O2 setup help

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beerbeer95648

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I have tried searching, and I know there are threads already out there. I have always used the disposable O2 tanks for Home Depot, but I am only getting 2-4 10gal batches out of them. this seems to mostly be due to the bottles leaking out over time. I hit a 10gal batch with 2min of O2 at a medium flow rate.

I have a 20lb CO2 tank that the local welding shop will trade out for a 20CF O2 tank, so now I am thinking of going this route. Does anyone have any recommendations on which way I should go in terms of a regulator? Any brand or style that is better suited than another?

Thanks for any thoughts.
 
I don't think O2 compresses much compared to CO2; I've had the same problem. I started using lower flow rates with the idea that it's more about contact time than flow rate. I haven't seen any research to confirm (or deny) my theory but it seems like higher flow rates just increase bubble size making them rise to the surface faster. This would simply blow more O2 up and into the air, not necessarily get more into your beer. Again, I'm not claiming this as fact but I've throttled mine way back to just breaking the surface and am still getting great results. It would be cool to see someone with O2 measuring equipment do some experiments on this...
 
Huff360 said:
Pediatric medical regulator.
Click to expand...

Is this something that could be adapted to fit downstream of a standard 02 regulator? The tank I would be getting would not be a medical tank. I have access to a medical tank, but have read they are near impossible to fill without a prescription.
 
I have a 20cf O2 tank with a Western Medical flow meter (identical to what our local hospital has plugged into the walls in the "guest" rooms). Looks like this:
ab_nov_01_2010_04_sm.jpg


I got both at the local AirGas outlet. No prescription required. I test the 200 gallon limit every year and a 20cf tank lasts me over two years..

Cheers!

[edit] In case it isn't clear, that's a CGA-540 tank fitting...
 
day_trippr said:
I have a 20cf O2 tank with a Western Medical flow meter (identical to what our local hospital has plugged into the walls in the "guest" rooms). Looks like this:
ab_nov_01_2010_04_sm.jpg


I got both at the local AirGas outlet. No prescription required. I test the 200 gallon limit every year and a 20cf tank lasts me over two years..

Cheers!

[edit] In case it isn't clear, that's a CGA-540 tank fitting...
Click to expand...

That looks like the ticket. What do you think about something like this versus that setup? I see both on ebay. http://www.cramerdeckermedical.com/product.php?product_id=583
 
It's undoubtedly total overkill to have it, and that Western doesn't come cheap, but my inner engineer loves the flow gauge part.

So does my outer engineer ;)

Cheers!
 
It's a good question that has been asked before - and I've yet to read of a definitive answer.

I would assume such devices are calibrated discharging into the atmosphere (likely, ASL pressure) and I wouldn't think the pressure at the bottom of a carboy is a whole lot higher than that (but I could be wrong - I work with ones and zeroes :cross: ) so my guess would be that they're probably not horribly inaccurate.

But there's nothing like actually seeing what's happening.
And the little ball doesn't lie ;)

Cheers!
 
beerbeer95648 said:
I love the control too. Every part of my system is overkill. I am curious if the type without the float like http://www.cramerdeckermedical.com/product.php?product_id=583 are accurate in comparison.
Click to expand...

So you're going from blasting O2 into the wort from a valve with no flow regulation at all, to being concerned with how accurate the click style regulator is?! :drunk:

True, they may or may not deliver the selected flow with some back pressure (I'm not completely sure) but your concern should be focused more on repeatability. If you select .5 L/Min for 4 minutes on a few brews and it seems like too much, then just dial it back some. If it's not enough, turn it up. The fact that you are actually putting .4 L/Min in there not .5 is of little concern. There are not that many accepted studies that give a flow rate and period for how much to oxygenate, so it's not like you are going to miss the recipe.
 
If you are looking for an O2 regulator I have a few I have laying around from a lot I bought from a welding and cutting supply company (ESAB) I would let go of for very cheap. I would ship before you had to pay, if you were interested, or I could post on eBay and let you buy it that way.

Here's the regulator.

http://www.hoconindustrial.com/welding-equipment/esab-gas-apparatus.html?sku=453

And a picture of one of mine, they are all brand new and never used.

They are top of the line, high flow regulators, that normally cost $250, but like I said I would be willing to go way lower than that. Just a thought if you are interested.

WP_20130301_010.jpg
 
Huff360 said:
So you're going from blasting O2 into the wort from a valve with no flow regulation at all, to being concerned with how accurate the click style regulator is?! :drunk:

True, they may or may not deliver the selected flow with some back pressure (I'm not completely sure) but your concern should be focused more on repeatability. If you select .5 L/Min for 4 minutes on a few brews and it seems like too much, then just dial it back some. If it's not enough, turn it up. The fact that you are actually putting .4 L/Min in there not .5 is of little concern. There are not that many accepted studies that give a flow rate and period for how much to oxygenate, so it's not like you are going to miss the recipe.
Click to expand...

Never have been happy with the disposables. I have always started the flow with the wand in starsan and tried to gauge the flow. But I had the choice recently between the 2 different styles discussed here with a relatively small difference in price ($20), hence the reason for asking what the difference in performance might be. I have no issue with using a repeatable process in tandem with tangible results to alter the process until I get what I want. Just want the best equipment at a price I can afford.
 
orlgamecock said:
If you are looking for an O2 regulator I have a few I have laying around from a lot I bought from a welding and cutting supply company (ESAB) I would let go of for very cheap. I would ship before you had to pay, if you were interested, or I could post on eBay and let you buy it that way.

Here's the regulator.

http://www.hoconindustrial.com/welding-equipment/esab-gas-apparatus.html?sku=453

And a picture of one of mine, they are all brand new and never used.

They are top of the line, high flow regulators, that normally cost $250, but like I said I would be willing to go way lower than that. Just a thought if you are interested.
Click to expand...

I really appreciate the offer. I will let you know if I decide to go that route.
 
Does anyone have a way to measure the actual amount of O2 in the wort? Without that the flow rate is sort of irrelevant. Kinda like measuring with a micrometer and cutting with an axe!!
 
There are a number of folks with dissolved oxygen ("DO") meters that have laid the ground work for those who don't have a spare $160 laying about. Between Chris White's data in Yeast and folks that post on these forums, there's enough data to understand at least average results as a function of volume of O2 dispensed.

I use 4 minutes at .5 LPM through a .5u sintered SS air stone at the end of a long piece of ex-racking cane while swirling for a ~5.25g batch in a glass carboy. So two liters of O2 per batch. The expectation for my average SG (60 points is my floor) is I'm reaching at least 12ppm.

This thread was started by someone with a recently acquired DO Meter. There were some good bits in this...


Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
I use 4 minutes at .5 LPM through a .5u sintered SS air stone at the end of a long piece of ex-racking cane while swirling for a ~5.25g batch in a glass carboy. So two liters of O2 per batch.
Click to expand...

That's what I use as well. Not sure exactly why.... It just felt right.
 
I try to take cell counts at fermenter full, and at high krausen to help judge if I added to much or too little. If I see 12 mil/ml at pitching, and 40 mil/ml at high krausen I am happy. If I see 12 mil/ml at pitching and 90 mil/ml at high krausen I am sad. I have seen just as many problems over oxygenating as I have under oxygenating.
 

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