O2 Guage & Flow Meter

I'm wanting to get a little more control over the amount of O2 I put in for fermentaion and was considering this:

Chemetron Medical Oxygen Regulator & Flow Meter

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chemetron-Medical-Oxygen-Regulator-Flow-Meter-/230466931368?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a8e64aa8

I posted the link since there seem to be enough of them to not start a bidding war. (please don't prove me wrong)

Right now I just have the simple regulator you get from the LHBS with no gauge or flow meter on it. The question is, will this work with the little red bottles you can get from the hardware store or will it only work on the bigger tanks? Thanks in advance for the help.

that is made for the bigger bottles. also, how much are you paying for the little bottles. you will make out in the long run getting a 20cuft(the 5 lb co2 size)or larger from a welding supply shop.

we sell them and to fill the small size its only like $12 or so.

btw thats an awesome price for that reg. the retail pruce of that is $100 or more

So do you think that could work out for brewing then, if I also got a bigger tank? I'd like to go with about a liter/min which looks like it's at the low end of the gauge. I also don't know how long it would take me to use up a whole 5lb tank either. (although I've heard it's good for a hangover)

jonp9576 said:

btw thats an awesome price for that reg. the retail pruce of that is $100 or more

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Retail and real used value this is a wide spread in price range, good luck getting it.
To me a 215 cu/ft O2 welding bottle owner owned works for me, the hydro
alone is way less than the lease or refill of smaller bottles. All my bottles are Linde during the Hitler era still taking a +10% pressure overfill be it Hydrogen, O2, Nitrogen, Argon. A cheap investement after the initial cost in the long run vs any small bottle refills. Pay me now or pay me later my welding supply tells me for for over the past 35 years.

Bigscience said:

So do you think that could work out for brewing then, if I also got a bigger tank? I'd like to go with about a liter/min which looks like it's at the low end of the gauge. I also don't know how long it would take me to use up a whole 5lb tank either. (although I've heard it's good for a hangover)

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I'd bet that it'll last a long time. Once upon a time, I was a paramedic, and even at high flow rates, the 5# tanks would last a quite a while. I never timed how long, but we didn't fill them all that often, and they were usually used with NRB (Non- Rebreather) masks, which used at least 10 lpm.

And yes, O2 does help a little with hangovers. But if you want the ultimate hangover cure, a liter of Lactated Ringers is what you need. Start an IV of that, lay back with a NRB @ 10 lpm, and within 10 minutes, you're perfectly fine.

The Timeter group mnufactures a medical .5 to 15 LPM, model #ULO-15 calibrated at 50 PSI. I use this unit with a stone off a welding O2 bottle for years adding O2 to the fermenter. New and free hence a feel good everytime I use it. Gifts of the electrical trade on remodels.

homebeerbrewer said:

I'd bet that it'll last a long time. Once upon a time, I was a paramedic, and even at high flow rates, the 5# tanks would last a quite a while. I never timed how long, but we didn't fill them all that often, and they were usually used with NRB (Non- Rebreather) masks, which used at least 10 lpm.

And yes, O2 does help a little with hangovers. But if you want the ultimate hangover cure, a liter of Lactated Ringers is what you need. Start an IV of that, lay back with a NRB @ 10 lpm, and within 10 minutes, you're perfectly fine.

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Try and fill a medical bottle for home brewing without a doctors prescription for medical O2 your screwed. I've thrown away and given away over 50 of those small bottles vs using a welding bottle, fermenting yeast doesn't know the differennce, your wallet does.

homebeerbrewer said:

I'd bet that it'll last a long time. Once upon a time, I was a paramedic, and even at high flow rates, the 5# tanks would last a quite a while. I never timed how long, but we didn't fill them all that often, and they were usually used with NRB (Non- Rebreather) masks, which used at least 10 lpm.

And yes, O2 does help a little with hangovers. But if you want the ultimate hangover cure, a liter of Lactated Ringers is what you need. Start an IV of that, lay back with a NRB @ 10 lpm, and within 10 minutes, you're perfectly fine.

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Because when I'm hungover, I really believe I can find a vein for an IV. I guess I should have married a Dr or at least a phlebotomist. I still don't understand how people can shoot up. I hate needles like B.A. hates flying.

