just purchased 20lb co2 tank-how do I?

I just bought a 20 lb co2 tank, I hope I didn't make a bad decision, It was full of co2, and paid 75.00 for it, I have a few questions for the experienced.
1- how do I know if it is steel or aluminum and what is better to own?
2- how do I know if the co2 is good or stale? does it go bad?
3- can I store it in below freezing temps until I get my kegging operation going. I dont want it in my house right now, its about 10-20 degrees out side this time of year, will this damage the tank in anyway?

It has a date of 3/11 the guy said it was good till 2016 is this your experience?

It looks like it was used for diving as it is coated in a black plastic material and has diving stickers on it, Is this waht divers use when diving?

It doesn't go bad and you can store it outside just fine.
I run co2 on my rockcrawler mounted on the cage but exposed to weather and go snow wheeling in colder temps than that with no issues.

Are you sure you bought a co2 tank or an air tank. Its kinda hard for divers to survive under water on co2. It could a tank that paint ballers used I guess
Anyway if you bought a 20lb tank for 75.00 I would think that is a great deal. Used 5 lbs around me are that much.
As far as steel or aluminum I wouldn't think one is better than the other for what you are using it for the only difference should be the weight. The date on the bottle is a hydro date. If I remember right it needs to be hydro tested every 7 years. As long as if passes, the tank should be good.

You may want to post a picture of the valve and tank. Scuba does not use co2, at least not for recreational divers.

You need to take it to a welding supply store and have them tell you if its a o2 tank or a co2 tank, if its a Divers o2 tank you can Not carb beer with it, it is oxygen.

If it is a o2 and not a co2 tank you might be able to get them to trade with you.

Cheers

You can also take the tank to a fire safety store to see if they will refill it for you. Usually the welding stores will do an exchange instead of refills.

Divers use air, not O2. Post a pic...

If you look on the neck of the tank for the working pressure. A SCUBA tank is rated for 3000 psi and from what I've seen of my co2tamk is that it's rated for 1800psi. Also the valve would be very different. A co2 tank has threads on the outside diameter. A SCUBA tank has what's called a yoke valve, just a indent with a hole in it and an o ring layed in around it. Or the have a DIN valve which has an internal diameter thread. In either case. From what I've seen, co2 tanks have the valve knob on top and SCUBA has the valve on the side..

To tell if it is steel vs aluminum just remember, steel rusts. It is not uncommon to see a little rust on the bottom rim of a used steel tank. Will not hurt anything unless it is rusted through. As for the difference... Aluminum costs more.

See the above posts for the O2/CO2 bit.

I dont know if this will work, i've never used this forum to upload a photo.

nope, that didn't work

I see you got it working below.

Here is the co2 tank i was speaking of

Newgene said:

I see you got it working below.

Click to expand...

I figured out how to do it from hard drive. thanks

Cool find. Looks like a co2 tank

It looks like that's a green CO2 label. If it were O2 then I think the label would be yellow.

It actualy looks like an AL80 scuba cylender. besides the size and shape, the givaway is that white equipment inspection sicker and that rubber boot on it, scuba cylinders require a yearly visual inspection by a dive shop, where as all other gas cylinders don't. I think that other narrow white label might be a non flammable gas sticker, but I couldn't see it clearly. Which would apply to both breathing air or co2. Landolincoln is right about the yellow lable meaning oxygen. Keep in mind that whoever converted this tank may not of had any interest following standards or rules. Some divers are notorius for finding the easyest and cheapest way to do certain things. Sometimes smart, sometimes not. Lol. That said, that valve could be a o2 valve. It would make very good sense to me that a diver took a old scuba tank and converted it to hold oxygen for post dive oxygen use.
I suppose the proof would be in the valve.
Bottom line, make sure it's not o2 befor you keg your. beer with it.

A magnet will tell you weather it is steel or aluminum.

NailGunGuy said:

A magnet will tell you weather it is steel or aluminum.

Click to expand...

++++ good idea I never thought of trying to stick a magnet to it.

You could take it to a welding shop or a fire extinguisher shop and get some input from them. They should have some spare regulators there to see if it would hook up to it if the regulator screws on it should work.

You could take it to a welding shop or a fire extinguisher shop and get some input from them. They should have some spare regulators there to see if it would hook up to it, if the regulator screws on it should work.

Hard to tell from that photo. Take a picture of the threads and face of the valve where a regulator would attach. Also take a picture of the product label. Either way that tank has no valve cage and could be mighty dangerous if knocked over.

Thats a CO2 tank no question.
O2 has a much different threaded portion, similar to a Lp gas cylinder for your grill.

Here is a side by side photo of the co2 vs o2 valve.
Notice one and a flat face which is where you place the washer, that's co2
The o2 has a indent. I'll call it concave. The regulator has a convex piece that connects, o washer or tape needed.

