Using Coldpacks - Summer Shipping

Thank you very much for contributing to this thread I am very curious about the PCM panels... Are they really as effective as they claim? Where do you get yours? I want to try them out, but I'm always afraid it might not work and then something bad would happen. Yep, I'm a worry-wort.

PCMs are a proven technology that's been around for awhile......They can't malfunction like a catalyst operated heat pack, and they last 3x as long as a gel ice pack.......With the way they work, they'll keep the interior of a box at 70 degrees for 30+ hours in normal shipping circumstances, whether hot or cold outside.......

Originally Posted by EricIvins

PCMs are a proven technology that's been around for awhile......They can't malfunction like a catalyst operated heat pack, and they last 3x as long as a gel ice pack.......With the way they work, they'll keep the interior of a box at 70 degrees for 30+ hours in normal shipping circumstances, whether hot or cold outside.......

Very awesome. I'll have to pick some up

Ok, newbie question....
WTH are "PCM" panels???

Abby,

I would not use a cold pack regardless of temps for FL. Being that I've been here almost my whole life and I've shipped out dozens of snakes in different times of the year Ive never used a cold pack even when temps were in the 90's. My toughest shipment was an adult Carpet I shipped to Alaska about 2 months ago. The temp here was around 85 and the temp in the city of Alaska was in the high 30's. I put a heat pack in the box before I shipped and he arrived completely fine.

Cold packs are useless in my book, at least with Carpets and Boas that is. The only thing I use is heat packs when needed (generally if it's below 60 in any of the cities where the package will go through).

Just a note: When you ship and look at the weather, don't look at the high because the package will be delivered before the temp gets to that level. The main thing you want to look at is the low, the package will be traveling at night and in the morning so the high has nothing to do with the equation. When you go to your shipping facility go right before the pickup time (the FedEx I go to has a pickup time of 6:45pm), I get there at 6:30pm so even if the temp is a 98 high for that day, at the time I drop the box off it's in the mid 80's. That aside, being that your shipping TO Florida (not from Florida), when the package arrives and is delivered it will not be the 'high' for that day, it will generally be in the mid 80's (at this time of year) because the 'high' hits in the afternoon (yes it unfortunately hits the mid 80's by 10:30am). You can look at hourly weather charts to help you out if your concerened.

Also be sure to look at the connection flight. FedEx packages connect in Memphis TN so the things you look at are:
Your weather
Memphis' weather
Destinations weather

Look at the 'lows' NOT the 'highs', the package will never encounter the 'high' unless it gets delayed and then stays the whole day somewhere.

Sorry for such an elaborate post but thought I'd help others out who may be wondering about shipping too. Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by Yaz23

Abby,

I would not use a cold pack regardless of temps for FL. Being that I've been here almost my whole life and I've shipped out dozens of snakes in different times of the year Ive never used a cold pack even when temps were in the 90's. My toughest shipment was an adult Carpet I shipped to Alaska about 2 months ago. The temp here was around 85 and the temp in the city of Alaska was in the high 30's. I put a heat pack in the box before I shipped and he arrived completely fine.

Cold packs are useless in my book, at least with Carpets and Boas that is. The only thing I use is heat packs when needed (generally if it's below 60 in any of the cities where the package will go through).

Just a note: When you ship and look at the weather, don't look at the high because the package will be delivered before the temp gets to that level. The main thing you want to look at is the low, the package will be traveling at night and in the morning so the high has nothing to do with the equation. When you go to your shipping facility go right before the pickup time (the FedEx I go to has a pickup time of 6:45pm), I get there at 6:30pm so even if the temp is a 98 high for that day, at the time I drop the box off it's in the mid 80's. That aside, being that your shipping TO Florida (not from Florida), when the package arrives and is delivered it will not be the 'high' for that day, it will generally be in the mid 80's (at this time of year) because the 'high' hits in the afternoon (yes it unfortunately hits the mid 80's by 10:30am). You can look at hourly weather charts to help you out if your concerened.

Also be sure to look at the connection flight. FedEx packages connect in Memphis TN so the things you look at are:
Your weather
Memphis' weather
Destinations weather

Look at the 'lows' NOT the 'highs', the package will never encounter the 'high' unless it gets delayed and then stays the whole day somewhere.

Sorry for such an elaborate post but thought I'd help others out who may be wondering about shipping too. Hope this helps!

I actually do look at hourly charts... For every city the package is visiting on it's route and my hub only accepts packages by 5 pm, so I have to drop off at around 4:30, which it is still blazing hot on a summer day at that time. Doesn't cool off here till around 9-10 pm on a hot day. HATE Ohio

I would never ship a package without a coldpack if it is at 85+ here on my end when I drop off at the hub though... Because I know that the trucks can get really hot with the sun beating down on them. I've lost roaches that I shipped in 85-90F weather without a coldpack, friggin' roaches who are supposed to be indestructable! So I just wouldn't risk that with reptiles. If it is cooled down by the time I drop off though, no need to use one!

I wasn't wanting to use the coldpack for the destination temps, since a coldpack is useless after a few hours of being put in the box anyway It was just for the drop off temps. But after what Eric said, I think I'm going to order some PCM packs and do some tests in various weather conditions. They sound like the way to go, and from my understanding they are also reusable which is a plus.

Also, not ALL packages go to Memphis. I've received and shipped a few to Michigan (right above me, heh) and one from Illinois (2 over) and none of them went to Memphis, they go to Indianapolis and straight to me (or them). So it really depends on how far you're shipping. I do check Memphis just in case though, as I know it is typically way hotter there than it is here. I'm glad to know FedEx doesn't take my packages out of their way though, as when I shipped with UPS they always went to Louisville even if I was shipping NORTH of Ohio... Nice that FedEx doesn't do that.

Thanks for your input Always good to hear other's experiences, especially from different parts of the country - will help someone out there!

No prob!

When I read the posts I must have missed the part where you need to drop the packages off so early! 4:30?! Thats extremely early! If I had to drop packages off that early it would still be in the high 90's-100! I can see why you'd use cold packs then!

As far as other connecting cities, that's true it just depends how far the shipment has to go. I just never thought about it because when I ship via FedEx they always connect in Memphis and when I ship UPS they always connect in Louisville.

Good thread Abby!

We did a little bit of experiementing with cold packs shipping aquarium plants a few years back.

IDK that we got enough data to be "scientifically significant," but the results were pretty consistent:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lo...-shipping.html

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

We did a little bit of experiementing with cold packs shipping aquarium plants a few years back.

IDK that we got enough data to be "scientifically significant," but the results were pretty consistent:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lo...-shipping.html

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing

Has any one tried the phase22 packs

Originally Posted by EricIvins

PCMs are a proven technology that's been around for awhile......They can't malfunction like a catalyst operated heat pack, and they last 3x as long as a gel ice pack.......With the way they work, they'll keep the interior of a box at 70 degrees for 30+ hours in normal shipping circumstances, whether hot or cold outside.......

where do you get them?