Walk-in coolers for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

What we have quoted for the islands

We have written more than 23,000 quotes since 2012, quoted in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. More than 2,300 of those quotes carried the same island term: free shipping to the buyer's local freight forwarder.

That term is the whole island model. You choose the forwarder you already trust, we deliver your walk-in to them free, and they handle the ocean leg and the paperwork into your island. The full list of islands we quote is on our Caribbean page, and general delivery detail is on our free shipping page.

Match the refrigeration to your island's power

Hertz, phase and voltage all change which condensing unit we quote, so we need all three.

Power is not the same on every island. Some grids run 60 Hz like the US mainland and some run 50 Hz, and voltage and phase vary from building to building. We quote 60 Hz refrigeration as standard and 50 Hz refrigeration for islands that run 50 Hz.

Why hertz matters

Compressor and fan motors spin at a speed set by the frequency of the power. Put a 60 Hz unit on a 50 Hz supply and everything turns slower: the compressor pumps less refrigerant, the fans move less air, and the motors run hotter. The box may never reach temperature and the motors wear out early. The fix is a system built and rated for your frequency.

Phase and voltage

Small systems usually run on single phase. Larger condensing units are often three phase, which your building may or may not have. Freezers also need 115 V for the door frame heater wire and the pressure relief vent. Have your electrician confirm hertz, voltage and phase where the condensing unit will sit. Electrical data for every system we publish is in our equipment gallery.

Heat, humidity and salt air

We size refrigeration from the heat load, not the floor area, and ambient temperature is one of the biggest inputs. A condensing unit rejecting heat into hot, humid air works harder than the same unit in a mild climate. Tell us where the unit will sit and how hot that spot gets.

• Shade and airflow. Put the condensing unit in shade if you can, with open air around the coil. A unit boxed into a hot corner breathes its own exhaust.
• Service clearance. Leave room around the unit for air and for a technician to work on it.
• Rain roof outdoors. Outdoor boxes get a rain roof (rain cap) unless you protect the box another way, such as under an existing roof.
• Salt air. Coastal sites corrode bare condenser coils faster. The outdoor condensing units we quote have anti-corrosion coated aluminum fins.
• Short door openings. Humid air rushes in every time the door opens and ends up as frost or water on the evaporator. Plan stocking so the door stays shut.

Hurricanes and wind uplift

An outdoor walk-in is a large, light box with a flat roof, and hurricane wind tries to lift it. Our quotes state it plainly: an outdoor walk-in must be installed in compliance with local wind uplift rules and building code.

Your island's building department sets the rules and may require an engineer to calculate compliance. Ask before the box ships so the wall or straps are planned and the slab is ready. An indoor box avoids most of this; compare both in our indoor vs outdoor guide.

The island order, step by step

1. Send your size. Dimensions, height, cooler or freezer, indoor or outdoor, and your island. Use the quote form or text pictures to 954-237-6753.
2. Get the quote. Usually the same day, with free shipping to your forwarder built in.
3. Approve the drawing. You get a dimensioned approval drawing (plan and elevation, evaporator and door callouts). Nothing is cut until you sign it. See examples in our drawings gallery.
4. It is built to order. Panels are made to your dimensions and the refrigeration is matched to your power. Lead time depends on the factory schedule when you order, so ask us for the current lead time before you sign. Delivery dates are estimates.
5. Free shipping to your forwarder. We deliver to your forwarder's warehouse in South Florida. The panels travel stacked flat and shrink-wrapped.
6. Your forwarder ships it to your island. They book the ocean leg and handle customs paperwork.
7. Duties on arrival. Import duties and taxes, where your island charges them, are paid on arrival at your island's rates.
8. Local install. The panels lock together with cam locks and an Allen wrench; a local refrigeration contractor connects the system and an electrician wires it. Our installation guide walks through it.

What to send for an island quote

• Size and height. Outside dimensions you want, or the room you have to fit.
• Cooler, freezer or both. Freezers always include an insulated floor; for coolers, see floor or no floor.
• Indoor or outdoor. And where the condensing unit will sit.
• Power. Hertz, voltage and phase.
• Island and forwarder. Your island, and your forwarder if you have one.
• The route in. Your narrowest doorway, tightest hallway turn and lowest ceiling obstruction.
• Pictures. Photos of the space help us read the site.

Send it all through the free quote form. Prefer Spanish? Read our Spanish guide or use the Spanish quote form. To understand what moves the number, see what drives walk-in cost.