Cold chain & reefer logistics
If you move temperature-sensitive cargo — vaccines, fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy, pharmaceuticals — you need more than GPS. You need a defensible audit trail showing temperature stayed in range for every kilometre of every trip. Teltonika devices with RS232 temperature probes give you exactly that, integrated with the fleet tracking you already need.
Why temperature alarms aren't enough
A reefer alarm tells you when the temperature has already broken range. By then you've potentially lost the load. A 14-tonne reefer trailer of vaccines can mean R5-15 million in destroyed product and a regulator visit.
What you actually need is continuous temperature logging tied to position — so you can prove (and reconstruct) the cold-chain history. The Teltonika FMC150 (or FMC125 with an external probe) connects to a digital temperature probe via RS232/RS485 and reports both temperature *and* GPS position together, time-stamped, immutable on the device.
For pharma, this is what GDP audits ask for. For frozen retail, this is what insurers ask for after a load is rejected.
Capabilities to look for
RS232 / RS485 digital temp probes
Industry-standard digital sensors (e.g. DS18B20, Tzone) interfaced directly to the tracker — accurate to 0.1°C.
Continuous logging, offline buffering
Records temperature every 60s (or faster) even with no signal — flushes to your platform when connectivity returns.
Out-of-range alerts
Set min/max thresholds; tracker triggers an alarm + email when temperature breaches range. Pair with door-open sensors.
Multi-probe support
Multi-zone trailers — front, middle, rear temp sensors all on one device.
Audit-trail export
Every reading time-stamped + geotagged; defensible export to PDF / CSV for compliance audits.
Devices for cold chain & reefer logistics
Each device links to its full spec page. Add to your list and we'll come back with pricing.
Cat-1 flagship with RS232 and camera input. Best for multi-zone reefers and pharma loads where you want video + telemetry on SA-only routes.
Hardwired Cat-1 with RS232/RS485 — when you want the industrial-grade probe interface without the camera.
Cat-M1 + NB-IoT equivalent of FMC150 — pick this for cross-border SADC cold-chain runs where roaming continuity matters more than throughput.
OBD plug-in for the tractor; pair with a probe-capable device on the trailer for a complete cold-chain audit.
How the data flows
Digital temp probe over RS232 + GPS + door sensor → time-stamped, geotagged audit trail for GDP / HACCP audits.
Real-world scenarios
Typical setup — vaccine / pharma distribution
Cold-stored pharma loads (+2 to +8°C) requiring per-shipment chain-of-custody. FMC150 + dual DS18B20 probes in the reefer + door sensor + Wialon report — exports as a per-trip PDF showing temperature, GPS position, and door state minute-by-minute. The pattern used for GDP audit defensibility.
Typical setup — frozen retail long-haul
Frozen goods at –18°C, common rejection cause being 'unverifiable cold chain.' FMC125 with two temp probes (loading bay + body interior) flags reefer defrost cycles and door-open events that break range. Provides the evidence insurers ask for after a load rejection.
What you get out of it
- Defensible audit trail for GDP / FSSC / HACCP compliance
- Insurance-grade temperature evidence
- Real-time out-of-range alerts (not just reefer-on-board alarms)
- Multi-zone trailers monitored on one tracker
- Pairs with door-open and reefer-power-state sensors
FAQ
If the tractor and trailer are always coupled, one device on the trailer (with battery) is cleaner. For drop-and-hook ops where trailers move between tractors, we recommend a device on the trailer that survives uncoupled — TAT240 with battery + temp probe.
Ready to spec it out?
We'll come back with pricing and a device recommendation tailored to your operation. Fast first reply during business hours, 08:00–17:00 SAST.