I bit the bullet and dropped the $28 on the system. We'll see how it works out. I also have a bid out on a lot of flow meters too. There may be a good deal for some HBTers out there soon.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Precision-Chemetron-Medical-Oxygen-Float-Flow-Meters-/220596238857?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335c8f7a09

By just looking at the bubbles coming off the stone you can set your O2 flow
amount rather close, hell even a spare Tig or Mig ball flow meter works just allow for the slight difference with the differet gasses and make a note. One medical O2 flow meter is all I have as I gave away the other four to brewing friends. It's not rocket science just need an adaptor from your Tig to O2 regulator, set the LPM at the required 50 psi of these O2 flow meters. The battle just started I see that ebay item at $20 plus, wait until the last 10 seconds and see the dollar amount, I bet in the $60 plus range.

I much prefer the medical regulators over the hardware store red canisters with a valve. You can get more consistent O2 into your wort, batch after batch. I have a DO meter...3 Lpm for 60 seconds through a .5 micron stone gives you 12ppm in 5.5 gallons of wort. No guess work. The pic shows an in-line system I tried out but have switched to a wand since it's more consistent. Chilling times are ever exactly the same.

Dstar, Do you need a perscription to get the medical bottle filled? Is there a better regulator for the disposable bottles other than the generic Williams version?

I have the disposable tanks, and about to order the Williams kit. Two things slowing me down... The Williams reg. doesn't have a flow meter, and debating about inline vs. wand.

I have a plastic 15 gal conical. It has two port in the lid (airlock and "X") I could either build an inline from my Therminator to the conical with the hose adapt/stone, or put the wand adapt. through a bung down the unused port. Williams says the wand is 22", I'll have to measure how deep that would go into the wort. Would it have to go all the way to the bottom?
BTW cooling is not a problem--brutus 10 cooling set up~

Yes you need a medical prescription to fill those green medical bottles. I got $2 each as scrap iron with the load of them I had, totally useless unless you work in a hospital. Legal issues may be a problem I don't need.

I use one of my many my Victor 100 and 250 series welding regulators off a 215 cu/ft oxygen welding bottle then thru a filter for the hell of it before the 0.5 micron stone. I have a Williams stone with wand but Tig welded an extension to make the wand 38" long to reach the bottom of the deep fermenter we built. I blow at 14 LPM thru my medical flow meter of LPM for 3-4 minutes for a 17.75 gallon batch in the fermenter. No worries with a large O2 owner owned bottle with cheap by cu/ft refills long and far between plus the quality of my older Victor regulators when they were made in the USA 20-30 years ago.

I see someone made out big time on those medical LPM flow meters posted above. Great score keep two sell the rest still money ahead.
Those red Home Depot bottles or Williams valves are a ripoff, they are making money big time. Not to start a pissing war but this is a foolish purchase, JMO's.

My regulator is a medical one but the fitting on the end attaches to a normal CGA-540 valve for welding tanks. No prescription needed.

dstar26t said:

My regulator is a medical one but the fitting on the end attaches to a normal CGA-540 valve for welding tanks. No prescription needed.

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Simple and cheap plus that build job is done.
I was just given a couple medical compressors that work look like a sewing machine box, output of 19 LPM at 50 psi with nice brass regulators and pressure gauge. This is only filters air vs the oxygen producing compressor units, those use a a filter to create O2 at 99% plus pure O2 for patients with the nose inserts for O2 breathing. Well the feelers are out for one of these O2machines the welding bottle with my Timeter Group medical O2 flow meter will have to do. It has 1/8" NPT before the fine brass filter with 0-15 LPM scale. I use another inline filter before this flow meter seems to be working for years.

I use the medical oxygen regulators that I sell. They have a flow meter and are much more precise.

MMTG said:

I use the medical oxygen regulators that I sell. They have a flow meter and are much more precise.

