This page covers the 1 – 30 kg plastic oil and grease reservoir family in four standard polymer grades: eleven capacities, five level-monitoring options, lids, and internals. These vented containers supply a lubrication pump. For a 16 US gal steel drum see the 16-gallon grease drum page; brush oil application is covered on the lubrication brush page.
Material Grades and Pressure Limits
Every reservoir here is a vented atmospheric container, not a pressure vessel; temperature and pressure caps follow the polymer.
| Grade | Type | Working temperature ceiling | Pressure cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP-H | Homopolymer polypropylene | +100°C | 0.5 bar |
| PA66-GF30 | Glass-filled PA66 | +120°C | 1.0 bar |
| PC-UV | Transparent UV-stabilized polycarbonate | +110°C | 0.3 bar |
| HDPE | High-density polyethylene | +80°C | 0.2 bar |
PPS and PEEK builds to +200°C come engineered-to-order.
Capacities and Configurations
| Capacity | Volume | Size (mm) | Neck thread or interface |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.2 L | 130 x 160 | M80x3 or clamp band |
| 2 kg | 2.4 L | 160 x 200 | M90x3 |
| 3 kg | 3.6 L | 180 x 220 | M100x3 |
| 4 kg | 4.8 L | 200 x 240 | M110x3 |
| 5 kg | 6.0 L | 210 x 260 | M120x3 or flange |
| 6 kg | 7.2 L | 220 x 280 | M120x3 or flange |
| 10 kg | 12 L | 260 x 320 | M140x3 or flange |
| 15 kg | 18 L | 300 x 360 | Flange or welded base |
| 20 kg | 24 L | 330 x 400 | Flange or welded base |
| 30 kg | 36 L | 380 x 450 | Flange or welded base |
Walls run 3 – 6 mm, ribbed from 10 kg up. Natural and white are general-purpose; blue, red, yellow, green, and black mark the oil type against cross-contamination; custom colors match RAL or Pantone.
Lids and Neck Threads
1 – 10 kg reservoirs use coarse threads from M80x3 to M140x3 with an NBR or FKM O-ring, hand-tightened; a 304 stainless steel toggle clamp with silicone gasket suits frequent refilling; hinged or magnetic lids are available.
Level Monitoring Options
Five methods: PC or borosilicate sight column to +/- 5 mm, bull’s-eye glass for full-or-empty, float switch with PP float at +/- 3 mm, external ultrasonic sensor at +/- 2 mm, SS316 capacitive probe with continuous 4 – 20 mA at +/- 5 mm. Sight glasses need a vapor return or desiccant breather.
What Is Supplied
Each unit is supplied as the tank in the ordered grade, capacity, and color, with its lid set and breather cap. Options: an agitator paddle (PP or SS316, pump-shaft driven) from 10 kg up or for NLGI 2 – 3 grease, a 60 – 100 mesh SS316 suction strainer, a silica-gel desiccant breather with 3 micron filter, and a silicone heater jacket holding 20 – 30°C.
Compatibility and Limits
Compatible: mineral oils, synthetic PAO, ester fluids (confirm with HDPE), polyurea greases in PP and PA66, and NLGI 0 – 3 lithium, calcium, and aluminum complex greases. Concentrated acids, strong oxidizers, aromatic solvents (benzene, toluene), and chlorinated hydrocarbons are not compatible; use a 316 stainless steel reservoir.
The limits: these vented atmospheric containers carry 0.2 – 1.0 bar caps, not working ratings; every unit needs its breather cap, and a blocked breather shows as a vacuum cave-in. Outdoor exposure calls for a UV-stabilized grade. Vertical grease suction lift stops at 2 m; floor sets add an outlet isolation valve. Ask us to confirm material, capacity, and neck thread for your pump.
Mounting and Plumbing
Pump-mounted 1 – 6 kg reservoirs thread onto the pump suction head: verify the neck thread, grease the O-ring, tighten by hand plus 1/4 turn, and stay within 5° of vertical. Wall-mounted 2 – 5 kg units hang from lugs or a band. Floor-standing 10 – 30 kg units use anti-vibration feet and a 3/8″ or 1/2″ reinforced suction hose.
Maintenance Signals and Cleaning
Check the level and sight glass daily, the breather weekly, the lid seal monthly; clean the strainer quarterly, examine the reservoir yearly. Replace on cracks, UV chalking, stress whitening, a stripped lid thread, or a tank that stays deformed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservoir, a grease drum, or a brush?
This page covers 1 – 30 kg plastic reservoirs; a 16 US gal drum-pump set belongs on the 16-gallon grease drum page, and brush oil application on the lubrication brush page. Size follows mounting: 1 – 6 kg pump-mounted, 2 – 5 kg wall, 10 – 30 kg floor.
Which polymer grade do I need?
Match temperature, fluid, and visibility: PP-H +100°C, PA66-GF30 +120°C, transparent PC-UV +110°C, HDPE +80°C (ester to confirm); above that, PPS and PEEK go to +200°C as engineered-to-order.
Which level monitoring method fits?
Pick by signal: local visual, PLC alarm, or continuous 4 – 20 mA output; ultrasonic reads from outside for sealed high-viscosity service.
How do I match the lid thread?
Most 1 – 10 kg reservoirs run coarse threads from M80x3 to M140x3, some with a flange; confirm the thread against your pump head when ordering.
Can these reservoirs store grease?
Yes: NLGI 0 – 3 lithium, calcium, and aluminum complex greases, plus polyurea in PP and PA66; add an agitator paddle from 10 kg up or for NLGI 2 – 3.
Why can’t the reservoir be sealed shut?
It is a vented atmospheric container: heat cycles move the headspace, a sealed tank caves in or bulges, and a clogged breather does the same.
How do I clean the reservoir?
Drain, remove lid, tube, and strainer, wipe with a compatible solvent (mineral spirits yes; no acetone on PC or PA66), flush with fresh oil of the same type, fit new O-rings.
What changes for outdoor mounting?
Sunlight. PC-UV carries a UV-stabilized transparent wall; HDPE and unstabilized PP chalk and weaken outdoors.
When should I replace the reservoir?
Work from inspection, not age: cracks, UV chalking, stress whitening, a stripped lid thread, or a tank that stays deformed.
Who supplies these reservoirs?
IsoHiTech Lubrication Systems is a lubrication equipment supplier founded in 2023, engineering since 2006. Send details through the quote request page or write to inquiry@isohitech.com.
