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Size · 330 gal / 1250 L
Twenty percent more volume, no more floor space, and seven inches that catch people out.
The 330 is the smartest format in the catalogue right up until it does not fit through the door. It shares the 275's 48 by 40 footprint exactly, so it racks in the same bay and handles on the same forklift — and then stands seven inches taller than anyone measured for.
Short answer
48" L × 40" W × 53" H, 165 lb tare, 3,000 lb gross. Same footprint as a 275, seven inches taller. Best value for fluids under about 9 lb/gal.
- Dimensions
- 48 × 40 × 53"
- Tare
- 165 lb
- Gross
- 3,000 lb
- vs 275
- +7 inches
Form 01 · Spec request
Price 330 gallon stock.
Used and reconditioned 330 availability is thinner than 275. Tell us quantity and timing early and we will allocate against inbound.
Specification
The complete data sheet.
| Attribute | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal capacity | 330 US gallons / 1250 litres | Includes headspace |
| External length | 48 inches | Identical to a 275 |
| External width | 40 inches | Identical to a 275 |
| External height | 53 inches | Allow 55 inches of clearance |
| External cube | ~59 cubic feet | Freight planning figure |
| Tare weight | 165 lb | Heavier cage and larger bottle |
| Gross weight rating | 3,000 lb | Check the plate on every unit |
| Full of water | ~2,915 lb | Close to the rating already |
| Inner bottle | ~50 lb blow-moulded HDPE | Natural or black UV-stabilised |
| Cage & pallet | ~100 lb galvanised steel | Taller frame, same base |
| Fill opening | 6 inch coarse thread | Same closures as a 275 |
| Outlet | 2 inch butterfly valve | 3 inch common on this size |
| Stacking, empty | 3 high | Over 13 ft — check building height |
| Stacking, full | 2 high where rated | Over 8.5 ft; check sprinkler clearance |
| Fluid | Density | Volume before hitting 3,000 lb | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 8.34 lb/gal | ~340 gal | Full 330 usable — good fit |
| Diesel fuel | 7.1 lb/gal | ~400 gal | Full 330 usable — excellent fit |
| Motor oil | 7.4 lb/gal | ~383 gal | Full 330 usable — excellent fit |
| Liquid soap concentrate | 8.8 lb/gal | ~322 gal | Marginal — fill to weight |
| Liquid fertiliser (28% UAN) | 10.7 lb/gal | ~265 gal | Poor fit — buy 275s |
| Corn syrup | 11.7 lb/gal | ~242 gal | Poor fit — buy 275s |
To scale
Seven inches, drawn honestly.
Compare
275gal / 1000 L
- L × W × H
- 48" × 40" × 46"
- Tare
- 145 lb
- Gross max
- 2,500 lb
The default. Fits 20 to a 53-ft van, two-high stacked.
330gal / 1250 L
- L × W × H
- 48" × 40" × 53"
- Tare
- 165 lb
- Gross max
- 3,000 lb
Same footprint, seven inches taller. Watch your dock door.
550gal / 2100 L
- L × W × H
- 48" × 46" × 65"
- Tare
- 285 lb
- Gross max
- 5,100 lb
Oversize. Usually steel-caged and shipped flatbed.
Choose 330 when
It genuinely wins
- Your fluid is lighter than about 9 pounds per gallon
- Floor space is your binding constraint, not headroom
- You want to reduce the number of handling events per volume shipped
- Your racking and doors have verified clearance above 55 inches
- You are shipping fuel, oils or light chemistry in volume
Avoid 330 when
Where it costs you
- Dense product — you pay for headspace you cannot legally fill. Buy 275s.
- Unverified vertical clearance anywhere on the route from truck to rack
- Sites where units are moved by pallet jack over uneven ground — the higher centre of gravity matters
- Applications needing wide grade choice in used stock, where 275 availability is far deeper
Questions
330 gallon totes, answered.
01How tall is a 330 gallon IBC tote?
About 53 inches including the pallet, plus an inch or two for the fill cap. Allow 55 inches of clearance for handling and variance between manufacturers.
