can also cause additional wear of the inner components. One way to mitigate this is to perform regular maintenance on your refrigeration system and select a van designed for your use case.

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Engine reliability

In addition to the refrigeration system in your van, you should also pay attention to the vehicle’s engine. Like any vehicle, to ensure the longevity of your engine, regular maintenance is essential. Modern engines are very reliable, however only when used appropriately. Your engine is likely also the power supply for the refrigeration system issues that can quickly render your van useless.

MOT

A with any vehicle, yearly MOTs are essential to ensure the reliability of your van. An MOT consists of check several critical components of your car to ensure there are fit for purpose. Arrange your MOT and ensuring it passes can be inconvenient and frustrate; however, your car suddenly breaking down would be even more so. Many companies also offer an MOT like service for your refrigeration system. Annual MOTs can be a great way to ensure your vehicle continues to be reliable and functional for many years.

Servicing

Just like your MOT, service history can have a massive impact on your vans reliability. For this reason, you must ensure that any potential van has complete service history, both for its engine and the refrigeration system. You should also consider that your van will go for some time unused. Periods of lower use may be a requirement of your use of the vehicle, and if so, you should arrange a full service just before and just after the van enters a period of little use.

Hardwearing part

Even with the best service history, components can always fail, and you must know what to pay attention to. Whether you are in the market for a refrigerated van or already own one, you should spend some time researching the most common failure point for your vehicle make and model. Additionally, look into the possible warning sign that a part many need replacing it is always best to replace it before it fails. If you are looking to purchase a refrigerated van, ask what work has been completed. This can offer insight into how the van has been cared for and how much work you may need to do in the future.

Best practise

To ensure the best possible reliability for your refrigerated van, there are many things you can do. A mentioned above, annual MOTs and services are a great starting point. However, understanding the most vulnerable components can be a great way to avoid issues in the future. For the best reliability, frequently discuss the running of your refrigerated van with an experienced mechanic.

Important things to consider.

If you are looking for the best reliability possible from your refrigerated van, consider how hard you will be using the equipment and how continuously the use will be. If you are looking at an older van, you must understand that some components will be closer to failure than others, and a second opinion can help shed light on any potential issues.

If you’re not sure of the reliability and quality of refrigerated vans, we’ve got some information that can help. We know how important it is to have a reliable vehicle for transporting perishable products such as food or medicine, so we’ve researched this topic and found out what’s available in terms of transportation options. There are many advantages to using a refrigerated van instead of other transport methods like an ice truck; however, they come at a higher cost than traditional vehicles, which may be difficult for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The best thing about these trucks is their durability – most models will last upwards of 10 years without needing any major repairs! The use of refrigerated vans has changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic.  Contact us today if you want more details about specific brands or models. If you have any questions or are interested in a refrigerated van, Contact our friendly team here at BHRV
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What is a Freezer or Fridge Van Conversion?

Refrigerated van conversions have set the standard for the temperature-controlled transport sector, these vehicles have been converted into a fridge or freezer van and can transport a range of products that require certain temperatures. For example, in pharmaceuticals, public safety is essential and will need to meet the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidance surrounding medical products for human use. Here at BHRV, we take a look at the refrigeration conversion process.

Refrigerated Vehicle Conversions

When it comes to using manufacturing automation, as well as superior systems, conversion kits will make use of light, strong and durable areas that can help to optimise vehicle productivity, conversions have the flexibility to suit a range of user needs and requirements. This includes racking, electric standby and multi-temperature capability. Conversions that exceed the needs of testing will need to be certified as being suitable for the carriage of different types of perishable loads, this includes food and drink as well as pharmaceutical products.

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How Do We Convert Vehicles?

Interior

We recommend that you choose a light, strong and durable GRP sheet that comes with a woven roving reinforcement as a regular surface, this way you don’t need to use weighty timber elements within the wall construction, while not compromising on strength and durability. Load-bearing floor panels can benefit from extra reinforcements as well as a choice of finishes that will suit your operation.

