FAQ's - Installation

All coolers, regardless of style begin from the ground up. Site preparation will be the key to success. Start with the existing floor. It should be sound, smooth, level and made with a non-absorbing material. If the existing concrete floor is visibly flawed, consider having it leveled prior to installation. If not, then the cooler will have to be shimmed to compensate. The cooler must be level for the doors to seal properly. Shimming the cooler walls will result in gaps underneath which will then have to be sealed. If the wall panels can rest snugly to the floor, then a bead of silicone caulk is all that’s needed to form a tight seal. Look up as well, and make sure there aren’t any pipes, ductwork, sprinkler heads, etc. in the way. They will be easier to deal with prior to installation. The overa

If you have to work with a less then perfect floor, the first step will be to determine the highest point with a carpenters level. This is the point where you should begin the installation. As you lock together the adjoining panels, use shim stock to raise each seam in line with the starting panel, keeping everything square and plum as you go. Leave some space between the cooler walls and the walls of the building, a few inches at least. There are no guaranties that the walls of your building are square and plumb. A trick we use is to lay dimensional lumber at the base of the wall, and press the wall panels up against it. This provides an even spacing, and gives the panels something solid to rest against. The gap left between the cooler and the outer walls can be enclosed following installation.ll height of your cooler will be shown on our drawings.

If your display includes an insulated floor, then each floor panel will have to be leveled as it is set in place. Shims must be evenly spaced under the panel. If only the outside edges are shimmed, then the floor panel will sag over time and use. Once the floor is leveled and locked together, the wall panels can be set in place. No further leveling should be necessary, since the wall panels rest directly on the insulated floor.

Once all the walls are locked together, you can check the overall square of the box by measuring and comparing the opposite corner-to-corner dimensions. Adjust the wall panels till these measurements are the same. You can now set the ceiling panels in place. They should lay square with the wall panels. There should be an even seam along the top, with no staggered or saw-toothed appearance. Lock down the ceiling, and install any doors, windows or partition walls supplied with your kit. All of the rough openings should be square and plumb, since you have followed correct installation procedures.

Place a bead of silicone in the joint where the wall panel meets the ceiling and also in the joint where the wall panels meet the floor. No caulk will be needed wherever there is a rubber gasket seal between the panels. If the gap at the floor seam is too large to caulk, then use minimal expansion spray foam, which you can purchase at any hardware store. Spray it under the walls, and let it expand and harden. Trim the extra off with a knife, and finish the base off with tile or cove base. Use the L-brackets in your parts kit to anchor the inside of the wall panels to the floor.

Short version…
“No” if setting on concrete (ground level)
“Yes” if setting on wood

Continue reading for details…
You will need to provide insulation either on top of, or underneath, any cooler placed over a basement, second story, or crawl space. The refrigeration will pull the heat out of the flooring, and if there is warmer air underneath condensation will form, causing damage to the floor material and space below. If you need to provide protection, your options include the following:

1) The floor can be insulated from underneath. This has to be done very carefully, since any air leaks will still lead to condensation. Many times this is not possible because the underside of the flooring is blocked by obstructions. If the flooring is made of an absorbent material, it will need to be protected with sheet vinyl, or some other type of moisture barrier.

2) You can purchase an insulated floor. This will isolate the refrigerated space, and prevent any problems with heat transfer. You will also pick up an additional 15% in energy savings on average. Disadvantages will be a 4” step-up into the cooler. An optional floor ramp can be ordered. These disadvantages will be minor when compared to the expense of correcting any structural damage to a building though.

3) Some customers prefer to build their own insulated platform. Foam board can be purchased at building centers. Care must be taken to cross-stack the sheets of insulation to eliminate any seams or gaps in the material.

Other floor materials...
A) Concrete with vinyl or ceramic tile; order “floorless” walk-in.

B) Concrete with carpeting; Do not install a “floorless” walk-in on top of carpeting as the high humidity levels will quickly create mildew and odor. Simply cut the carpeting to the dimensions shown on the print prior to installation. If you wish to save the carpeting or your landlord prevents you from cutting the carpeting then order the SRC reinforced insulated floor.

C) Concrete with hardwood; it’s recommended you order the SRC reinforced insulated floor to protect the beautiful finish from the high humidity conditions.

Exceptions...
If the cooler is in a non air-conditioned warehouse, garage or outdoors on a non insulated slab, consider ordering the SRC reinforced insulated floor. The energy savings alone will pay back the cost of the reinforced insulated floor.

