From tote valve to garden hose
Getting from a tote to a garden hose takes three parts: the tote’s bottom valve, an adapter and a hose fitting. The check that matters most is the thread on the valve, so measure it before buying an adapter.
01The three parts
If the adapter does not seat flat against the valve face, it will weep. Plumber’s tape helps a thread seal but does not fix a damaged outlet.
- The valve. The tote’s bottom outlet is usually a 2-inch butterfly valve, the quarter-turn kind a buyer opens to check.
- The adapter. It goes from the valve’s coarse thread to a garden hose thread. Different totes and different years use different threads, so confirm yours.
- The hose fitting and a shutoff. Put a shutoff at the end so the valve is not the only stop.
02Flow and height
A tote delivers by gravity. Each foot of height gives about 0.43 psi, and a garden hose and nozzle want more than a tote on the ground can give. The fix is height, a stand of a few feet, or a small pump. A tote on the ground still fills a bucket or a watering can quickly through the full-size valve.
A full 275 gallon tote weighs 2,294 pounds of water, plus the tote, so the stand and the ground under it need to be level and firm.
03Buying with the valve in mind
If you plan a hose hookup, say so on the ticket. The desk can ask the seller about the valve and thread before matching, and it is simpler to buy a tote whose thread you know than to find an adapter for an unknown one. The valves and fittings guide has the longer checklist.
04What not to connect
Do not use a tote’s water for drinking, and do not connect a hose from a tote that held a toxic chemical to anything that touches a growing plant. Check the last contents first.
?Questions on this page
What size is an IBC tote valve?
Usually a 2-inch quarter-turn butterfly valve. Check the thread of your own tote before buying an adapter.
Will a hose work from a tote on the ground?
It will drain, but with little pressure. Raise the tote or add a small pump for a nozzle.