OK so your old refrigeration unit has just packed in. You need to replace it and get it replaced fast so you don’t lose business. Do you risk it and buy that old refurbished refrigeration unit or do you buy new commercial refrigeration equipment?
Yes a used unit may cost under less than half price yes but… on the other hand it will also last for less then half the time (in most case). We always recommend our customers to buy new refrigeration equipment and any other type of catering equipment as you have a warranty with all electrical goods and you can be sure that they will not stop working within the next month.
Used Refrigeration Equipment:
The biggest problem with buying a used refrigeration unit is that you can not see the main parts you need to check are still in top working condition, yes the outside of the used unit may look like its been well refurbished and it may look like new, but that’s not all you need to know about the refrigeration unit. You have no way of telling if the units compressor has 2 years or 2 months life left in it, the refrigerators circuit and electrics could all be shot and you will not know until you start to use it and it goes on you. You have no way to tell any of this.
Now we have a list of the main faults people have with used refrigeration equipment:
Fault 1 -The units compressor overheats due to the condenser not been kept clean. The oil starts to break down. This means the oil will be damaged and might lead to break downs in the future. Even if the condenser is kept clean you may still have problems, because if the compressor continually overheats it will break and fail.
Fault 2 – Running a unit whilst the evaporator is frozen. This could be down to a number of reasons such as a poorly running fan, defrost component or even the thermostat. If this happens the refrigerant liquid will flood back into the compressor, in turn this Will foam up the oil if not stopped. If this goes on to long your compressor will break as the motor will be running without lubricant and that will be the cause of its damage.
Fault 3 – A flooded start, which is when the refrigeration liquid explodes violently as it starts damaging the compressor in more then one way. This can happen because the refrigeration unit drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which allows the refrigerant vapor to migrate out its place to the compressor when in its off cycles. Once this happens the vapor starts to condense into liquid causing it to explode once it starts again.
The above are just three of many ways in which used refrigeration equipment could fail and break down on you. You have no way to tell whats internally wrong with a used bit of equipment like this and so you should not take the risk of buying used refrigeration equipment that you don’t know the true condition of.
If you are still interested in buying used refrigeration equipment please take note of this next top tip!
Before you even look into the used equipment please please have a second look around at new catering equipment, even the older models. Take into consideration the money you could be saving on repairs when you buy a new bit of refrigeration equipment, especially when its still under warranty. Even after your warranty period your refrigeration equipment should not need many repairs as in most cases repair work is not need until the last couple of years of the equipments life.
Some times it may work out better for you to buy used equipment if circumstances allow for it. But remember to buy used refrigeration equipment or any used equipment is always a gamble!