The Bürkle OTAL® foot pump is a hands-free transfer pump for moving liquids from drums, canisters and carboys into smaller containers without tipping or lifting heavy vessels. You press a foot bellows to build slight air pressure inside a sealed container, and that pressure pushes the liquid out through the delivery tube. You keep both hands free to hold and position the receiving bottle, and you avoid lifting and pouring a 20 L canister or a 220 L drum.
Only the delivery tubes touch the liquid, so each model is defined by its tube material: polypropylene (PP), PVDF, 304 stainless steel or single-use HDPE. You choose the model to suit the chemical you are handling. Canadian laboratories, wastewater and environmental labs, food and beverage QA/QC teams, universities and colleges, and industrial facilities use OTAL pumps to dispense reagents, cleaning agents, acids, alkalis and aqueous solutions. OTAL foot pumps are available in Canada from Cambridge Environmental Products with CAD pricing and Canadian purchasing support.
The foot bellows builds the pressure, so you can hold the receiving bottle steady with both hands. This reduces spills and splashes compared with tipping a heavy container or working a hand pump.
Opening the vent valve releases the pressure and the flow stops at once. This makes it easier to fill to a line without overfilling. After filling, you can turn the discharge elbow upward to reduce dripping.
The OTAL pumps on air pressure, so the bellows and valve never touch the liquid. Chemical compatibility therefore depends only on the tube material. You can match the model to your chemical instead of compromising on one material for everything.
A variable universal plug seals container openings from 30 to 70 mm (35–70 mm on the 22 mm PP and PVDF models). You don't need to identify the container's thread type or buy separate drum adapters.
The immersion tube adjusts to the container height and can be shortened if needed. The pump draws from near the bottom of the container, which reduces wasted liquid when you empty a drum or canister.
Steady air pressure gives a uniform stream instead of surges. This helps when you are filling narrow-neck bottles or smaller lab containers.
This listing covers the full OTAL foot pump family. The models share the same foot-bellows operating principle. They differ in tube material, tube diameter (which sets the flow rate) and outlet style.
| Model (Part No.) | Tube Material | Flow Rate | Outlet | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP 15 mm (5000-1500) | Polypropylene | 20 L/min | 280 mm discharge tube | General transfer of aqueous solutions, weak acids, alkalis and detergents |
| PP 18 mm (5000-1800) | Polypropylene | 26 L/min | 280 mm discharge tube | Same liquids as above, when faster filling is needed |
| PP 22 mm (5000-2200) | Polypropylene | 30 L/min | 500 mm discharge tube | Highest flow rate and deepest reach (up to 90 cm) for full-height drums |
| PP with Hose & Stopcock (5000-3012) | PP tubes, PVC hose, PP/PE stopcock | 12 L/min | 1.5 m flexible hose with stopcock | Filling containers that can't be placed under a spout; controlled dosing |
| PVDF (5000-4016) | PVDF | 20 L/min | 325 mm discharge tube | More aggressive acids and alkalis, and chlorine bleach |
| Stainless Steel (5000-5018) | Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304) | 26 L/min | 250 mm discharge tube | Liquids that are not easily ignitable (German VbF hazard class AIII); robust, rigid tubes |
| Battery Filling Pump (5000-6000) | PP tubes, PVC hose, PP/PE stopcock, PE dosing nozzle | 5 L/min | 1.5 m hose with stopcock and dosing nozzle | Slow, controlled filling of narrow openings, such as lead-acid batteries with acid or distilled water |
| Disposable Foot Pump (5000-8012) | HDPE, single-use | 14 L/min | 200 mm discharge tube | Applications where cleaning is difficult or cross-contamination must be avoided |
| Replacement PE Delivery Tubes, pack of 10 (5000-8000) | HDPE | n/a | n/a | Refills for the Disposable Foot Pump (5000-8012) only |
The polypropylene models are the everyday choice. PP resists weak acids, alkalis and cleaning agents, and it is the most economical tube material. The three versions differ in tube diameter. A larger tube gives a higher flow rate, from 20 L/min on the 15 mm model to 30 L/min on the 22 mm model. The 22 mm model also has a longer 500 mm discharge tube and a deeper 38–90 cm immersion range for taller drums. Its plug fits openings from 35 mm instead of 30 mm.
This model has a 1.5 m flexible PVC discharge hose with a PP/PE stopcock instead of a rigid spout. You can route the hose to the receiving container, so you don't need to hold or position the bottle under the pump outlet. The stopcock gives finer control near the fill line and prevents unintended run-on. The hose can be shortened or replaced if needed.
PVDF resists a broader range of acids and alkalis than PP and is suitable for chlorine bleach. Choose it when PP is not compatible with your chemical. Bürkle notes that the PVDF pump is not suitable for strongly oxidising acids and alkalis.
This model has AISI 304 (1.4301) stainless steel delivery tubes. Bürkle specifies it for liquids that are not easily ignitable (hazard class AIII under the former German VbF classification). The rigid stainless tubes are durable and dimensionally stable. Bürkle recommends the PP or PVDF models for corrosive, caustic media.
The name refers to its use for filling batteries. It is not battery-powered, and like every OTAL model it is operated by the foot bellows. It combines a 1.5 m PVC hose, a PP/PE stopcock and a PE dosing nozzle for slow, controlled delivery (5 L/min) into narrow openings. Typical uses are topping up lead-acid batteries with acid or distilled water, and other small-opening dosing tasks.
The disposable pump uses a one-piece HDPE delivery tube that you replace after use. You don't need to clean the tube between liquids, and the risk of carrying one liquid into another container is removed. The tube is cut to the container height with the cutter supplied. The pump comes with 10 single-use delivery tubes, a three-part universal plug, the foot bellows and a cutter. Replacement tubes (5000-8000) come in packs of 10 and fit only the disposable pump.
