Sizes · Same footprint
Twenty percent more liquid, same pallet position.
The 330 is the 275's taller sibling. Identical 48 by 40 footprint, seven more inches of height, fifty-five more gallons — in exactly the same floor slot. Whether that matters depends on whether you run out of space or out of weight first.
The short answer
48 × 40 × 53 in (1219 × 1016 × 1346 mm) · 330 US gal / 1249 L · tare ~150 lb · gross with water ~2,900 lb. Same pallet position as a 275, with 20% more liquid in it. Watch ceiling clearance, forklift rating and payload.
+55 gal
over a 275
For zero additional pallet positions.
+20%
liquid per position
Counts when floor space, not weight, is the limit.
53"
overall height
Seven inches taller. Measure your doorways.
2,900 lb
gross with water
Check your forklift before you order.
Head to head
330 against 275, honestly.
| 275 gallon | 330 gallon | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 275 gal / 1041 L | 330 gal / 1249 L | +20% |
| Footprint | 48 × 40 in | 48 × 40 in | Identical |
| Height | 46 in | 53 in | +7 in |
| Tare weight | 135 lb | 150 lb | +15 lb |
| Gross (water) | 2,429 lb | 2,902 lb | +473 lb |
| Floor positions per 53' trailer | 26 | 26 | Identical |
| Gallons in 26 positions | 7,150 | 8,580 | +1,430 |
| Loaded with water at ~44,000 lb payload | 18 units, 4,950 gal | 15 units, 4,950 gal | None |
| Used availability | Most common format | Less common | Ask early |
| Double-stack empty height | 92 in | 106 in | Check ceiling |
Run the space arithmetic yourself
Twenty-six floor positions in a 53-foot van hold 7,150 gallons of 275s or 8,580 gallons of 330s. Per pallet position, that is 20% more liquid in the 330, or about 17% fewer positions for the same volume.
That counts wherever you pay for, or run short of, positions: shipping empties, storage floor, and shipments priced by pallet position. It also means fewer units to handle: fewer connections, fewer valve operations, fewer opportunities for somebody to leave a cap off.
The catch is that you only capture it if you are space-limited. Most full truckloads of liquid are weight-limited instead, and then the 330 gives you nothing and costs you clearance.
The weight ceiling
A 53-foot dry van typically carries around 44,000 lb of freight, depending on the tractor and trailer. Twenty-six 330s of water weigh 75,452 lb, so you are weight-limited at about fifteen units — 4,950 gallons. Eighteen 275s of water come to 43,722 lb and also carry 4,950 gallons. On a full truckload of water the two formats are a tie, and for anything denser the payload runs out even sooner. Do the weight math before assuming the 330 wins.
| Specification | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal capacity | 330 US gal | 1,249 L |
| Overall length | 48 in | 1,219 mm |
| Overall width | 40 in | 1,016 mm |
| Overall height | 53 in | 1,346 mm |
| Tare (steel base) | 150 lb | 68 kg |
| Bottle weight | 48 lb | 22 kg |
| Cage weight | 68 lb | 31 kg |
| Gross, water | 2,902 lb | 1,316 kg |
| Fill opening | 6 in screw cap | 150 mm |
| Discharge | 2 in S60x6 or S70x6 | DN50 |
| Stacking limit | See the unit's marking | See the unit's marking |
330 gallon questions
Is a 330 gallon tote worth the extra height?
Sometimes. It occupies exactly the same pallet position as a 275 and holds 55 more gallons, so when you are limited by floor space — empties, light product, storage — you get 20% more liquid per position. When you are limited by weight, as most full truckloads of liquid are, the advantage disappears. The other constraints are ceiling clearance and the fact that a 330 full of anything dense gets uncomfortably close to common forklift ratings.
What are the dimensions of a 330 gallon IBC tote?
48 inches long, 40 inches wide, 53 inches tall — 1219 x 1016 x 1346 mm. The length and width are identical to a 275; only the height changes. Tare weight runs about 150 lb and gross with water is roughly 2,900 lb.
Can 330 gallon totes be double-stacked?
Empty and cage-sound, often — but check your ceiling first, because two 330s stacked stand about 106 inches, which will not pass a standard shipping container door and is tight in many warehouses. Loaded, follow the stacking limit on the unit's marking, and do not double-stack loaded units in transit.
Are 330 gallon totes harder to find used?
Often, yes. The 275 is the most common format in North America, so used 330 availability tends to be thinner and less predictable. If you need a larger quantity, say so in your quote request and give as much notice as you can; a partner supplier follows up on what is available.
The decision
Where the 330 wins and where it does not.
