Refrigerated Containers vs Walk In Coolers

Both refrigerated containers (commonly called “reefers”) and walk-in coolers are quality options to store products at a specific temperature. Businesses in need of cold storage space will find these units useful. However, certain factors will determine whether a refrigerated container or a walk-in cooler is best suited for your application.

Questions to Think About:

How much product are you storing?

What temperature do you need to maintain for your product?

Will the product be stored/handled on pallets?

What kind of power is available at your facility?

Size

The amount of stored product/how you will store it, will determine the size of container you need. A refrigerated container comes in both 20ft and 40ft lengths

The 20ft units are 8’W x 8’6”H on the exterior and 17’L x 7’6”W x 7’6”H on the interior providing 127 sq ft of floor space and 956 cu ft of overall storage space.

The 40’ units are 8’W x 9’6”H on the exterior and 37’L x 7’6”W x 8’3”H on the interior. providing 277 sq ft of floor space and 2,228 cu ft of overall storage space.

The refrigerated containers (mentioned above) have double cargo doors on one end, creating a larger opening when the doors are swung completely open. Palletizeds products require the wide entrance of a refrigerated container, which are used primarily for commercial or warehouse applications. The 20ft refrigerated containers can store up to 8 standard pallets (single stacked, side by side). The 40ft refrigerated containers can accommodate up to 18 standard pallets (single stacked, side by side).

Our walk-in coolers are available in one size. They are 20’L x 8’W x 8’6”H on the exterior and 17’L x 7’W x 7’H on the interior, providing 119 sq ft of floor space and 833 cu ft of overall storage space.

With a large personnel door on one end, our portable walk-ins offer convenient walk-in access. The walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers are best suited for hand carrying products in/out. You can also roll carts into them via a ramp. This type of unit is ideal for restaurants, breweries and smaller processors/distributors

Temperature

The right cold storage unit also depends on the temperature needed to maintain the stored product. The walk-in coolers and freezers are capable of a temperature range from 0 deg F to40 deg F. The refrigerated containers and freezer containers are capable of a temperature range below 0 deg F up to 75 deg F. Both options can be used as a temporary freezer or temporary cooler, but there are two main differences.

Walk-in coolers are designed to maintain cooler or freezer temps only. They do not produce heat and do not have the capability to control the humidity level. Refrigerated containers and freezer containers are equipped with **dehumidification control. They are able to remove moisture (or dehumidify). They have the ability to maintain a relative humidity between 65-95%.This feature makes them suitable for some products that require a controlled climate, as opposed to just cooling and freezing.

Power

All of our units are electric. The power you have on-site will determine which of our units is the best fit. The walk-in coolers require a 220V single phase power source and a dedicated 30 amp circuit. The refrigerated containers require either 230V or 460V 3-phase power. If you are utilizing 230V power, a dedicated 60 amp circuit is required. If you are utilizing a 460V powe rsource, a dedicated 30 amp circuit is required. All of the units come standard with a 50 ft powercord. We recommend that you have a licensed electrician hardwire the unit to an outside disconnect. Consulting a local electrician to determine the power on-site is a good idea if you are unsure

Because our units are electric, they don’t emit any harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Theyare also more cost-effective and quieter, than a noisy diesel powered trailer

If your business needs on-site cold storage, consider one of our “all-electric” environmentally friendly units. Call Portable Refrigeration Storage today at (888) 939-5820 or request an online quote.

**Not all of the units in our fleet are equipped with a dehumidification feature. If this is a feature required for your product, please let us know and we’ll do our best to provide you with a unit to meet your needs.