40 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank - Natural White (18" x 42") #44848: Complete Buyer's Guide
The 40-gallon vertical (Norwesco #44848) is the largest of the small portables — 42 inches tall on an 18-inch base, still just 17 pounds empty. It carries the 1.5 specific-gravity rating and a 0.75-inch outlet, making it the natural pick when a 20-gallon day tank can't go a full shift without a refill.
Specifications at a Glance
Every figure below is pulled straight from the live product record for this exact tank — the same data on the product page, so what you read here and what you buy never disagree.
Standards & Materials
- ASTM D1998 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks. Governs wall-thickness and hydrostatic design for vertical rotomolded poly tanks of this class.
- FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 — Olefin polymers. The food-contact regulation the FDA-grade resin in this tank is compounded to meet.
- Specific gravity rating 1.5 — the tank is engineered for liquids up to 1.5× the density of water (water is about 8.34 lb/gal). Confirm your fluid’s SG before storage.
Product Overview
Forty gallons is where a portable chemical tank stops being a bench accessory and starts being a small standalone supply. An operator running a single sprayer, a modest treatment feed, or a low-volume transfer job can often work an entire shift off one fill at this size. It's molded the same way as the rest of the Norwesco vertical line — one seamless piece of virgin linear polyethylene, rated to a 1.5 specific gravity — in a package that's still light enough for one person to position empty.
The proportions explain its niche: 42 inches of height over an 18-inch diameter. That's noticeably taller than the 20-gallon, which buys capacity without spreading the footprint much — useful when floor space is tight but you've got vertical room. Dry weight is 17 pounds; a full 40 gallons of 1.5-SG product brings the total to roughly 517 pounds, so it's still hand-truck territory but now firmly in the range where you want a real, level base under it rather than a shelf.
As with every tank in this family, the 1.5-SG rating is the headline spec: the wall is built for liquids up to 12.5 pounds per gallon, so concentrated fertilizers, ag chemicals, and treatment solutions are all in bounds. The translucent natural-white wall gives you a continuous level read, which at 40 gallons means you can plan refills around your shift instead of being caught short mid-job. Maximum service temperature is 120°F, with the UV inhibitor blended into the resin for outdoor life on a skid or trailer.
The 0.75-inch NPT outlet comes factory-installed and leak-tested, with an 8-inch lid for filling, venting, and cleaning. The 3-year Norwesco warranty applies. At 17 pounds it still ships small-parcel via UPS or FedEx ground — the heaviest tank in the line you can get without arranging freight — usually arriving inside a week.
Technical Drawing
Official Norwesco technical drawing — 40 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank - Natural White (18" x 42") #44848
Key Features and Specifications
- 40-gallon capacity — sized for agricultural chemical and fertilizer storage
- Constructed from virgin linear polyethylene (HDPE) with 1.5 specific gravity rating — handles liquids up to 12.5 lbs/gal
- 42" tall x 18" diameter — compact vertical footprint
- 17 lbs empty, approximately 517 lbs when full at rated specific gravity
- 0.75 NPT outlet fitting — factory installed and leak-tested
- 8" lid opening for fill, venting, and interior access
- FDA approved for potable water and food-grade liquid contact
- 3 Year Warranty from Norwesco against manufacturing defects
- Translucent white walls allow visual level monitoring without opening the tank and reflect sunlight to keep contents cooler
- Rated for continuous service up to 120 F / 48 C
- Seamless one-piece rotational molding — no seams, no welds, no leak points
- Manufactured by Norwesco — a leading name in rotomolded polyethylene tanks
- Place on a firm, level surface free of rocks or sharp objects that could damage the tank bottom. Ensure adequate ventilation if stored chemicals produce vapors
- Ships via UPS or FedEx ground — typically arrives within 5-7 business days
Installation and Setup Guide
At 40 gallons the install bridges the gap between a benchtop tank and a floor-standing vessel. The 18-inch base wants a proper level surface now, because a 517-pound full load is enough to expose any high spot or wobble in whatever it sits on.
Site Preparation
Put it on the floor, a heavy skid, or a stand rated well above 517 pounds — not a light shelf. The 18-inch base needs continuous, level contact; the tank's tall 42-inch profile means an out-of-level base translates into a noticeable lean and uneven wall loading as it fills. Clear the spot of grit and hardware, and if it's outdoors, grade so water drains away from the base. On a trailer or skid, anchor it — the height-to-width ratio makes restraint important once it's full and moving.
