REFERENCE
IBC tote dimensions and weight
A 275 gallon IBC tote measures about 48 x 40 x 46 in and a 330 gallon tote about 48 x 40 x 53 in, per the Uline listings for Schuetz composite totes. Empty, a 275 gallon composite tote weighs 123.5 to 128 lb in the spec sheets below. Full of water at 60 F, the 275 gallons alone weigh 2,293 lb.
Updated October 12, 2026
Sources: NIST Chemistry WebBook, water at 1 atm; Uline H-3886 listing; Schuetz MX 275 UN certificate (Uline TH-3886). 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches = 3.785411784 L and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg (NIST); water at 60 F is 8.3372 lb per gallon.
IBC tote dimensions by maker
| Tote | Type | Outside L x W x H | Brimful or overflow | Empty weight | UN code | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schuetz Ecobulk MX 275 | Composite (HDPE bottle, steel cage) | 48 x 40 x 46 in | 280 gal | 128 lb | 31HA1/Y | Uline H-3886 listing; Schuetz MX 275 UN certificate (Uline TH-3886) |
| Greif GCube 275H | Composite (HDPE bottle, steel cage) | 47.25 x 39.25 x 45.5 in | Not given | 126 lb | 31HA1/Y | Greif GCube 275H spec sheet |
| Cary 26WN2N | Composite (HDPE bottle, steel cage) | 47.25 x 39.4 x 45.3 in | 278 gal | 123.5 lb | 31HA1/Y | The Cary Company 26WN2N listing |
| Schuetz MX 330 | Composite (HDPE bottle, steel cage) | 48 x 40 x 53 in | 335 gal | 146 to 148 lb | 31HA1/Y | Uline H-4420 listing |
| Hoover Ferguson 550 gal side drain | Stainless steel | 42 x 48 x 75 in | Not given | 630 lb | 31A/Y | Hoover Ferguson 550 gal stainless IBC sales sheet |
Composite means a plastic (HDPE) bottle in a steel cage on a pallet base. Brimful or overflow capacity is what the maker lists above the rated capacity.
Totes from different makers are close in footprint but not identical, and the 330 gallon tote is the same footprint as the 275, only taller. Check the valve too: the Greif GCube 275H and the Cary 26WN2N list a 2 in outlet.
How much does a full IBC tote weigh?
| Liquid | 275 gal net, lb | 275 gal gross (128 lb tote) | 330 gal net, lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 2,293 | 2,421 | 2,751 |
| Diesel fuel, No. 2 | 1,859 to 1,997 | 1,987 to 2,125 | 2,231 to 2,396 |
| Ethanol, anhydrous | 1,811 | 1,939 | 2,174 |
| Ethylene glycol | 2,555 | 2,683 | 3,067 |
| Propylene glycol | 2,378 | 2,506 | 2,853 |
| Lubricating oil (ISO VG 46 to 680) | 1,965 to 2,093 | 2,093 to 2,221 | 2,357 to 2,512 |
| Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) 50% | 3,507 to 3,524 | 3,635 to 3,652 | 4,209 to 4,229 |
| Hydrochloric acid 31.45% (20 Baume) | 2,660 | 2,788 | 3,191 |
| Sulfuric acid 93% (66 Baume) | 4,208 | 4,336 | 5,050 |
| Corn syrup, 42 DE | 3,261 | 3,389 | 3,913 |
Ranges come from the liquid’s density range. Densities and sources are on the pounds to gallons page.
Reading the UN mark on an IBC
49 CFR 178.703 sets the IBC mark. The Schuetz MX 275 certificate reads 31HA1/Y/MM YY/USA/+AA7968/3855/2041/1040l/56kg/100kPa:
31HA1 is, in the words of 49 CFR 178.702, a composite IBC with a plastic inner receptacle and a steel outer packaging; type 31 is the one for liquids.
Y means packing groups II and III; X would add group I, Z is group III only.
MM YY, USA, +AA7968 are the month and year of manufacture, the country and the approval code.
3855 is the stacking test load in kg (0 means not designed for stacking), and 2041 is the maximum permissible gross mass in kg, about 4,500 lb.
1040l, 56kg, 100kPa are the capacity in liters, the tare and the test pressure.
The maximum gross mass is the second limit, next to the specific gravity rating. 275 gallons of 93% sulfuric acid at SG 1.8354 weigh 1,909 kg; with the tote (128 lb, about 58 kg) that is 1,967 kg, inside the 2,041 kg mark with 74 kg to spare. 49 CFR 173.35(l) says an IBC may not be filled with a hazardous material beyond the marked maximum gross mass, so this tote can carry at most about 1,983 kg of product. Totes differ: the Greif GCube 275H mark says 2,035 kg. Type your tote’s mark into the tool and it checks the gross for your liquid and fill.
49 CFR 173.35(d) also limits an IBC carrying hazardous materials to 98% of its water capacity at a mean bulk temperature of 122 F (50 C). The rated size is usually that fill already: the Schuetz MX 275 certificate gives the net fill weight at 98% capacity as 1,040 kg, against 280 gallons to the brim. The tool warns when a fill goes past both the rated size and 98% of the brimful volume.
Common questions
How many gallons are in an IBC tote?
The common sizes are 275 and 330 gallons. Stainless steel totes come larger: Hoover Ferguson’s 550 gallon tote is 42 x 48 x 75 in and weighs 630 lb empty.
Can I stack IBC totes?
Only if the mark shows a stacking test load above 0. The figure in the mark is the load used in the design test; the stacking symbol on the tote shows the load allowed in transport, which 49 CFR 178.703(b)(7)(iv) caps at the test load divided by 1.8. For filled totes, 49 CFR 173.24b(e)(2) says the weight stacked on an IBC may not exceed the maximum permissible stacking test mass marked on it.
What does an empty IBC tote weigh?
123.5 to 128 lb for the 275 gallon composite totes above and 146 to 148 lb for the 330 gallon Schuetz tote; the Hoover Ferguson 550 gallon stainless tote is 630 lb.
Sources
WHERE MORSA FITS
Customers order by the drum. Your system stocks by the pound.
When a customer asks for six drums or 2,000 gallons, Morsa converts it to the pounds or kilograms your system stocks, checks what is on hand, and confirms the ship date back to the customer. It works in email, Teams, WhatsApp or whatever you already run on.
