Refrigeration truck

My sister works at a truck stop selling gas. She was trying to tell
me that besides diesel, a refrigeration truck uses another kind of
fuel.

It sounded like she was saying reefer.

She said a truck came in and pumped the reefer fuel into his diesel
tank.

What is this fuel and will a semi run on it?

On May 2, 10:50 pm, Terry > wrote:
> My sister works at a truck stop selling gas. She was trying to tell
> me that besides diesel, a refrigeration truck uses another kind of
> fuel.
>
> It sounded like she was saying reefer.
>
> She said a truck came in and pumped the reefer fuel into his diesel
> tank.
>
> What is this fuel and will a semi run on it?

'Reefer' is a slang term for a refrigerated trailer. The cooling unit
burns fuel to cool the giant Fridgidaire on wheels.

bob z.

Well, reefer meaning a refridgerated rail car predates the truck usage
by a lot, coming into use around the late 19th century (probably
predating the drug connotation by a fair margin also). These were ice-
cooled, and mechanical refrigeration didn't really come into play
until experiments in the late 1930s (which, by this time, refrigerated
trucks were certainly not unknown). While gasoline & propane was
experimented with, diesel was found to be the best choice of
powerplant since these units could run unattended for days at steady
loads (which diesel engines could, and still do, excel at). For
railcars diesel engines remain the standard powerplant for reefers,
although in the recent era Frozen Carbon Dioxide has been used with
some success - I don't know if this concept has been carried over to
truck based reefers with any great success.
Also note that the actual refrigeration units usually run on
electricity, especially those used on refrigerated containers, and so
these units can be plugged in and run separately using HEP on trains
or Ships power on container ships so as not to require the engines to
run while in transit.

On May 3, 10:28 am, Sir Ray > wrote:
> Well, reefer meaning a refridgerated rail car predates the truck usage
> by a lot, coming into use around the late 19th century (probably
> predating the drug connotation by a fair margin also). These were ice-
> cooled, and mechanical refrigeration didn't really come into play
> until experiments in the late 1930s (which, by this time, refrigerated
> trucks were certainly not unknown). While gasoline & propane was
> experimented with, diesel was found to be the best choice of
> powerplant since these units could run unattended for days at steady
> loads (which diesel engines could, and still do, excel at). For
> railcars diesel engines remain the standard powerplant for reefers,
> although in the recent era Frozen Carbon Dioxide has been used with
> some success - I don't know if this concept has been carried over to
> truck based reefers with any great success.
> Also note that the actual refrigeration units usually run on
> electricity, especially those used on refrigerated containers, and so
> these units can be plugged in and run separately using HEP on trains
> or Ships power on container ships so as not to require the engines to
> run while in transit.

So......I take it that reefer fuel is still diesel fuel.

Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.

Must be a higher grade diesel? Must be more expensive?

On May 3, 11:49 am, Terry > wrote:
> So......I take it that reefer fuel is still diesel fuel.
>
> Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
> fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
> would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.
>
> Must be a higher grade diesel? Must be more expensive?- Hide quoted text -

I can't vouch for today's reefers, but for a job a decade ago I loaded
plain diesel fuel (the same the truck tractors used) into the fuel
tanks of refrigerated trailers - 'cause that's what it took.
I've also seen railroads 'emergency' refueling railcars with plain old
diesel from tank trucks.
Perhaps the 'reefer' fuel has a different cetane rating, or perhaps it
was an experimental system (quick google brought up experiments in
using Dimethyl Ether as a refrigerator unit fuel), but I know I used
plain diesel to refuel the trailers because...that's what the
manufacturer required.

"Terry" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
> fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
> would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.
>
> Must be a higher grade diesel? Must be more expensive?

No road use tax ion the reefer fuel. Therefore it is illegal to use it
in the main engine tank.

Ed

C. E. White wrote:
> "Terry" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>> Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
>> fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
>> would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.
>>
>> Must be a higher grade diesel? Must be more expensive?
>
> No road use tax ion the reefer fuel. Therefore it is illegal to use it
> in the main engine tank.

Yup, and if you get caught the fines are *expensive*...

>
> Ed
>
>
Ulf

On May 3, 12:33 pm, "C. E. White" >
wrote:
> "Terry" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> > Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
> > fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
> > would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.
>
> > Must be a higher grade diesel? Must be more expensive?
>
> No road use tax ion the reefer fuel. Therefore it is illegal to use it
> in the main engine tank.
>

Ah....I understand now. With no road tax that would make it less
expensive. I have heard that farm equipment also uses this fuel. It
has a different color. I wonder if farmers call it reefer fuel?

"Terry" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> Ah....I understand now. With no road tax that would make it less
> expensive. I have heard that farm equipment also uses this fuel.
> It
> has a different color. I wonder if farmers call it reefer fuel?

No, we call it diesel fuel.....and the farm variety is dyed red and it
is not low sulfur. Sometimes it is referred to "off-road diesel" since
it is used in many non-highway applications. Log trucks are often
caught with off-road fuel in the tanks, since it is readily available
because logging equipment uses off-road fuel. Occasionally a farmer
will get caught using it in their pick-up. This can result in a major
fine. I just had to buy 1500 gallons and it was not cheap ($2 per
gallon). It is not too different from home heating oil.

Ed

> Obvously, there is some difference or they could just put the same
> fuel in the truck as they do the ref unit. If they did this, there
> would be no reason to have a special tank called reefer.

I think that depending on the state, either no tax is charged, or you
can file for a refund of the tax, for fuel used by auxiliary engines
that do not provide main motive power for an on-highway vehicle.
Specifying "reefer fuel" tells the truck stop guy not only where to
put it but also to put the magic words on the receipt.

I'd also imagine that it's handy to be able to run the refrigerator
independently of the tractor, or even the presence of a tractor (say,
if you need to drop the trailer and go off on the next job, or the
customer already has the trailer and wants to fill it up and cool it
down).


--Joe