Insulation

Use an extruded polystyrene insulation board, this will ensure manufacturing to the highest standards, this type of material will include an exceptionally low thermal conductivity figure along with other benefits such as high tensile and shear strength, fire resistance and closed-cell structure in order to reduce water absorption.

Refrigeration

Refrigeration or heating units that will extract any unwelcome heat that penetrates the lining, we aim to provide our customers with suitable refrigeration units, this is so that the converted vehicle always maintains the right temperature in all environments.

The Conversion Process

  • The vehicle base is stripped and any cavities are filled with foam and insulation
  • Insulate the doors and cover with GRP sheets
  • Add strengthening to the roof for the fridge unit
  • Add vacuum pressed panels of foam and marine plywood
  • Cut the panels to size
  • Install the bulkhead, roof, sides and floor
  • Seal all joint
  • Laminate the panels in the vehicle
  • Paint the interior using Gelcoat
  • Fit LED lights
  • Fit the right fridge unit

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Conversions from BHRV

The conversions that we provide are high quality and competitively priced, we can convert any and all vans to chiller, freezer and fridge vans. When you choose a van conversion from BHRV, you can expect:

  • Highly durable
  • Will last the test of time
  • Made to the highest standards
  • Efficient
  • Cost-effective

For more information on our fridge and freezer conversions and conversion kits and services, get in touch with BHRV today, you can also check out our refrigerated van buying guide here.

A Guide to Fridge Van Conversion Kits

Here we take a look at fridge van conversion kits, at BHRV we are experts in fridge van conversions, in this blog, we cover what they are, how they are made and the benefits that they provide. Whether you are looking for a brand new fridge van or need to replace your current refrigerated van, we can help!

What are fridge van conversion kits?

Refrigerated van conversion kits involve a range of items and materials that can be used to convert refrigerated vehicles. There is a range of insulating kits available for freezer and fridge van conversions, with this in mind, they are great for vehicle bodybuilders, fridge engineers and transport refrigeration trades, those who will be involved in fridge van conversions.

Freezer and fridge van conversion kits are produced using extruded polyester, this is known as XPS, this rigid insulation is formed with polystyrene polymer and is fabricated using an extrusion process. The insulated lining kits will be used for the roof and sides of the panel van, to permanently bond the GRP plastic together that has been manufactured using a process that will reliably and permanently bond the insulation. The kits available will vary in thickness and depend on whether you want a fridge van or a freezer van.

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What types of businesses need freezer and fridge conversion kits?

Any business that needs a refrigerated vehicle can invest in a conversion kit if they want to convert their vehicle. There are a range of manufacturers out there who provide vans and vehicles that have already been converted for vehicles and vans, kits are available which can suit all types of makes, models and temperature requirements.

What benefits do they include?

When it comes to converted freezer and fridge vans, there are many benefits. Something that will be important to all fridge and freezer transporters of items is the payload, ultra-light insulation kits come with the option of being sustainable and timber free. There are also kits that have been built to pass Type A (chilled) and Type C (frozen) ATP Approval Certificate tests, there is also the comfort of knowing that the majority of these kits and products are all fully accredited by van manufacturers.

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What is in a conversion kit?

Conversion kits tend to include the following…

  • A full set of panels that have been cut using CNC-machined precision, will include closed-cell extruded polystyrene insulation as well as high impact GRP that is suitable for hardwearing, hygienic and insulated interiors.
  • Floor surface that is ready to lay and comes in different types such as load-bearing reinforcements.
  • Pre-cut extruded aluminium skirting.
  • Ge-coated wheel boxes with ready fitted insulation.
  • CNC- machined door skins with ready-fitted insulation.
  • Waterproof LED light housing with connectors.
  • Adhesive sealants and tapes.
  • Full instructions alongside CAD drawings that cover the assembly process.

For more information on our fridge van conversion services, click here.

At BHRV as well as conversions, used vans for sale we also offer brand new refrigerated vans, simply get in touch today.