When electronic components on your reefer fleet break, wear out, or stop working, apart from purchasing new, there are limited resources to get your equipment operational again.
And reefer controllers are subjected to hard use, weather, and road vibrations, conditions that will ultimately reveal other issues sooner rather than later. The good news is that there are alternative solutions to get more life out of old equipment, like repairing, remanufacturing, replacing it with used, or even repairing it yourself.
But what’s the difference between repaired, used, and remanufactured electronic components?
Each has its place depending on the end-users need and long-range goals. However, these terms are not interchangeable, and understanding the different meanings behind them may affect whether or not your expectations are met.
Repaired Electronics
When otherwise good working reefer electronics have experienced a failure or a broken part, repairing them is quite often the most cost-effective solution.
For the best repair experience, contact a reputable repair facility familiar with your equipment. Generally, they will ask you to send them the device along with a failure report for evaluation by a qualified electronic repair technician. Then, by carefully disassembling the device, the technician will diagnose the failure, repair it, function test it, and return it to the owner.
Ensure that the repair facility you choose offers some warranty on the repairs performed.
It’s essential to note that no other elements are typically reviewed and tested without instruction to do so. For instance, a broken LCD is repaired or replaced per the work order, but only that part is tested for operation. Likewise, other elements are not usually tested for function unless previously mentioned in the repair order.
However, suppose additional issues are visible or discovered during repair or testing. In that case, the prudent repair technician will contact the customer and advise on the next steps.
Used Electronics
Considering a used part instead? There may be many reasons to do so. First, used parts have the advantage of saving lots of money. They can, at times, be more readily available than repaired or remanufactured components.
But there’s a risk. Used parts can vary significantly in condition, state of performance, and longevity. There may also be little to no testing of a used product for functionality or defects. And warranties are not likely.
We’ve all heard the term, Buyer Beware. And that couldn’t be truer than with used electronics, where the history of failures and repairs is sketchy at best.
Unless you are comfortable with the history of the product and its source and willing to accept that this may be a temporary solution requiring further investment, it’s best to steer clear of used electronic devices.
Remanufactured Electronics
Another word for the remanufacturing process is recovery. Each part is recovered from a state of use and returned to the field in a like-new working condition.
Are remanufactured electronic controllers better than new ones?
Choosing to have your reefer controllers sent to a qualified remanufacturer is a wise investment. Because, through this process, the electronic part or component is rebuilt to match or exceed the original manufacturer’s specifications.
Whereas machines assemble new OEM controllers with little oversight, remanufactured controllers are carefully disassembled, inspected, cleaned, repaired, and then reassembled and tested on a bench by the hands of a single qualified electronics technician.
All that careful attention will ensure that the remanufactured product delivers the exact fit and performance as new through a process that includes:
Classifying
Removing each part for inspection allows the technician to identify each as either salvageable for use in the remanufacture, repairable, or requiring replacement.
Cleaning
A thorough cleaning of all interior and exterior components will reveal areas that require further attention to meet remanufacturing guidelines and return the unit to like-new condition.
Replacing worn parts, if necessary
Some parts may be found to be only worn but still serviceable. Quality remanufacturing will determine if these worn parts will negatively affect the overall lifespan or working condition of the component as a whole. If so, those, too, are also replaced through the process.
All failed parts are replaced with new or qualified used parts that meet or exceed OEM specifications.
Identifying high-failure rate parts
This step is where remanufacturing excels over new OEM. Through careful examination of the disassembled electronic parts, skilled technicians who have worked on reefer controllers will identify and replace elements with known high-failure rates. These failures may be due to a poor original design or common misuse. Product durability and longevity are increased by taking this step, affording the end-user a higher return on investment than replacing with new.
Reassembly and Testing
Electronic reefer controllers are carefully reassembled and tested to ensure proper in-field functionality.
Warranty
Remanufactured parts often include one-year warranties, providing peace-of-mind assurance on the quality of the remanufacture.
So, when it comes to delivering the best return on your investment, remanufacturing offers a viable long-term solution that most often provides a product built better than new OEM specifications.
Remanufacturing is, by nature, the more expensive option. Still, it aims to deliver a product that achieves higher standards than a refurbished part, resulting in better performance and longevity for the user. And to consider a used part is, well, just a gamble.
But not any electronics technician can accurately remanufacture an electronic reefer controller.
That’s where we come in.
In 1981 RTE began as the first company to repair and remanufacture electronic controllers and parts for refrigerated containers. And since no one did it before us, we wrote the book on processes and procedures to do it right. And 40 years later, we remain the industry’s best resource for helping reefer operators keep their gear in working condition and helping them save money too.
Our remanufacturing facilities repair all major OEM equipment, including Thermo King, Carrier, and Daikin controllers. And we continue to offer FREE domestic return freight, an RTE standard created four decades ago.
Our technicians are well trained, and our process intense. The net result ensures a product that exceeds the specifications of most new electronic components. And at a price that can be one-quarter to a third the cost of new, that’s a significant saving that goes right to your business’s bottom line.
Contact us today and find out how much you can save by repairing or remanufacturing your controllers with RTE, the company that started it. Or, ask about our current inventory of controllers in stock and available for resale.
And for those with the talent to make their repairs themselves, trust RTE to supply the parts you need to get your equipment operational again.
We repair just about anything. Here are a few examples of some recent requests we’ve received and how they were asked.
- We need to have a Thermo King MP3000 Main Relay board to be repaired.
- Are you able to repair a Thermo King expansion module?
- The plug on our 45-2385 cab controller is corroded. Is it repairable?
- Just sent you a couple of micros and shipped them 2nd-day air. Just wanted to say thank you and was wondering how you will ship them back? I need one back fast the other is for my stock.
- I have a 2015 Thermo King reefer SB230 that was diagnosed by the dealer to have a bad interface board. The unit loses its memory every few months and needs to be reprogrammed by the dealer. Is this something that is covered in your repair service of the interface board?
- Can you rebuild a TK 41-3590 Reliance AC Motor Controller?
- I am looking to get a quote to repair a Thermo King ThermoGuard UP IV+ S.P. P\N 45-1601 the LCD is unreadable, and the face decal is damaged. Thank you
- Need a ThermoGuard uP VI fixed. Thanks,
- From Costa Rica – Good afternoon, I must send to repair 2 microprocessors for Thermo King MD200 and 1 card for MD200, I would need to know how to send the cards, or how we do the processing for the shipment.
The answers to all of these are YES. And in cases where the likely outcome is less obvious, we’ll work with you once we receive your part for evaluation.
And with today’s supply chain struggles, it’s good to have a partner who can work with you.
Do you have electronics that need repair? We can help. Contact us today for a quote.
And for our Central and South American reefer logistics customers, our Panama City, Panama facility is well-staffed and trained to repair or remanufacture your electronic equipment quickly and efficiently for fractions of purchasing new parts.
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