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Will the yeast really know the difference vs a two stage Victor regulator set for 50 PSI output of O2 to a medical ER room fitted "The Timeter Group model ULO-15" (0-15) LPM oxygen ball flow tube? When people just crank up the O2 until they see bubbles without a LPM scale? I'm not hammering on ya bro. I wasn't picky just glad to have these free flow meters. Give them their required calibrated @ 50 psi, then use the LPM flow adjusting knob on the side of the meter.
I had my dad's O2 generator compressor unit for over 7 months after he passed away, after many calls I had to deliver it to the Hospice Care facility.
Someone in need could use this unit vs greedy thoughts for using it for brewing when I have large O2 welding bottles. Call it carma in life, I bet this O2 generator unit wasn't cheap. Just the two medical air compressors I picked up for $20 air only not pure O2 units list at $1,169 each. One a split nylon hose the other a loose fuse holder that got hot melted the fuse internally. One connected to a pressure switch with a 3 gallon smog "test gas" cylinder works great for the airbrush painting. I like almost free items the best I get that warm feeling inside creating a functional item for the wife and kids plus my use. Screw the 100 gallon compressor in the shop with hose for small art fart work detail painting.

Would this regulator work for me? :

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chemetron-Medic...596238857&po=&ps=63&clkid=8537027160699951908

And either get a welding O2 bottle or an adapter for the small bottles?

Yes that's plenty good for adding O2 to your wort. You just need the proper connection to your O2 bottle. The price is great I would spring for one if I didn't already have a couple
flow meters.

I bet that's a high quality regulator but i've never been a fan of those orifice with gauge style flow meters vs vertical tube with the ball flow meters. These orifice type units are the cheap basic flow meters many low end welding supply shops or mail away sell with their low end cost welders instead of selling the ball float style meters. Same as with using a single stage vs a two stage regulator, added cost for a better maintained pressure accuracy. Quality costs money unless you luck out on EBAY.

What would you suggest instead? "reasonably" priced...

I just use shop O2 with a Victor reg. I don't know the rate I am flowing the O2 into the wort at. I use the wort as a gauge since I use the O2 to push the wort into my fermentor instead of using a pump. I don't register anything on the gauge when I transfer. Once the transfer is complete I just let the O2 bubble up through the wort. No stones, no injection system. I have the pieces to make an injection setup, but this works just fine........for me.

GM; your up late tonight. Like the above reply not a accurate regulator unless it's a "medical regulator", come on this isn't NASA or open heart surgery. I agree with "KISS". I had 48" of 1/4" SS, 8 number 80 drill holes near the end with the end welded shut, applied near 10 psi of O2 for 3 minutes with 17+ gallons called it good. The yeast in my stouts went wild within hours.

To FenoMeno; I would bid on it the price is great for your O2 fermentation addition. Just get the proper fitting to bottle your good to go.
Keep an eye on EBAY for medical ball float meters they come up all the time. The last set of six went high bid of only $23. Any small brass regulator be it single stage is way accurate enough for your needs of adding O2, set to the flow meters rating which should be 50 psi then set the LPM flow amount. Hell many people use an aquarium pump with a filter and add air vs straight O2 or those that rock the hell out of their fermenters. With regulated O2 your way ahead of the game with happy yeast. I might even try one of my two Timeter 414 medical compressors plus a micron air filter vs using O2 i'll do a split batch half with O2 to see if there's a difference in the fermentation and the tap later. I offered $20 for both compressors the site below hell the regulators are medical grade quality as well the pressure gauges. With 1-14 LPM @ 50 psi I lucked out they both now run like new. Quiet plus great for airbrush projects as I stated above.
A two stage regulator will better maintain your Tig, Mig, O & A gas pressure as the tank pressure drops vs single stage, just need to correct the output pressure on a single stage as the output will creep up wasting your welding gas. A common keep an eye on the single stage pressure setting is all that's required. For your wort O2 addition a cheap high pressure regulator set to your flow meters input rating is all that's required, the flow meter I find a harder item to locate. Check Ebay as many come up rather cheap, I bet a regulator plus flow meter your looking at $50 to have happy yeast, well worth it unless you need a oxygen bottle. A little 70 cu/ft O2 or "Q" owner owned would be great especially with a matching size acetylene bottle for small heating, bending, welding or cutting steel projects. Think of your O & A rig as a multi use investment item as you can gas weld your brewstand, home repairs. My great offered items by my local scrap man.

process.http://www.soymedical.com/bf14615.html