4 Questions to Ask Yourself to Get the Best AdBlue™ Pump for Your Needs!

Therefore, selecting the one you need can seem like a minefield, especially when you consider that there are around 50 AdBlue™ pump product lines to choose from in our catalogue. Whilst most options can be used for several applications, each AdBlue™ pump tends to have different features that make it more or less suitable for a particular use.

When we get new starters in our sales team, there are four key questions we train them to ask when specifying an AdBlue™ transfer pump for a customer. It’s the answers to these four questions that help determine a model, or a shortlist of models, that are most suitable. So, if you’re a little blown away by the array of AdBlue™ pumps available to you, here’s how we go about choosing…

AdBlue™ is usually stored in one of three ways; drums, IBCs or tanks. How you are storing it is an important indication as to what AdBlue™ pump you may need, as there are specific kits designed for mounting onto the different containers.

205l drums – Usually AdBlue™ is stored in drums when the usage of the fluid is low, perhaps only one or two vehicles on site require it and purchasing bulk quantities isn’t worthwhile. AdBlue™ drum pumps usually come with a down tube and drum connector to allow easy connection and dispensing from the barrel.

Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) – As usage grows, many companies move to storing their AdBlue™ in 1000l IBCs. AdBlue™ IBC pumps are usually very specific in design as they require a special SEC connector and are often mounted to a plate that hangs off the side of the cage.

Tanks – Onsite AdBlue™ storage tanks are growing in popularity as more and more vehicles in a fleet are using AdBlue™, and it starts to make sense for the fluid to be bulk purchased just like the diesel. AdBlue™ tank pumps are usually compact models, integrated into the tank at manufacturing stage that needs to be replaced with one of a similar size and orientation.

What power you have available at the point that the AdBlue™ transfer takes place is another important factor. For static applications where vehicles pull up to refill at the AdBlue™ tank installed in a fixed location, electric AdBlue™ pumps may likely be your preference as they simply run off the mains, which is usually either 230v or 110v.

If you’re refilling out “in the field”, for example in agricultural and construction applications, mains supply may be inaccessible, leaving battery powered or manual pumps as your options. For speed, 24v or 12v AdBlue™ pumps complete with clips and cable for vehicle battery connection are preferred. Which voltage you chose here depends upon the battery voltage of your vehicle the pump is refilling.

If the volume of AdBlue™ you’re transferring does not necessarily warrant the cost of a quicker, electric or battery powered pump, an AdBlue™ hand pump may be a more appealing option price-wise.

AdBlue™ transfer pumps can be supplied alone or as part of a dispensing kit complete with nozzle, hose etc. Alone, a pump is pretty much of no use, but if you’re replacing the pump in an existing set up and the other parts are all still in working order you may not want a kit.

If a complete dispensing kit is required, you then need to consider which other components you need. Do you want a manual or automatic shut off nozzle to prevent overfilling a vehicle? Do you want a meter to count the amount of AdBlue™ dispensed each time? What length delivery hose is needed in order to reach the vehicles’ fill point?

The larger the volume of AdBlue™ you want to transfer in one go, the quicker the pump you need and therefore the higher the flow rate you want to consider. Most electric AdBlue™ pumps fall around the 35lpm mark, which is a good speed given that vehicle’s AdBlue™ tanks are not as large as their diesel tanks. If you’re filling a car rather than a lorry or agricultural machinery however, lower flow rate pumps are more suitable.

As well as the four key questions, considerations need to be given to how you are going to use the AdBlue™ pump. So it would help if you considered exactly what you want the AdBlue™ pump to do and what environment you want it to work within as it may make certain pumps even more ideal. For example, if you’re using it in a particularly heavy-duty, off-road environment like a construction site, you may want to consider an AdBlue™ pump that comes in a heavy-duty box to protect it from dirt and damage.

And there you have it…4 key questions to ask yourself when choosing an AdBlue™ pump. Thinking about each of these one by one will help you break down the choices available to you quite quickly. For example, knowing the type of container you are dispensing from will immediately cut out 50% of the pumps in the range. As you progress through the questions you will probably end up with just one or two options to choose between.