CO2 tank question (before I buy it)

[snevey]

I have the option of buying two CO2 tanks my company is willing to sell to me from their now defunct cafeteria. These were "powering" the fountain drink machine. They are 25 lb CO2 aluminum containers with unknown (if any) CO2 contents and they want $50 a piece for them. One tank says it should be inspected in 2010 and the other 2007. I called a local company and they want $18 to inspect it and up to $20 to fill it. My LHBS sells new 5 lb canisters, filled, for $82. Unfortunately they can only fill 5 or 10 lb tanks so I need to go elsewhere for the fill.

Also, is a 25 lb tank overkill for homebrew?

If anyone is in the York, PA area and is interested in the other $50 tank, let me know!

Snevey

 

[Dwain]

If you have the cash, buy them. A welding shop will fill them. Somebody will want one and you'll probably figure out a use for one. I would build a kegerator out of a full size fridge for the utlity room or garage and put the bottle inside. Luck - Dwain

P.S. no suck thing as over kill!

 

[stevo155]

Also, is a 25 lb tank overkill for homebrew?

It's not overkill when you only have to fill your co2 tank once or twice a year!

 

[snevey]

How long would a 5 lb tank last? Assuming 5 gallon batches/kegs at average carbonation levels and such.

 

[Catt22]

How long would a 5 lb tank last? Assuming 5 gallon batches/kegs at average carbonation levels and such.

More than likely the tanks are 20# each. A 25 lb tank is an odd size. Not saying they don't exist, but I've never seen one. The aluminum tanks are worth more than the steel tanks. Lift one of each and you will soon understand why. If the tags are correct, both tanks will require a hydrostatic test prior to the next fill. Your local supplier's prices are quite high IMO. I pay $12 for the hydro tests and also $12 for a 20# fill.

My advice would be to buy the tanks but see if you can negotiate the price down to offset some of the hydro testing cost. It can't hurt to ask. You might also see if they have any regulators available at a decent price.

Check the stamped date of the last hydro test. You are good for five years from that date. A separate tag of any kind might not be the best thing to go by. The stamped dates of the last hydro are required by law and they trump any other tags from what I understand.

 

[Jawbox0]

Go for it, as long as they aren't stamped 'Property of PepsiCo' I've heard that can be a real deal breaker when you try to get 'em filled.

 

[Catt22]

How long would a 5 lb tank last? Assuming 5 gallon batches/kegs at average carbonation levels and such.

It's hard to say, but I got by with a single 5# tank for years. Much depends on how you use it and how many kegs you force carb in a given period. The larger tanks are much more economical, but it's the trip to fill the smaller tanks that is the biggest PIA. I have several 20# tanks and a single 5# one. I only use the 5# tank to push beer from my serving fridge and for everything else I use the larger tanks. I use the CO2 fairly liberally when purging carboys and kegs prior to filling, so my consumption is probably higher than most others. A 20# tank will last most home brewers about 6 months to a year or maybe even more than that.

 

[samc]

The only real disadvantage to a 20# tank is that if you have a leak you don't know about you lose a lot more CO2, oh and if you have a bad back you have more to lift. On the other hand it's usually a lot cheaper to fill 20# per lb vs 5# because a lot of the cost is in the labor to set up and fill it.

My local welding supply place does exchanges and does not bother you about the hyrdo test. I assume they just build it into the price.

Personally I'm happy having several 5#'s because I can keep the keezer going, use another tank for pushing beer from fermenter to serving keg and have a spare tank for other chores or as the replacement when one runs out.

ps- don't negotiate yourself out of a job over a 20# tank price.

 

[Catt22]

Go for it, as long as they aren't stamped 'Property of PepsiCo' I've heard that can be a real deal breaker when you try to get 'em filled.

That's the beauty of an aluminum tank. You can very easily remove the Cola stamp with an offset grinder using a stiff wire brush. With steel tanks you can fill in the stampings with J B Weld or most any epoxy, sand smooth and paint the tank. This is what I heard somewhere awhile back.

 

[Malticulous]

How long would a 5 lb tank last? Assuming 5 gallon batches/kegs at average carbonation levels and such.

I average one pound per five gallon keg. I probably waste more than most people.

 

[Clonefarmer]

I have the option of buying two CO2 tanks my company is willing to sell to me from their now defunct cafeteria. These were "powering" the fountain drink machine. They are 25 lb CO2 aluminum containers with unknown (if any) CO2 contents and they want $50 a piece for them. One tank says it should be inspected in 2010 and the other 2007. I called a local company and they want $18 to inspect it and up to $20 to fill it. My LHBS sells new 5 lb canisters, filled, for $82. Unfortunately they can only fill 5 or 10 lb tanks so I need to go elsewhere for the fill.

Also, is a 25 lb tank overkill for homebrew?

If anyone is in the York, PA area and is interested in the other $50 tank, let me know!

Snevey

$50.00 is a really good price for 25# tanks. Check out welding supply shops. The ones here just exchange tanks so there's no need for inspections.

 

[snevey]

That's the beauty of an aluminum tank. You can very easily remove the Cola stamp with an offset grinder using a stiff wire brush. With steel tanks you can fill in the stampings with J B Weld or most any epoxy, sand smooth and paint the tank. This is what I heard somewhere awhile back.

Grinding an aluminum CO2 tank under that much pressure does make me slightly nervous. Yes, they are stamped with PEPSI COLA. Couldn't I just fill those with JB Weld, sand, and paint that too?

And as someone posted before, that 25 lb tanks are rare, that it is probably only a 20 lb tank was absolutely correct.

Is there anyway without a pressure guage to see how much CO2 is in the tank?

 

[Catt22]

Grinding an aluminum CO2 tank under that much pressure does make me slightly nervous. Yes, they are stamped with PEPSI COLA. Couldn't I just fill those with JB Weld, sand, and paint that too?

And as someone posted before, that 25 lb tanks are rare, that it is probably only a 20 lb tank was absolutely correct.

Is there anyway without a pressure guage to see how much CO2 is in the tank?

You would only be removing a tiny bit of the surface. The stampings aren't very deep and that aluminum is like 3/4" thick or so. It's really thick and there's a huge safety margin built in. Yes, you could certainly use the JB weld or auto body filler and sand it down and that would be the wiser and safer way to go for sure. I would not use a grinder on it at all as any significant gouging of the surface could spell trouble and any trouble at all would likely be big trouble. It's not worth the risk really. I would not use anything more than a coarse wire brush if you go that way.

The only way to tell how much CO2 remains in the tank is to weigh it. The tare weight (empty weight of the cylinder) will be stamped on the shoulder. Weigh the tank and subtract the tare weight to get the weight of the contents. The pressure will remain constant (at a given temperature) until the tank is very nearly empty, so a high pressure gauge is of little use in that respect.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Screw around longer then i'll buy them and grin.
I never run across a good deal, well almost.

 

[darknight3684]

Hey quick question. Where do you fill your co2 tank at in York pa??

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Lopsy]

Buy them. MUCHcheaper/lb CO2 to fill. Way sexier.