Placement and Connections
The 0.75-inch outlet suits a transfer or metering pump; keep the suction line short and don't choke the bore down further. Use a flexible section off the bulkhead so the tank's normal flex doesn't load the fitting — a rigid pipe on a 0.75-inch boss is the connection that fails first. If a pump feeds off it, set the pump at or below the tank's working level to keep it primed as the level drops through 40 gallons of draw.
Venting
Forty gallons drawn from a sealed tank pulls enough vacuum to dent the wall, and a fast fill against a closed lid pressurizes the dome. Provide a vent through the 8-inch lid sized to your transfer rate — screened for benign liquids, or a chemical-rated pressure/vacuum vent for a concentrate that off-gasses. Keeping the tank breathing is the single cheapest way to protect a tall, relatively slender vessel from deformation.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
Maintenance on a 40-gallon portable is straightforward, but its taller profile and larger draw mean a couple of failure modes — tipping and outlet-area sediment — deserve specific attention.
Inspection Routine
- Stance and base: Confirm the tank is sitting plumb and the base hasn't shifted. The 42-inch height makes a developing lean easy to see and worth correcting before the next fill.
- Outlet and sediment: Read the translucent wall for product settling toward the floor and check the 0.75-inch fitting for weeping. A flat-bottom tank collects solids around the outlet, so watch that zone.
- Wall: Scan for inward dimples (venting) or soft glossy patches (heat or over-spec product), both easy to catch through the clear wall.
- Vent: Verify the vent path is open; a blocked vent collapses even a 40-gallon tank.
Cleaning and Changeover
Drain and flush per the outgoing chemical's procedure before switching products. At 40 gallons the carryover volume in a poorly rinsed tank is enough to genuinely contaminate or react with the next load, so don't shortcut it. The 8-inch lid lets you wand the floor and lower wall to clear settled solids, and you should confirm the polyethylene is rated for the incoming chemistry before refilling.
UV and Heat
If it lives outdoors, inspect the sun-facing wall annually for chalking or dulling. The molded-in UV stabilizers carry it for years, but a tall slender tank in relentless sun benefits from a shade panel late in its life. Re-site it to partial shade if your climate is hard on plastics.
Alternatives and Comparisons
Forty gallons is the ceiling for the easy-to-handle portables, so the comparison is mostly about whether you stay light or step into freight territory:
Down to 20 gallons: if you don't draw a full shift's worth, the 20-gallon is lighter, lower, and shares the same 0.75-inch outlet — less to anchor and to lift.
Up to a 100-plus-gallon vertical: the next real step changes the game — it ships freight on a pallet, needs a true pad, and typically moves to a larger outlet. If you're refilling this one mid-shift, that jump is worth pricing out against the convenience of ground shipping you'd be giving up.
Other 40-Gallon Options
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 40 Gallon Vertical Liquid Storage Tank - Natural White (18" x 42") #44848 last?
The standard fifteen-to-twenty-year service life holds — capacity doesn't change the resin or the seamless molding. On a 40-gallon portable, lifespan usually comes down to chemical exposure and how hard the tank gets handled in transport, not the wall aging. Stay within the 1.5-SG and 120°F limits and it'll outlast the skid or sprayer it rides on.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
The full 1.5-SG rating means concentrates, fertilizers, ag chemicals, and treatment solutions up to 12.5 pounds per gallon are all fair game — the same chemistry the large verticals carry. No fuels, solvents, or flammables. Verify compatibility for the specific product before the first fill and again before any changeover.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Yes — Norwesco's 3-year warranty covers factory material and workmanship defects on this tank. It won't cover over-spec products, incompatible chemicals, or impact and tip damage from inadequate mounting. Keep your receipt and installation notes.
Can I install this tank underground?
No — this is an above-ground vertical not built for burial. Surrounding soil would crush the cylindrical wall. For below-grade storage, choose a purpose-built underground cistern engineered for soil load.
Buying Considerations
Before ordering: confirm the 0.75-inch outlet matches your pump or transfer line, verify your product is at or under 1.5 SG, and plan where 517 pounds of full tank will actually sit — this is the size where a flimsy stand stops being adequate. The upside is shipping: at 17 pounds it still moves small-parcel ground, so you get a true 40-gallon supply without scheduling LTL freight or a liftgate.
Related Products You May Need
Questions? Call (866) 418-1777 — our team knows these products inside and out and can help you select the right tank for your application.
Recommended Tanks for This Guide
Live pricing, updated automatically · estimate freight to your ZIP.
