confused with 20oz co2 bottle

just got a regulator, 20 oz CO2 bottle and lines to hook up to a keg, but something doesn't seem to be working here.

From what I'm reading, the adapter for the 20oz bottle should be all that's needed to hit the valve on the bottle, but I don't hear anything coming out when I screw the adapter on.

If I hook everything to the regulator nothing happens either.

They said the tank was charged when I bought it from the LHBS, but maybe it's not? Is there something else I need to do to get gas flowing out of this tank?

I find it hard to believe that you bought a charged CO2 bottle. I've never used a 20oz. bottle, so maybe they are charged new like the little 10gram cartridges. I'd take it to a welding shop and have them check it.

I took it to a sports store and had them recharge it. The guy said there was a little something in it, but not much. Even with it fully charged, I screw on the adapter and I'm not hearing anything come out of the canister. Hook everything up to the regulator and see nothing going on. I'm probably just not doing something right, but dunno what. going to give the LHBS a call.

with paintball tanks, i find it better to get them with an on/off valve... it is the same price or cheaper than the adapter, and far more convenient...
CO2 Tank Aluminum 20 oz With On/ Off Valve by Smart Parts, CO2 Tanks at Paintball Discounters

i bought a tank for $15 and a valve for $15... you can move the valve to a new tank when your hydro date expires. paintball tanks are cheaper to replace than to rehydro.

yah, if I had known how ****ty this adapter was I probably would have convinced the wife on springing for the 5lb tank. LHBS said to just wrench it down tighter. I call shenanigans... I shouldn't be pulling muscles to have to wrench this adapter down tight enough.

ikelso said:

I shouldn't be pulling muscles to have to wrench this adapter down tight enough.

Click to expand...

right, and you might start stripping threads...they're usually brass after all.

they are brass, and once they are screwed down, they don't go any farther no matter how badly you try to strip the threads.

just had to wrench it down all man like. It wasn't on all the way. Things are going better now.

I don't like the on/off tanks, aside from the fact that I managed to always hit the "off" while trying to shoot someone it developed a leak very very fast. It was a 12 oz Pure Energy tank.

Just make sure you don't try to take the co2 reg off without removing the pin adapter (or putting the pin adapter on without the reg attached) or you'll get a semi-dangerous surprise.


Soon you're probably going to get the urge to fill your own tanks or if space allows it upgrade to a full size tank. When the choice comes...opt for the 20# tank.

the paintball on/off valve isn;t a switch, it is a knob that has to be turned about 3 times to completley close it off.....

Depends on the tank, mine was a slider switch. Push in to turn off, pull out (or push other side in) to turn on. Or was it the other way around? Anyways, it really sucked.

Amazon.com: Pure Energy 20oz On/Off CO2 Tank: Sports & Outdoors

I don't know where you (OP) are getting your tank filled, but make sure you call around to some paintball/sporting stores to get fill quotes. Some of the PB specific stores will have really low refill prices to attract customers into the store.

Your wife will be convinced after your first keg or 2 that you should have bought the refillable 5#. After hearing you bitching every other leg of serving that it's empty again. Are you force carbing with this tank as well??