Also notice, one has threads that are finer and one courser.

There are other 02 valves in the world for industrial uses.

yewtah-brewha said:

1- how do I know if it is steel or aluminum and what is better to own?
2- how do I know if the co2 is good or stale? does it go bad?
3- can I store it in below freezing temps until I get my kegging operation going. I dont want it in my house right now, its about 10-20 degrees out side this time of year, will this damage the tank in anyway?

It has a date of 3/11 the guy said it was good till 2016 is this your experience?

Click to expand...

Hey yewtah-brewha, nice find!
1 - If you can't tell by weight, try a magnet.
2 - nope, it'll be fine
3 - should be fine, but I'd try to keep it out of the elements as much as possible
4 - I believe most are five years but there are some that are heavier wall that are good for seven years...at least that's what the guy told me the last time I had it hydro tested.

Just an FYI, when it's time to refill it, Airgas at 3415 S 700 W is a bargain. I used to get my 5# tank filled at Bevco2 for around $20. Went there last Friday and there was a sign out front that said the Will Call desk was closed. It looks like they may have been bought out by another company and now only do commercial accounts. The guys at Salt Lake Brew Supply referred me to Airgas and they filled the same tank for less than $7. Made me happy but also pissed me off that Bevco2 had been charging three times as much.

I think I will take it to a co2 retailer and get the low down. If I need to get my money back I need to do it soon.

Thanks for the info! Where is sl brew supply located? are they the ones on fort union? I am told I probaly wont ever need to refill this tank, but who knows. My plan is to brew 3 batches a month and keg atleast 1 of them, we'll see. I dont have any kegs as of yet, If i would have known about the 7.00 I deffinatly would have bought a smaller tank. I have been told by several people that the cost is the same wether 5 or 20 lb. my kids want to make some carbonated drinks so I figured This would be a good way to go. Good to see a local here!

microbusbrewery said:

Hey yewtah-brewha, nice find!
1 - If you can't tell by weight, try a magnet.
2 - nope, it'll be fine
3 - should be fine, but I'd try to keep it out of the elements as much as possible
4 - I believe most are five years but there are some that are heavier wall that are good for seven years...at least that's what the guy told me the last time I had it hydro tested.

Just an FYI, when it's time to refill it, Airgas at 3415 S 700 W is a bargain. I used to get my 5# tank filled at Bevco2 for around $20. Went there last Friday and there was a sign out front that said the Will Call desk was closed. It looks like they may have been bought out by another company and now only do commercial accounts. The guys at Salt Lake Brew Supply referred me to Airgas and they filled the same tank for less than $7. Made me happy but also pissed me off that Bevco2 had been charging three times as much.

Click to expand...

yewtah-brewha said:

Thanks for the info! Where is sl brew supply located? are they the ones on fort union? I am told I probaly wont ever need to refill this tank, but who knows. My plan is to brew 3 batches a month and keg atleast 1 of them, we'll see. I dont have any kegs as of yet, If i would have known about the 7.00 I deffinatly would have bought a smaller tank. I have been told by several people that the cost is the same wether 5 or 20 lb. my kids want to make some carbonated drinks so I figured This would be a good way to go. Good to see a local here!

Click to expand...

Yes, in Ft Union and I just realized I typed the name wrong...should be Salt City Brew Supply. Kegging is nice. I still bottle for competitions and such, but most gets kegged.

Where I am located, there is a local dive shop that does recertification of tanks, so that could be why the dive stickers are on there.

It is a very confusing mix of stickers but if that green diamond says "non-flammable gas", it's probably a legit CO2 tank. The valve looks right.

If you are really not sure if it is steel or aluminum, throw a magnet on it. If it sticks it's steel. If it falls off, it's aluminum.

looks like its steel. the magnet sticks. The guy who sold it said it was aluminum, I really don't care, I think the steel is more durable just prone to rust.

If you don't like the rust, coat it with rust bullet.

http://www.rustbullet.com/

Stick a pillow case over the valve and open it up to release the gas. If it is indeed CO2 it will form chunks of dry ice inside the pillow case. Or you can always hook your regulator up to it and smell it. You'll get that burping sensation in your nose

Clearcut23 said:

Stick a pillow case over the valve and open it up to release the gas. If it is indeed CO2 it will form chunks of dry ice inside the pillow case. Or you can always hook your regulator up to it and smell it. You'll get that burping sensation in your nose

Click to expand...

It must be co2 we filled a 2 liter bottle of water and made carbon ated water. I don't know of any other property that is stored in a tank that will do that. So I guess its co2

okiedog said:

If you don't like the rust, coat it with rust bullet.

http://www.rustbullet.com/

Click to expand...

Thanks. I will keeo in mind for future bottles, this one is coated in a black plastic substance. I was thinking the inside is the part im also concered with.