The Importance of Levelling in Refrigeration

When you contact Icecool Trailers to arrange for temporary cold storage hire, you can rest assured that one of our technicians will deliver a freezer or fridge trailer and handle all the set-up. This is one of the main benefits of renting one of our trailers or walk-in rooms as compared to refrigerated van hire - we ensure everything is up and running before we leave your site, including properly levelling your trailer.

From time to time, we are asked whether trailer levelling is absolutely necessary. This question is usually the result of a customer wanting fridge trailer hire for a location that is not exactly flat. Be that as it may, the answer is 'yes'. Fridge trailers do need to be levelled before they can be used - let’s take a look at why.

What is Levelling?

Levelling in refrigeration refers to ensuring that refrigeration units, such as refrigerators, freezers, and cold storage systems, are positioned on a flat and even surface; this process involves adjusting the legs or base of the unit to eliminate any tilt or imbalance.

While we’ll get into examples below, it’s important to note that proper levelling is key for the optimal performance and longevity of refrigeration equipment. When a unit is level, it operates more efficiently, ensuring consistent temperature control and reducing wear and tear on the internal components. This simple yet vital step helps maintain the integrity of the cooling system and prevents potential issues related to uneven weight distribution and mechanical stress.

Why is Levelling Necessary?

Safety

As a company offering top-rated mobile refrigeration services, there are two reasons we level our trailers during installation. The first is fairly practical: we do not want our clients walking around inside a fridge trailer that is slanted to one side. It is not safe, and it makes it that much harder to safely store things on shelves without the risk of breakage.

Cooling System Efficiency

As for the second reason, it’s mechanical: a fridge trailer from Icecool trailers keeps contents cold by combining an insulated storage space with a high-efficiency compressor. Provided everything is set up and operating as it should, a good trailer will use relatively little electricity once the interior has reached optimal temperature. If a fridge trailer is not level though, cooling system efficiency goes out the window.

What Happens if a Refrigerator Isn’t Level?

Inefficiency

The cooling system on each of our trailers is a closed loop system that does two things; firstly, the system forces a thermal liquid into interior spaces where it absorbs heat. Second, it pulls that liquid out and runs it through a heat exchanger that extracts and dissipates the heat. The liquid is then sent back in. It is the job of the compressor to keep it all flowing.

Under normal circumstances a compressor will work at peak efficiency, but if a fridge trailer is not level though, it creates a situation in which the thermal liquid in the cooling system can pool in the lower areas of the loop. This causes the compressor to have to work harder to keep the liquid moving, so the system becomes substantially less efficient the greater the angle of tilt.

Potential Failure of Compressor

Plus, a single instance of allowing a fridge trailer to be slightly off level will not increase the workload on the compressor enough to cause failure, but multiple instances can do just that; forcing a compressor to work harder than it is supposed to wear it out much more quickly.

How Can I Check If My Refrigeration Unit Is Level?

You can check if your refrigeration unit is level by using a spirit level. Place the level on the top or inside the unit, and check the readings. If the bubble is centred between the lines, your unit is level. If not, you will need to adjust the unit's legs or base until the bubble is centred, indicating that the unit is properly balanced.

How Often Should I Check the Levelling of my Refrigeration unit?

It is a good practice to check the level of your refrigeration unit at least once every few months, or whenever you notice issues such as uneven cooling, unusual noises, or door sealing problems. Additionally, it's advisable to check the levelling after moving the unit to a new location or after any significant adjustments to its position. Regular checks help ensure optimal performance and longevity of the unit.

The Bottom Line

Overall, we insist on levelling our fridge trailers because it is best for our customers and our equipment. After all, why hire a refrigerated trailer if you have to do all the work!

Should you ever contact Icecool Trailers for fridge trailer hire – and we hope you will next time you have a need – rest assured that we will handle installation, levelling, and connection to your power source, so you don’t need to worry about anything except running your event or business.