Prior to Delivery, we will provide you with the tracking numbers (“Pro numbers”) and phone numbers of the delivery terminals. Because you have purchased equipment “Factory Direct”, there may be as many as four separate shipments to coordinate. If you have purchased your equipment on a “self install” basis, then you are responsible to coordinate the delivery times with the individual carriers. You should be able to arrange for all items to be delivered on the same day.

When the delivery truck arrives, a minimum of four people will be required to unload your equipment (two in the truck, and two on the ground). Remember that the drivers are not required to help unload your shipment. The best way to unload your cooler is panel by panel, even if you have access to a forklift. This allows you to make a thorough inspection of all pieces.

Important: Note any damage or missing items on the freight bill as you accept the shipment. Have the driver initial your notes. When the equipment leaves our factory, it is in perfect condition. When the carrier picks it up, they take responsibility for it, until the point you take possession. When you sign for receipt of the equipment with no damage noted, you are assuming the responsibility for the care and handling of the freight. If after delivery you then claim damage, the likelihood of compensation or restitution is very unlikely.

Each standard full-size cooler panel will weigh approximately 65 pounds, and is roughly the size of a sheet of plywood, only thicker. Our ceiling panels inset into the tops of our wall panels, so at the top of every wall panel there will be a 4” high extension, which we call a valance. Do not carry the panel by the valance, or you could inadvertently bend it. If your cooler has a floor, there will also be a valance at the bottom of the wall panel. Stand the wall panels on its “flat” bottom. If both ends are valanced, lay panel on its long side. As you continue to unload the shipment, be sure to lift (don’t slide) each panel off the next. This will avoid scratches to the metal surface. We can provide a small bottle of matching touch-up paint if needed.

Indoor compressors can weigh upwards of one hundred pounds. Outdoor compressors can weigh several times this amount. If your shipment includes glass doors, these crates can be heavy and awkward. This is why we recommend a minimum of four people to receive deliveries.

The locking mechanisms for our modular panels are referred to as “Cam-Locks”. One side of the panel will have at least two male Cams (hook) which will connect to an adjacent panel whose edge has the female Cams (pin). The male hook is designed to engage the female pin when the cam wrench (provided) is turned clockwise. The pivot for the arm is eccentric shaped, and as the wrench is tightened, the arm will pull inwards, securing a tight panel-to-panel seal.

Occasionally you will find a male fastener with the hook assembly extended and loose. You will be unable to engage the locking mechanism or lock the panels together. All you need to do is “re-cock” the locking arm. Insert the cam wrench into the cam mechanism, and twist the wrench counter-clockwise till you feel resistance. At this point continue to turn the wrench, till you feel the arm bottom out. The hook will now be fully retracted, and in position for normal assembly.

There is flexibility in how far back the partition wall can be mounted. We don’t lock you into one position by pre-drilling the holes. A good guideline to use would be 30” back from the front of the display, and 18”- 24” up from the floor. When properly positioned, colder air exiting from the evaporator coil will fall over the wall. The gap at the bottom of the partition allows the warmed air to be drawn out of the display area back into the fan housing. Be careful not to block the bottom air return, or a warm air pocket can be formed, decreasing your products life.

Find a container or box approximately 18”- 24” high, and use it as a stand to set the partition wall up on. Position the wall so that the shelf uprights face the glass doors and the standards that extend below the partition are pointing down. Once leveled, use the self-drilling phillips head sheet metal screws provided to attach the flanges at each end of the wall directly to the sidewalls of the display. Our panels have more than enough strength to carry the full weight of the partition wall. Longer walls will have a center support beam wrapped in the same color metal as the display area.

Once the partition wall is secured into place, the shelf brackets can be positioned. Insert each bracket into the standard at the desired height, and tap the back edge of the bracket down with a small hammer until it firmly locks in position. Make sure it is locked down before you position the glass shelving. There are small rubber cushioned pads included with you kit that protect the glass shelves from being scratched by the brackets. Install (2) cushioned pads per arm; one near the front and the other toward the rear.

If your display cooler has been supplied with 2" thick insulated tempered windows, then you will only be using one of the two metal frames included by our window supplier, Anthony Manufacturing. Anthony assumes that since the windows are 2" thick, the wall panels also will be 2” thick. For this reason, they provide an inside and outside frame standard with each window.