Not sure about chemical compatibility? Send Cambridge the chemical name and concentration, and we can check it against Bürkle's chemical resistance data before you order.
| Application | How the OTAL Foot Pump Helps |
|---|---|
| Wastewater & environmental labs | Decants acids, alkalis and treatment chemicals from bulk canisters into working bottles without tipping heavy containers. |
| Research labs, universities & colleges | Dispenses reagents, rinse solutions and cleaning agents from stock canisters with both hands free to hold the receiving vessel. |
| Food & beverage QA/QC, breweries | Transfers detergents, sanitisers and process liquids. PP models are covered by Bürkle's EU food-contact declaration (see FAQ). |
| Industrial QA/QC & maintenance | Fills smaller containers from drums of up to about 220 L. The stainless model suits liquids that are not easily ignitable. |
| Multi-product or contamination-sensitive work | The disposable pump's single-use tube removes cleaning between products and the risk of carry-over. |
| Battery maintenance | The battery filling pump's hose and dosing nozzle deliver acid or distilled water slowly into narrow cell openings. |
| Part No. | Tube Ø | Flow Rate | Immersion Depth | Container Opening | Outlet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5000-1500 (PP) | 15 mm | 20 L/min | 34–70 cm | 30–70 mm | Discharge tube, 280 mm |
| 5000-1800 (PP) | 18 mm | 26 L/min | 34–70 cm | 30–70 mm | Discharge tube, 280 mm |
| 5000-2200 (PP) | 22 mm | 30 L/min | 38–90 cm | 35–70 mm | Discharge tube, 500 mm |
| 5000-3012 (PP, hose & stopcock) | 12 mm | 12 L/min | 32–70 cm | 30–70 mm | 1.5 m PVC hose |
| 5000-4016 (PVDF) | 16 mm | 20 L/min | 34–70 cm | 35–70 mm | Discharge tube, 325 mm |
| 5000-5018 (Stainless 304) | 18 mm | 26 L/min | 40–90 cm | 30–70 mm | Discharge tube, 250 mm |
| 5000-6000 (Battery filling) | 12 mm | 5 L/min | 39–70 cm | 30–70 mm | 1.5 m hose, stopcock, dosing nozzle |
| 5000-8012 (Disposable HDPE) | 12 mm | 14 L/min | Up to 90 cm (tube cut to length) | 30–70 mm | Discharge tube, 200 mm |
| Operating principle | Air-over-pressure: the foot bellows pressurises the sealed container and the liquid flows out through the delivery tube |
| Drive | Foot-operated bellows (no electrical power required) |
| Maximum viscosity | Approx. 500 mPa·s |
| Container size | Up to approx. 220 L (must be airtight) |
| Connection | Variable universal plug, no threaded connection required |
| Air hose length | 1.5 m (reusable models) |
| Manufacturer | Bürkle GmbH, Germany |
For other spare parts, such as replacement plugs, bellows or hoses, contact Cambridge with your pump's part number.
Wear the protective equipment required by the Safety Data Sheet for the liquid you are handling, and release the pressure before removing the pump from the container.
Cambridge Environmental Products is a Canadian-owned laboratory supply distributor based in Ontario and has served Canadian labs since 1993. We supply Bürkle OTAL foot pumps with CAD pricing and ship across Canada. We work with universities and colleges, government and municipal labs, wastewater facilities, and food and beverage producers. We can help with quotes, purchase orders and model selection. Browse more laboratory supplies and lab equipment, or see our wastewater & environmental testing and brewing collections.
It transfers thin liquids from drums, canisters and carboys of up to about 220 L into smaller containers. It is commonly used for reagents, cleaning agents, acids, alkalis and aqueous solutions in labs, wastewater facilities, food production and industrial settings.
No. Every OTAL foot pump, including the battery pump (5000-6000), is operated by the foot bellows. The "battery pump" is designed for filling batteries. Its hose, stopcock and dosing nozzle deliver liquid slowly into narrow openings.
PP handles weak acids, alkalis and detergents. For chlorine bleach or chemicals that attack PP, choose PVDF (5000-4016), noting that it is not for strongly oxidising acids and alkalis. Always confirm compatibility for your specific chemical and concentration.
Only the stainless steel model (5000-5018) is specified by Bürkle, and only for liquids that are not easily ignitable (German VbF hazard class AIII). For more volatile flammable solvents, contact Cambridge to discuss a pump designed for that use.
Most likely, if the container is airtight and its opening is 30–70 mm (35–70 mm for the 5000-2200 and PVDF models). The universal plug seals without threads, and the telescopic tube adjusts to container heights up to 70 or 90 cm depending on the model.
The PP models (5000-1500, -1800, -2200) and the disposable HDPE tubes are covered by Bürkle EU declarations of conformity for food-contact materials (Regulation EU 1935/2004 and EU 10/2011). These are EU declarations, not FDA or Health Canada approvals. Contact Cambridge for documentation, or before using other models with food products.
Yes. Bürkle lists wastewater treatment as a typical application. Use a PP model for most treatment chemicals and cleaning solutions, and PVDF for bleach or more aggressive chemicals.
The Disposable Foot Pump (5000-8012) is the complete pump: foot bellows, universal plug, cutter and 10 single-use tubes. The PE Delivery Tubes (5000-8000) are a 10-pack of replacement tubes for that pump only.
No. The OTAL range is rated for liquids up to approx. 500 mPa·s. Thicker products such as heavy oils, gels or syrups need a different pump type.
Yes. Cambridge Environmental Products supplies the full OTAL foot pump range in Canada with CAD pricing, Canadian shipping and purchasing support.
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