Half Price Aeration

[Barley-Davidson]

I want to start using bottled oxygen to aerate my wort.
B3 sells a regulator that you attach to the O2 bottle and run a hose to an aeration stone; it's $25.

Is there any reason I couldn't just get a propane torch attachment (about $12), cut off the tip and clamp a hose on directly?

If it makes a difference I don't wanna be cheap, but it looks like it would work just as well.
Anyone tried this already, or see any drawbacks that I'm overlooking?

 

[bradsul]

The only thing that comes to mind may be pressure. I'm not sure what pressure those oxygen tanks are at compared to LP tanks.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Well the oxygen one is a regulator, the propane torch one is just a valve AFAIK. I don't know what kind of pressure is present in the oxygen tanks, but if it's higher than for propane (which I would assume to be the case, since the O2 tanks are really light, meaning probably stored as a gas, meaning higher pressure) then you'd probably get way too much flow with just a simple valve.

Also, are those propane ones left-hand or right-hand thread? the oxygen tanks are left-hand.

 

[olllllo]

Don't forget about the aeration stone. Without it you'll be blowing alot of O2 out the top of you carboy.

The reg is $17.90 @ http://www.williamsbrewing.com/OXYGEN_REGULATOR_P700.cfm

It looks like they've upped the price of their aeration system substantially @ Williams to $46.90.
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAM_S_OXYGEN_AERATION_SYST_P699.cfm

They're really charging a premuim for that aeration stone and SS wand.

The wand is VERY useful actually.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Couldn't you just use an old racking cane as the wand?

 

[olllllo]

Couldn't you just use an old racking cane as the wand?

Yep. You still need the stone and a short piece of tubing.

I always feared it would fall off in the carboy. I paid more$$ but I don't have to worry about it anymore.

To re-iterate. You need the stone to get small bubbles that can be absorbed by the wort. Your best flow is to have the small bubbles barely break the surface. Otherwise you are just wasting O2. I don't know how you'd do this w/o the stone.

 

[Bobby_M]

Something I thought of early on also ... BUT... oxygen is left hand thread, propane is right hand. Just won't work, sorry man. The only place I cut corners on price is the stone, I bought a 5 pack of disposable stones at the pet shop instead of buying the stainless one.

 

[the_bird]

Anybody know a source for a more-robust O2 regulator? I've bought two of them; the first one, the barb where the hose connects fell off, and I can't figger out how to get it re-connected. The replacement one I bought occassionally leaks out a LOT of O2 from around the dial, to the point where I was only getting one or two uses per bottle. I would gladly pay a bit more $$ if I could find a higher-quality regulator (and it's not like I abuse them).

Oh, and the SS wand :rockin:

 

[Bobby_M]

By the way, watch craigslist for used medical oxygen tanks. That's what I'm using..

Check this up in Ringwood, NJ http://newjersey.craigslist.org/zip/351302385.html

Ask them if the 35lb tank has a regulator on it. If so, you're golden. I mean, it's a big tank...but.... free.

 

[Barley-Davidson]

Wow, thanks for all the good info. Didn't know the threads were different, so that saves me some time, money and aggrevation.
I knew I needed a stone, but didn't think about a wand, I just assumed the stone would sink on it's own. I might recycle a racking cane for this.
Also going to look into the free tanks, I bet one fill of a 35# tank would last a lifetime.

 

[FlyGuy]

By the way, watch craigslist for used medical oxygen tanks. That's what I'm using..

Check this up in Ringwood, NJ http://newjersey.craigslist.org/zip/351302385.html

Ask them if the 35lb tank has a regulator on it. If so, you're golden. I mean, it's a big tank...but.... free.

Good suggestion. Also try estate sales and such. I have a medical O2 system now, and I don't think I will EVER use all that gas. In the long run, it will be much more reliable and much cheaper than my little O2 regulator and mini-tank.

One caution -- I have heard a rumor (unsubstantiated) that some medical grade O2 is mixed with a fungicide. Best to check when you fill your O2 tank.

 

[bradsul]

Wow, thanks for all the good info. Didn't know the threads were different, so that saves me some time, money and aggrevation.
I knew I needed a stone, but didn't think about a wand, I just assumed the stone would sink on it's own. I might recycle a racking cane for this.
Also going to look into the free tanks, I bet one fill of a 35# tank would last a lifetime.

I was a little surprised about that as well when I got my aeration kit. The airstone isn't very heavy and the bouyancy of the tube is enough to pull it to the surface. I solved it with a stainless washer I had laying around.

 

[Bobby_M]

Good suggestion. Also try estate sales and such. I have a medical O2 system now, and I don't think I will EVER use all that gas. In the long run, it will be much more reliable and much cheaper than my little O2 regulator and mini-tank.

One caution -- I have heard a rumor (unsubstantiated) that some medical grade O2 is mixed with a fungicide. Best to check when you fill your O2 tank.

I'm sure whatever is in the medical grade O2 is safe. I've never had a stuck ferment with it anyway so it's not killing the yeast. Estate sales are great leads... maybe retirement communities would limit that search. Ewee.... that's cold.