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Issue

A single -5° reading has been recorded by the LogTag monitoring a vaccine fridge. If this is a valid reading then the vaccines are potentially compromised and need to be destroyed.

graph-spike-1

Looking at the results around the single -5°C reading, there is a distinct cycle between about 4 and 6°C which is very consistent in size and period (15 to 20 minutes).

Is it physically possible to cause the spike?

In short, no.

It is not physically possible for a fridge to drop 9°C in 5 minutes without an extreme event occurring. The thermal latency of the LogTag also means that the device won’t respond instantly to changes. Assuming that the sudden step down was legitimate, it is almost impossible for the fridge to then jump back up 9° to where it was previously.

We can see on the graph that the compressor is turning off at 4°C and it is taking 10 minutes for it to naturally rise up to 6° before the compressor turns on again. On this basis, for the fridge to naturally heat up from -5° back to 6° it would take over 45 minutes, not 5.

What happens if you ignore the spike?

graph spike covered

If this single reading was to be ignored, the shape of the graph is totally consistent.

Therefore, taking everything into account, the only logical course of action is to ignore the outlier.

Possible cause

The LogTag uses an external probe to measure temperature. If the probe is disconnected it will read -40°C. If, however, the connection is compromised then it is possible to get a misreading. This is very unusual but is possible. A momentary bump on the cable/connector or possibly a severe EMF noise spike may have caused it. Since it is a one-off, it is not possible to determine the cause.

If it happening consistently, the the LogTag may be faulty, or a low battery may be causing strange results.

Summary

On the basis of the data around the reading, the reading is obviously false and can be classified as a misread. There has been no compromise to the quality of the fridge’s contents.

If this is a one-off event, ignore it completely. If it happens a number of times, replace the LogTag.

What is covered with our shipping insurance?

Our normal terms and conditions (like most businesses) is that you take possession the moment an order ships. If the order is lost or damaged in transit then, in theory, it’s your problem. In reality we will have a conversation and try to work out a good way to resolve the issue where we are both happy (or not too upset).

Shipping insurance is there to remove the drama. If an order is lost or damaged in transit, we will simply send out a replacement, and we will then deal with the courier directly to resolve the original problem.

Our shipping insurance also means that if an order is delayed beyond what is normal and reasonable then we will send you another shipment (stock levels permitting). Then you should receive one of them sooner, and when the second one arrives you simply Return To Sender.

How much is shipping insurance?

Shipping insurance is 5% of the cost of the goods.

Is it worth it? Practically we have had far less than 5% of shipments have problems. It is, however, what Australia Post and other couriers charge. Ultimately insurance is about peace of mind and less hassle when something does go wrong.

Shipping insurance as an option

Shipping insurance is offered as an option on all our web sites. You can select it at the checkout.

For large orders our staff may also ask if you would like shipping insurance.

If you would like shipping insurance on an order you are placing with us, just ask.

Mandatory shipping insurance

Unfortunately we have had a couple of large orders not make it and then the customer refused to pay. A friend suggested that the easy way to avoid the dispute is to insure any shipments where we have a significant risk.

If you would like an immediate line of credit (30 days to pay) and have the goods ship immediately (no credit check delays) and are purchasing over $500 then we will add shipping insurance to your order.

The shipping insurance can be waived if the order is between $500 and $2,000 and you provide us with a formal confirmation that you accept responsibility of the goods once they ship.

Alternatively you can prepay by direct deposit or credit card.

What is not covered?

If there is a clear proof of delivery to the shipping address provided then we class that as delivered. Unfortunately there are cases where it is lost somewhere between the loading dock or receptionist and ending up in your hands. But we also know that a photo of the bag against a generic grey background is not proof of delivery, it is just proof of existence! It needs to be a reasonable proof of delivery.

It also doesn’t cover the expectation of overnight delivery. For example, if we were to ship to Melbourne (we are in Sydney) then we would expect it to be delivered within about 3 days. Most of the time it is overnight, but there are enough floods and other issues that regularly cause minor delays. Sending a second order the next day tends to not fix the problem. If it is super urgent, talk to us about how we can minimise the risk.

For damage claims we ask that you contact us immediately and we will probably ask for photos or some proof. The shipping insurance doesn’t cover claims weeks later. We do have warranty covering our items, but it excludes physical damage (e.g. being dropped). If the goods are damaged in transit then please let us know ASAP so we can cover it under the shipping insurance.