Hey guys, new to the sprinter game. I am going to purchase a 2014 Sprinter 170 WB high roof 3500 with the 11000 gvwr and 4 cyl engine. This sprinter will be upfited for refrigerated cargo as I am transporting meat. I need to maintain a temperature of 25 degrees and live in the central valley of California. I make 5-7 stops in the van each delivery day i take it. I am wondering what unit you guys would recommend for me to maintain the temperature. I have been calling around and different thermoking dealers are giving me different answers. I am stuck between the V300 max and the V520, price difference is about 2500.00. Any insights?
Sprinter with reefer conversion
- Thread starter IMPMEAT
- Start date
No pressure. LOL
You're not having to go down to 0 degrees or below, so both the V300 and the V520 should work just fine (assuming the van is insulated for that sort of thing). If you're out doing deliveries 4 or 5 hours a day, I'd probably go with the V300. If it's more like 8 hours-plus, I'd probably go with the V520. And I'd get the high speed evaporator fan, too. That central valley can be a Hell Hole in the summer, depending on whether you're in the north or the south. If you're from Modesto on down, I'd have to seriously consider the bigger unit. 110 degrees and abundant sunshine can be brutal if you're out there in it for 8 hours.
My facility is located in Stockton, i have 2 delivery routes, one to the Sacramento are which is about 5 hours and approximately 4-5 stops and one to the bay area from San Francisco all the way down to San Jose, those are usually 5-8 stops depending on demand and are about 8 hour deliveries. The difference between the v520 and the v300 is about 2000 and I don't want to waste money if I don't need it. Now I also have a box truck and that is used on my more heavy weight and more stop deliveries to San Francisco bay area. Any thoughts?
You're up in the northern part of that valley where it's not so bad. If you spent a lot of time down between Madera and Bakersfield, or if you needed -20 degree temps inside the van, the V520 would be the way to go for sure. If you were doing frozen poultry or something, But for 25 degrees and in the areas of that triangle you'll be working in, if it were me I'd do the v300.
Mainly it all has to do with ambient temp, internal temp, truck length, and door openings per hour (and refrigerant used - you'll want the R-404a).
So, figuring 100 degree ambient, and zero degrees internal temp, a 14 foot box is actually too big for frozen. The refer won't keep up. But at an 85 degree ambient it would and will allow for 3 door openings per hour. But that's at zero degrees internal. That's colder than you need.
At an internal temp of just 25 degrees and 100 ambient you'll get 2 door openings per hour and at 85 degrees you'll get 7 door openings.
That should be plenty. It's on the upper operating edge for a 14 foot Sprinter, but the Sprinter has a more narrow box than if you have a business chassis with an added box. The V-520 (not Max) is overkill for anything 12 feet or under, and is just on the bottom edge for a 14 foot box, unless you need it for zero degree temps.
For zero degree temps you need 4 inches of insulation. For 35 degrees you need 3 inches. If it were me I'd insulate to 4 inches and get the V-300 Max. Slightly less cubic feet to cool and the added insulation should allow the V-300 to do it's thing.
Another school of thought, though, is with that setup the V-300 will be working at maximum output for more hours, while the V-520 will be working much less (puts out twice the cooling BTUs). The analogy I'd use is the Espar heater I have. The two main models for trucks and vans are the D2 and the larger D4. I have the D4, which spends most of it's time on Low or Medium while the D2 would spend that same time on Medium and High. That's because the D4 puts out twice the heating BTUs and twice the CFM airflow. So I'd be tempted to spent the extra 2 grand for a unit that won't have to work as hard.
Thermoking has computer analysis that should be able to tell you exactly what you need, but I have a feeling that it'll say either one will work, that the V-300 Max is juuuust enough to do the job, and the V-520 is slightly more than you need. But you're not gonna have that many 100 degree days, or even that many 90 degree days, and as long as you know you won't ever need to get it down to zero degrees in the summer, the V-300 Max is the one I'd go with.
Mainly it all has to do with ambient temp, internal temp, truck length, and door openings per hour (and refrigerant used - you'll want the R-404a).
So, figuring 100 degree ambient, and zero degrees internal temp, a 14 foot box is actually too big for frozen. The refer won't keep up. But at an 85 degree ambient it would and will allow for 3 door openings per hour. But that's at zero degrees internal. That's colder than you need.
At an internal temp of just 25 degrees and 100 ambient you'll get 2 door openings per hour and at 85 degrees you'll get 7 door openings.
That should be plenty. It's on the upper operating edge for a 14 foot Sprinter, but the Sprinter has a more narrow box than if you have a business chassis with an added box. The V-520 (not Max) is overkill for anything 12 feet or under, and is just on the bottom edge for a 14 foot box, unless you need it for zero degree temps.
For zero degree temps you need 4 inches of insulation. For 35 degrees you need 3 inches. If it were me I'd insulate to 4 inches and get the V-300 Max. Slightly less cubic feet to cool and the added insulation should allow the V-300 to do it's thing.
Another school of thought, though, is with that setup the V-300 will be working at maximum output for more hours, while the V-520 will be working much less (puts out twice the cooling BTUs). The analogy I'd use is the Espar heater I have. The two main models for trucks and vans are the D2 and the larger D4. I have the D4, which spends most of it's time on Low or Medium while the D2 would spend that same time on Medium and High. That's because the D4 puts out twice the heating BTUs and twice the CFM airflow. So I'd be tempted to spent the extra 2 grand for a unit that won't have to work as hard.
Thermoking has computer analysis that should be able to tell you exactly what you need, but I have a feeling that it'll say either one will work, that the V-300 Max is juuuust enough to do the job, and the V-520 is slightly more than you need. But you're not gonna have that many 100 degree days, or even that many 90 degree days, and as long as you know you won't ever need to get it down to zero degrees in the summer, the V-300 Max is the one I'd go with.