02Does a 330 fit in the same space as a 275?
On the floor, yes — the footprint is identical at 48 by 40 inches. Vertically, no. It is roughly seven inches taller, which is enough to fail a rack bay, a roll-up door or a mezzanine that a 275 clears comfortably.
03Is a 330 always better value than a 275?
Only for light fluids. You get 20% more volume on the same floor space, which matters when floor space is your constraint. But the container is rated to 3,000 pounds, so anything denser than about 9 pounds per gallon runs out of rating before it runs out of volume — at which point you are paying for headspace.
04Do 330s stack?
Empty, yes, three high in most warehouses. Full, only where the design explicitly permits it and only two high — and be aware that two stacked 330s stand over eight and a half feet tall, which brings sprinkler clearance into play.
05Are 330s harder to find used?
Somewhat. The installed base is smaller than for 275s, so used and reconditioned availability is thinner and lead times are occasionally longer. Tell us early if you need volume.
Clearance planning
Every place seven inches actually bites.
A 330 shares the 275 footprint exactly. It differs only in height, and height is what buildings are unforgiving about.
| Checkpoint | Measure | 275 needs | 330 needs | Common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trailer interior | Deck to roof bow | 48 in | 55 in | Box trucks, not vans |
| Roll-up door | Lowest point of the opening | 50 in | 57 in | Curtain box, not the header |
| Dock leveller transition | Clearance during the tilt | 50 in | 57 in | Full units on a steep plate |
| Rack beam | Beam to beam with a unit below | 50 in | 57 in | Beams deflect under load |
| Mezzanine underside | Floor to steel | 52 in | 59 in | Pipe runs and conduit |
| Sprinkler head | Head to top of stack | Per code | Per code | Two full 330s exceed 8.5 ft |
| Forklift mast, lowered | Free lift height | Standard | Standard | Rarely an issue |
| Fluid | Density | Gallons before 3,000 lb gross | Usable | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 6.1 | 465 | 330 (full) | Excellent fit |
| Diesel fuel | 7.1 | 399 | 330 (full) | Excellent fit |
| Motor oil | 7.4 | 383 | 330 (full) | Excellent fit |
| Water | 8.34 | 340 | 330 (full) | Good fit |
| Liquid detergent | 8.8 | 322 | 322 | Marginal — fill to weight |
| Ethylene glycol | 9.3 | 305 | 305 | Marginal |
| Brine, 23% NaCl | 9.9 | 286 | 286 | Poor — 275s are better value |
| 28% UAN | 10.7 | 265 | 265 | Poor — buy 275s |
| Corn syrup | 11.7 | 242 | 242 | Poor — buy 275s |
Extended FAQ · 6 questions
More questions, answered
01How tall is a 330 gallon container?
About 53 inches including the pallet, plus an inch or two for the fill cap. Allow 55 inches of clearance for handling and manufacturer variance.
02Does a 330 fit in the same space as a 275?
On the floor, yes — the footprint is identical. Vertically, no. It is roughly seven inches taller, which is enough to fail a rack bay, a roll-up door or a mezzanine that a 275 clears comfortably.
03Is a 330 always better value than a 275?
Only for light fluids. You get twenty percent more volume on the same floor space, which matters when floor area is the constraint. Above about nine pounds per gallon the container runs out of rating before it runs out of volume, and you are paying for headspace.
04Do 330s stack?
Empty, yes, three high in most warehouses. Full, only where the design permits and only two high — and two stacked full 330s stand over eight and a half feet, which brings sprinkler clearance into play.
05Are 330s harder to find used?
Somewhat. The installed base is smaller than for 275s, so used and reconditioned availability is thinner and lead times occasionally longer. Tell us early if you need volume.
06Where exactly does the seven inches cause problems?
Roll-up doors measured at the curtain box rather than the header, rack beams that deflect under load, mezzanine undersides with pipe runs, box truck interiors, and sprinkler clearance above a stack. Measure all five.
Next step
Send your door height with the order.
It takes one line in the message field and it is the difference between a delivery and a rejected load.