Reefer fuel is primarily used on refrigeration trucks. It can also be used in construction, agriculture and any other off-road equipment that does not operate on a highway and the government requires fuel tax. Tractor fuel, however, is a standard number 2 diesel.
What happens if you put reefer fuel in a diesel engine?
Regardless of the red dye and special tax designation, reefer fuel is like regular diesel and will power any diesel engine. Because of this special tax designation, reefer fuel isn’t allowed for use in on-road vehicles. Using reefer fuel this way results in steep fines.
Can you put tractor diesel in a truck?
Off-road diesel should not be used in trucks used for personal use, although it can be used by any vehicles that aren’t driven on the road (for instance, construction equipment, tractors and even generators). Using off-road diesel in a vehicle that travels on roads is illegal.
A reefer trailer is a trailer that has a built-in cooling system, usually powered by diesel fuel, to keep freight cold.
Is reefer and tractor fuel the same? – Related Questions
Can you use red diesel in a reefer trailer?
Red dye diesel can also be used to run refrigeration units on trailers known as “reefers.” But the vehicle it’s attached to must use green-dyed, taxable, diesel. Just remember – stop and think before you use red-dyed diesel.
What is tractor fuel?
Tractor-fuel was a low grade fuel produced between gasoline and diesel in the traditional distillation of crude oil. The refining techniques developed during World War II made it possible to convert this into more useful fuels, and it began to disappear. Power Fuel was a high grade of tractor fuel.
Is reefer fuel different than diesel fuel?
Chemically, reefer fuel is similar to diesel. However, it is not the same as diesel because it can only be used on private property. It is dyed red to prevent misuse or confusion in its intended purpose. It can be used to maintain refrigeration in reefer vehicles – but not to power the truck.
What refrigerant is used in reefer trailers?
Refrigerated containers (reefers) that are designed for use with R-134a are being offered as compatible with R-513A for future conversion or are available with non-flammable HFC/HFO refrigerant R-513A. This refrigerant has a GWP of 631 compared to 1430 for R-134a.
How do you fill a reefer?
How do you refuel a reefer trailer?
What happens if reefer runs out of fuel?
If you run out of fuel for the reefer, you run out of cold, so to speak – a problem that can put cargo at risk. Additionally, restarting the refrigeration unit may be problematic, because when the tank runs dry the engine can lose its prime. That can force a costly service callout.
If everything is running close to normal, a reefer’s 50-gallon tank could last up to 4-5 days. Simple habits, such as maintaining your reefer trailer can pay big dividends year after year.
What to do if reefer runs out of fuel?
How much diesel fuel does a reefer unit burn per hour?
Modern reefer units use between 0.4 and 1.1 gallons of diesel per hour of engine run time. In automatic mode, the engine runs a fraction of the time that the unit is switched on and protecting cargo, so fuel consumption per hour most likely will be at the low end of the estimate.
How much fuel does a reefer use per day?
How Much Fuel Does a Reefer Use for a Day? At the low-end, a reefer truck will burn about . 4 gallons per hour, meaning 9.6 gallons of fuel in a regular 24-hour period. On the high-end, trucks can burn at about 1.1 gallons per hour, meaning 26.4 gallons over a day.
How many hours will a reefer unit run?
A common rule of thumb is a reefer trailer should last for an average of 40,000 hours of use which equates to about 8 years on the open road. These values are based on an average of 4,000 to 5,000 hours of use per year. Keeping your hours under 4,000 annually will then extend the lifespan of your trailer considerably.
What pays more dry van or reefer?
The cost of operating dry vans varies depending on demand and pricing fluctuations in your industry. Shippers will pay extra for reefer, so you may charge more for using a refrigerated truck.
Reefer rates are highest in the Midwest, averaging $3.28 per mile. The lowest rates are in the Southeast, with an average of $2.48 per mile. National reefer capacity is at 4.76 loads to truck, compared to the October 23rd average of 3.95 loads to truck.
How often should you change the oil on a reefer unit?
The recommended inspection and service cycle for conventional units is: inspection at 750 hours, inspection plus scheduled maintenance at 1,500 hours, inspection again at 2,250 hours and inspection, scheduled maintenance and oil change at 3,000 hours, and so on.
What kind of oil do reefers use?
Newer reefers typically use combination full-flow and bypass oil filters and CJ-4 oil, allowing the longer interval.