IBC Totes in Tandem on Truck

[SeanD]

I'm upgrading my sap hauler/F350 from one IBC tote to two. I'm also upgrading my discharge lines from 1" to 1.5". I got some good ideas here, but I couldn't find pictures of a setup like what I was trying to do. To get two totes to work in my truck, one tank outlet faces the side and the other faces the rear. Both facing the side would have been easier, but the wheel cutout was right where the back tote's outlet would be and there's not enough room to get the fittings on.

I have quick connects on the tanks and a quick connect on the end of the line for discharge. I put a valve past the T to the rear tank, so if needed, I can fill both tanks from the top of the front one. Hopefully, I'll get that chance!

The milk hose, 2" to 1.5" adapter, and quick connects came from JM Ellsworth. Everything else was at my local Ace Hardware amazingly.

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I had trouble attaching the images. What's the max size we can post?

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

We have to do the same this year with 2 totes on the trailer. We also plan to have one outlet to the side and the back one to the rear. That’s a good idea and saves a pump/hose hookup. Maybe we’ll look into that, thanks for sharing.

[maple flats]

I hauled 2, but side by side, both facing sideways for the valves, but that was on a 16' gooseneck trailer, Infact I had 3 that way. I think you could run one facing side ways, the other rearward. Just run an ellbow off the sideways one, then a T as you get to the other one, with the side outlet facing that other valve and maybe an elbow to face towards the valve, then a ball valve facing rearward and a cam lock or a PVC union with an O ring to attcah the next hose headed to wherever you are sending the sap. Based on my experience I strongly suggest you top off one tank before you pump into tank #2. That way if both are not completely full you have less sloshing in the tanks to affect the driving. I used to remove both (or all 3) caps, then just open one inlet valve at a time, as that got full all the way to the top, I closed the valve, opened the next and repeated. If I was filling 3 that trip, I then opened valve 3. More often, however I only did 2, and the 3rd had 75-100 gal of permeate in it. Then when the first two were done being pumped and if the ground tank was empty as I often was, I turned the pump around (a WX15 Honda) connected a reducer, a potable water garden type hose with a spray nozzle on it and I opened the drain valve on the sap tank and washed it out. As long as you do that right after the tank is pumped it rinses out very easily. Maybe you could somehow get a 30-50 gal tank to do the same. Infact When I filled my tank for wash water I usually got 3-4 washes befor it was empty, so a 25-30 gal would likely work as well.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Another good idea for cleaning totes in season!

[Sugarmaker]

I dont see why that wont work for you.
If you do get them full its a good load even for the F350 (1 ton)! Each tote would be about a ton each, so just have them fastened down and take you time too.
Regards,
Chris

[maple flats]

Heavy indeed. In my experience a 275 gal tote filled to the neck holds about 280-282 gal x 8=2256 plus the weight of the tote and the sugar in the sap. Then add your pump, hoses and what ever, that was why I used a gooseneck behind my 350. One thing's for sure, you will have a heavy load. Remember that carrying the weight in the truck is easier to drive and back than a gooseneck trailer behind that truck. Before I got my gooseneck I thought it would be easy to back, even easier that a conventional bumper hitch trailer, boy, was I wrong. It backs up totally different from what you are used to. I think one issue on mine was turn radius, my 350 is a crew cab with an 8' box, longer than many other options, doesn't turn as quickly or correct as fast either. With practice and going slow I did get it, but practice was necessary for sure.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

I haul a 1000 gallon poly tank in my 99 ram 3500. The fuller you fill it the less it sloshes. It handles it fine for my 2 mile trip to the sugar house. 21845

[Ultimatetreehugger]

The most important piece of the puzzle is to always have good 10 (minimum) ply tires and to drive slow.

[SeanD]

Flats, I got a lot of ideas from your old posts. The trailer would be ideal, but like you the truck alone is a monster. My first pickup is a the end of a dead end street that I need to negotiate a turn around and my own driveway doesn't have enough room either.

I installed a hot water spigot here at the house that I used last year for rinsing the truck tanks and the tanks at the sugarhouse. It's one of those creature comforts that is a game changer esp. when it's 28 degrees and windy.

The toughest part of my drive is the way home from my first two pickups. It's about 2.5 miles and there's a giant hill with a steep grade I have to come down. The truck and I are fine with it, but the problem is at the bottom there's an intersection and without fail someone gets to it from the other way just as I am and feels bold. They have a stop sign and I have the right of way. It's like, dude, forget traffic laws. You should be worrying about the laws of physics. I can't stop in time for you.

At that point in the journey, I should only have 1 full tank or so. The first two stops are a 275 gallon tote and a 60 gallon barrel, so I can't have any more than that there. The second tank now allows me to grab the next two stops that so I don't have to unload first. The final leg home is only half a mile and it's a relatively flat road with a 25 mph speed limit. That helps!

[Bucket Head]

Rinsing the collection tanks out right after emptying them is key. Letting sap sit in them only makes more work- a lot of scrubbing. And they don't look or smell very good after setting for a while.

As Chris mentioned, be very mindful of the weight of a gallon of water, times however many gallons you hope to haul, along with what your truck can carry safely and/or what it's GVWR is.

I know we discuss the use of "food-grade" and GMP (or the lack of) quite a bit and what others might think when they read our posts. Right now, I'm worrying someone from the D.O.T. might read this thread.

Be careful and do the math when sizing and outfitting for tanks.

Steve