A 1,000 L IBC with a pump kit is one of the most popular ways to dispense AdBlue® at a depot, workshop or farm. The set-up is straightforward, but getting a few details right from the start saves leaks, slow fills and contaminated product later. Here is the process in order.
Before you start: site and safety
Choose the spot for the IBC first. A full AdBlue IBC weighs about 1,150 kg, so it needs a forklift to place and a surface that can carry the load.
- Level, firm ground. A concrete slab is ideal. An IBC on a slope can shift or strain the valve.
- Out of direct sun. Heat shortens shelf life. A shed, awning or insulated IBC cover helps.
- Clear access for the forklift to swap IBCs and for vehicles to reach the nozzle.
- Protection from impact. Keep it away from reversing trucks or use bollards.
- Spill plan. Keep a general purpose or chemical spill kit nearby, not an oil-only kit, which repels water-based liquids. Check with your state EPA or site rules on any bunding requirements.
Lay out all the kit parts and check you have everything: valve adaptor, suction hose, pump, filter (if supplied), delivery hose, nozzle and any meter, clamps and thread tape.
Step-by-step installation
- Inspect the IBC. Check the tamper seals are intact, the valve is clean and there is no residue, odour or discolouration. Report anything unusual to your supplier before use.
- Confirm the valve thread. IBC outlets vary. Make sure the adaptor matches before you begin. Forcing the wrong thread damages the valve.
- Fit the valve adaptor. With the valve closed, wipe the outlet clean and screw on the adaptor by hand, then snug it firmly. Use PTFE tape on threads where the manufacturer recommends it.
- Connect the suction hose. Run it from the adaptor to the pump inlet. Keep it short, with no kinks or tight bends, and secure it with the supplied clamps.
- Mount the pump. Fix it to a bracket, the IBC frame or a wall so it cannot hang from the hoses. Note the flow direction arrow on the pump body.
- Add the filter. If your kit has an inline filter, fit it after the pump outlet, following the arrow on the housing.
- Fit the meter (if used). Install it in the delivery line or at the nozzle, as the kit design specifies.
- Connect the delivery hose and nozzle. Tighten the fittings and hang the nozzle in its holster or boot so it stays off the ground.
- Connect power. For a 240 V pump, plug into a suitable outlet; fixed wiring needs a licensed electrician. For a 12 V or 24 V pump, connect to the battery with the correct polarity and a fuse.
First use and priming
- Open the IBC valve slowly and check every joint for drips.
- Hold the nozzle over a clean, dedicated AdBlue container and start the pump. It may take a few seconds to prime and push air out.
- Run a few litres through to flush the new hose and fittings, then check again for leaks under pressure.
- If fitted, check the meter reads sensibly against a known volume. See our guide to calibrating an AdBlue flow meter.
- Fill a vehicle and confirm the auto shut-off nozzle, if fitted, clicks off cleanly.
Return the flushed fluid to a vehicle only if you are confident it is clean. If in doubt, treat it as waste.
Keeping it working
- Wipe the nozzle and keep it holstered after every use.
- Close the IBC valve when the site is unattended.
- Replace filter elements on schedule, and sooner if flow drops.
- Check hoses for cracks and fittings for white urea crystals, a sign of a slow leak.
- When swapping to a new IBC, keep the adaptor and hose ends clean and capped during the change-over.
One thing you can do today: before your IBC arrives, photograph the valve on your current or previous IBC and check the thread type. Getting the right adaptor on hand avoids a delivery sitting unused.
How Liquidia can help: Liquidia supplies 1,000 L AdBlue IBCs on timber or steel bases, along with Piusi pump kits, filters and nozzles. See the AdBlue IBC page or order an IBC with a 240 V pump kit from the bundles in our online store.