It occupies exactly the same pallet position as a 275 and carries 55 more gallons. Whether that is worth anything depends entirely on whether your loads are space-limited or weight-limited.
| Your situation | Better format | Why | Net effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repositioning empties | 330 | Space-limited | 20% more capacity per position |
| Shipments priced by pallet position | 330 | The position is the cost unit | 20% more liquid per position |
| Static storage, floor space tight | 330 | Space-limited | 20% more liquid per footprint |
| Full truckload of water | Either | Weight-limited: 15 × 330 vs 18 × 275 | Same 4,950 gal |
| Full truckload of light solvent | 275, marginally | Weight-limited: 18 × 330 vs 22 × 275 | 5,940 vs 6,050 gal |
| Anything above SG 1.2 | 275 | Weight-limited; a lighter unit is easier to handle | — |
| Ceiling under 60 in clear | 275 | 53 in plus spill pallet plus fork clearance | — |
| Double-stacking empties indoors | 275 | Two 330s stand 106 in | — |
| Running 3,000 lb forklifts | 275 | A 330 of water is 2,902 lb before derating | — |
| Loading containers | 275 | 330 height leaves less door clearance | — |
| Low monthly consumption | 275 | A 330 sits half-used and product may degrade | — |
Availability
Why 330s can be harder to find.
The 275 is the most common format in North America, and used supply reflects what industry bought years earlier rather than what buyers want today.
Used 330s circulate in smaller numbers than 275s, so availability through partner suppliers varies and larger quantities can take longer to gather. If you need a specific count, say so in your quote request, give as much notice as you can, and mention whether 275s would also work.
If you are considering switching formats, trial a few units first. It is the cheapest way to discover that your rack bay is 48 inches or that the loading dock canopy is lower than anybody remembered.
Full specification
Every dimension and rating.
| Specification | Imperial | Metric | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal capacity | 330 US gal | 1,249 L | Headroom above this is for thermal expansion |
| Overall length | 48 in | 1,219 mm | Identical to a 275 |
| Overall width | 40 in | 1,016 mm | Identical to a 275 |
| Overall height | 53 in | 1,346 mm | Seven inches taller than a 275 |
| Bottle height without base | 47 in | 1,194 mm | — |
| Base height | 6 in | 152 mm | Varies with base type |
| Tare, steel base | 150 lb | 68 kg | Varies by maker |
| Tare, composite base | 136 lb | 62 kg | Lighter |
| Bottle weight | 48 lb | 22 kg | HDPE |
| Cage weight | 68 lb | 31 kg | Galvanised steel wire |
| Gross with water | 2,902 lb | 1,316 kg | Check your forklift |
| Fill opening | 6 in screw cap | 150 mm | Vented or solid |
| Discharge | 2 in S60x6 or S70x6 | DN50 | Measure before ordering fittings |
| Discharge centre height | 8 in | 203 mm | Too low to gravity-fill a drum |
| Fork pocket clearance | 4 in | 102 mm | — |
| Fork pocket width | 9 in | 229 mm | Four-way on most units |
| Stacking limit | See marking | See marking | Do not double-stack loaded units in transit |
| Double-stacked empty height | 106 in | 2,692 mm | Will not pass a shipping container door |
| Wall thickness, typical | 0.09 – 0.13 in | 2.3 – 3.3 mm | — |
| Temperature range | −40 to 130 °F | −40 to 54 °C | Typical for HDPE; check the maker's limit |
| Floor positions per 53 ft trailer | 26 | 26 | Same as a 275 |
| Gallons in 26 positions | 8,580 | 32,479 L | 1,430 more than 275s |
Weight by product
What a loaded 330 actually weighs.
The 330 hits equipment limits sooner than the 275 simply because it holds twenty percent more. On dense product that difference decides the format.
| Product | SG | 330 gross | 275 gross | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acetone, ethanol | 0.79 | 2,324 lb | 1,947 lb | +377 lb |
| Diesel | 0.85 | 2,489 lb | 2,084 lb | +405 lb |
| Water | 1.00 | 2,902 lb | 2,429 lb | +473 lb |
| Propylene glycol | 1.04 | 3,012 lb | 2,520 lb | +492 lb |
| Latex paint | 1.25 | 3,590 lb | 3,002 lb | +588 lb |
| UAN 32 | 1.32 | 3,783 lb | 3,162 lb | +621 lb |
| Caustic 32% | 1.35 | 3,865 lb | 3,231 lb | +634 lb |
| Corn syrup | 1.42 | 4,058 lb | 3,392 lb | +666 lb |
| Sulphuric 93% | 1.83 | 5,187 lb | 4,332 lb | +855 lb |
Applications
Where the 330 is genuinely worth specifying.
It is a better container than the 275 in a narrow set of circumstances and a worse one outside them. The circumstances are the whole decision.
| Application | 330 or 275 | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Cold liquor and brewing water | 330 | Light product, fewer moves |
| De-icing brine storage | 330 | Static storage; more brine per footprint |
| Brine transfer and mixing | 275 | Moved frequently; lighter is better |
| Irrigation and field water | 330 | Static, light, space is the constraint |
| Liquid fertiliser | 275 | SG 1.32 makes a 330 about 3,780 lb |
| Glycol reservoirs | 330 | Light, static, fewer top-ups |
| Empty repositioning | 330 | Space-limited |
| Solvent and alcohol storage | 330 | Light product |
| Acids and concentrated caustic | 220 | Neither 275 nor 330; weight rules |
| Food concentrate and syrup | 275 | SG 1.4 makes a 330 just over 4,000 lb |
| Emergency water stock | 275 | Handled under pressure by non-specialists |