Every vial size BAC Water Supply sells comes in five pack sizes. The right pack is the one that arrives, gets used, and never expires on the shelf. This guide explains how the packs differ and how to match one to a laboratory.
What changes with pack size
- Per-vial price falls as pack size rises, because order handling, packaging and shipping are spread across more vials. The largest step is usually from the 4-pack to the 12-pack; the step from 24 to 36 is smaller but real.
- Shipping cost per vial falls for the same reason, and larger packs are more likely to cross the free-shipping threshold shown at checkout.
- Lot consistency improves: a pack is normally filled from one lot, so a larger pack keeps more of the laboratory's supply on a single lot.
- Shelf-life exposure rises: the last vial in a large pack is opened later. With printed shelf lives of two years or more this is rarely a problem, but it is the constraint to check.
Matching packs to consumption
Estimate vials per month per size (the method is in estimating monthly usage), decide how many months each order should cover, add a buffer, and round up to a pack.
| Vials used per month (one size) | Quarterly order | Semi-annual order |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4-pack | 8-pack |
| 2 | 8-pack | 12-pack |
| 3–4 | 12-pack | 24-pack |
| 6–8 | 24-pack | 36-pack + 12-pack |
| 10–12 | 36-pack | Bulk quote |
Mixing sizes
Most laboratories need two vial sizes: 10 mL for regular benches and 3 mL or 30 mL for the outliers. Order each size in its own pack; do not buy one large pack of 30 mL and hope the low-volume benches will cope. See choosing a vial size.
The 4-pack
For a first order, a single occasional-use bench, or a small top-up. Highest per-vial price; lowest commitment. Useful for trialing a new vial size before committing to a larger pack. 4-pack.
The 8-pack and 12-pack
The typical single-bench or small-lab quarterly order. One 12-pack is a year of 10 mL vials for a bench that opens one a month, or a quarter for four such benches. 8-pack, 12-pack.
The 24-pack and 36-pack
Multi-bench laboratories, teaching labs and small facilities. The 36-pack carries the lowest per-vial price on the site and keeps a quarter's supply on one lot. Check that the last vials will be opened at least six months before expiration, which with two-year shelf lives means using the pack within about eighteen months. 24-pack, 36-pack.
Beyond the 36-pack
Facilities using a case or more a month, distributors, and programs needing reserved single-lot supply are quoted individually through the bulk and wholesale program. See the procurement checklist.
Storage for larger packs
Keep packs in their cartons at room temperature, one lot per shelf position, and issue first-expiring-first-out. A 36-pack takes little space; the discipline is in keeping the log. See how to store bacteriostatic water.
All BAC Water Supply products are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not for human or veterinary use.