For proper installation, use one of the Anthony supplied frames for the exterior of the window opening. Drill pilot holes around the inside flange of the frame and screw it into the window jamb, so the front flange is tight to the outside finished surface of the cabinet. Lay a bead of silicone caulk around the inside face of the trim, and carefully press the sealed glass window into the trimmed opening from the inside. Tape the window in place temporarily from the outside.

SRC has supplied metal trim that will finish off the inside exposed edge of the window jamb and hold the window firmly and securely in position. The trim will have an "L" shaped profile. Use a pair of tin snips and cut (4) pieces to fit around the interior of the opening. The trim is the same color of the inside of your display. Run a bead of silicone to seal the inside edge of the window to the jamb, and secure the trim into place with wood screws. The shorter flange of the L-trim should now press against the surface of the glass, and the longer flange should cover the exposed wood of the jamb. The second one-piece frame supplied by Anthony can be discarded.

» click here to view Assembly Parts Sheet 1

» click here to view Assembly Parts Sheet 2

» click here to view Assembly Parts Sheet 3

All of our wall and ceiling panels have both inside and outside vinyl gaskets, so there will be no caulking necessary. This assumes that the box has been installed level and square, and all of the seams are tight.

The only panel seams you need to caulk will be at the floor and also at the ceiling perimeter joints. Apply a generous bead with the silicone we have provided, and using a caulking tool or even your finger, smooth the bead out so that good adhesion is made to both surfaces. Clean up can be performed with mineral spirits. Leave the doors of your cabinet open until the silicone cures, and the vinegar like smell diminishes.

If your cooler includes display doors, run a bead of silicone around the entire inside perimeter of the frame after installation. If the gap is too large for silicone, stuff fiberglass insulation or backer rod to fill the joint instead. The same applies for glass viewing windows. Make sure they are well sealed prior to the window trim being secured.

All refrigeration or electrical lines penetrating the walls or ceiling need to be sealed. In addition, the inside of all electrical conduit must be sealed prior to entering the cooler. This will prevent moisture from collecting inside the conduit, possibly leading to future electrical problems. Not all electricians are familiar with this possibility, so it never hurts to remind your contractor.

When your cooler is in operation, if you see any water droplets running down the wall panels or water pooling onto the floor, it indicates warm air is entering the walk-in causing moisture and condensation to form. Determine the source of the air leak and seal properly.

If you needed to shim your cooler during installation to compensate for an uneven floor, you may be faced with gaps larger then Silicone caulk alone can seal.

Minimal expansion spray foam can be purchased at any hardware store or building center. It is sold under various brand names in convenient aerosol dispensing cans. You may need several cans depending on the size of your cooler. The directions on the can will give you an idea of the product coverage.

First, install whatever type of finish trim you had planned for the outside of the cooler. This could be vinyl cove base, tile, wood molding or dozens of other possibilities. Having it in place will prevent the spray foam from expanding all over the outside flooring.

Now you can apply the foam underneath the wall panels from the inside of the cooler. If you are unfamiliar working with this product, test spray a small amount into an empty box, and you can get a feel for how much it expands. This will give you an idea about how much to apply. Apply masking tape over the inside perimeter of the floor, if you wish to protect the surface. After the product has finished expanding and has cured, it can be trimmed flush with the wall panel with a sharp knife. You will be left with an air tight seal, and can now finish it off with whatever base trim you choose.

Finding a good refrigeration contractor should be a high priority for your business. The initial installation is the key for long term dependability. After that, routine service and maintenance will keep your equipment at maximum efficiency.

Best places to check…
1) Contact other businesses in your area that use refrigeration equipment. Examples would be floral wholesalers, other floral shops, restaurants, bakeries, drug stores, convenience stores and gas station mini marts.

2) Larger cities have refrigeration wholesalers that can also help. Check the phone directory: "Refrigeration Equipment - Parts & Supplies". These wholesalers only sell to other refrigeration contractors. You can ask them for 1 or 2 references that would be good for your type of business.

3) Call SRC. We keep an extensive list of contractors we have used over the years. We would be glad to check and see if we have a name in your area. Just give our service department a call during normal business hours.

Do I want a large or small company…
Each offers advantages that may be good for your business or for your area. What is more important is the individual service they can provide your business. At SRC we tend to work with more smaller contractors. They are generally more conscientious and customer oriented, since they are owner-operators.

Be prepared…
It's best to have office procedures in place so if the cooler does require service, your staff immediately knows what to do. Display the service company's name and phone number in a spot that can be easily retrieved.