timbudtwo

Recipes 

So I am getting my kegerator kit with a brand new co2 tank on wednesday and I thought my local welding supply refilled it, but they swap. $16 and change for a 5# tank. I am however able to get it refilled elsewhere a bit further away for just over $20. Would it be that much better to spend the few extra bucks to just get it refilled rather than swap?

strat_thru_marshall

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If you paid for a brand new tank, I'd go for the refill. It's likely that the one you get on the exchange wont be nearly as nice and shiny and new as the one you trade in.

Try searching for a Carbonic service shop near you. Theres one up here that refills my tank, they also do tanks for restaurants and bars, as well as refill scuba tanks and that sort of thing. I think it's $14 for a 10lb tank.

malkore

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I supposedly 'leased' my CO2 tank by paying the full tank price as a deposit. Then they just swap the tank, so you don't have to wait on a fill or worry about re-cert testing every 5 years.

Of course then they say after a year "no, you own the tank" but they still only swap it.

I finally got my 5lb swapped to an aluminum tank, and now I refill it at the fire extinguisher store instead of the welding swap shop. Of course the cert was expired so I paid the $25 for 5 more years and I'll be damned if I swap it!

If I can get my 10lb swapped for aluminum, I'll be set.

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Malkore
Primary: English Mild
On tap: Pale Ale, Lancelot's Wheat, English Brown Ale, Steam Beer, HoovNuts IPA
Bottled: MOAM, Braggot, Raspberry Melomel, Merlot, Apfelwein, Pyment, Sweet mead, Cabernet
Gal in 2009: 27, Gal in 2010: 34, Gal in 2011: 13, Gal in 2012: 10

Spreadhead

Recipes 

I also bought my tank new - 20 lb aluminum. I have the same option as the OP - swap, or refill for a few extra $.

Refill, man. But that's just, like, my opinion, man...

Sent from Spreadhead's iPhone.

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Spreadhead

Primary: Pliny the Elder clone, Tap 1: AHS ESB, Tap 2: Smoked Porter, Tap 3: No Short Measure ordinary bitter, Tap 4: Paulaner Hefeweizen clone
Next: Oktoberfest

rosier9

Recipes 

I refilled until the 5 yr hydro came around, now I swap... The tanks that I have swapped have been nearly as nice as my original new one... I'm going to get a beer mix tank tomorrow and I will only swap that one. The newness of it will wear off eventually...

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Kegged: Amarillo Ale, Edwort's Apfelwein, Golden Dragon, 1554, 888 RIS
Primary:

shelly_belly

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No one sees my tank but me. I swap. $12 for 20#

EO74

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I refill 5# at fire exstiguisher place for $15 if u have a new aluminum tank i say refill for extra $

scuba76

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I swap no waiting overnight for fill and do not have to worry about recertification

timbudtwo

Recipes 

Well I am in California where everything is ~30% more costly on principal. The large air company out here recommended me call a company that they do bulk co2 sales to. That's where I got my lowest price. I'll see if I can find anything on google for local carbonic services.

ArcaneXor

Recipes 

I like my shiny aluminum tank much more than the rusty steel tanks they use for swaps. Plus the Aluminum is much lighter. So I am for filling, all the way!

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The Fiesty(sic) Goat Brewery est. 2007 & Clusterfuggle Experimental Ales est. 2009
Planned: Fat Man Brown Porter (Pro-Am #2), WLP 351 Hefeweizen, WLP 860 Munich Helles
Primary: Centennial Falcon IPA (Pro-Am #1), sLambic I
Secondary: Flanders Red
Kegged:Himmel un Ääd Kölsch #8, Farmhouse Session Saison Pilot Batch, Chocolate Milk Stout, Pale Ale, Chili Smoked Porter, Berliner Weisse w/ Brett #3