maltoftheearth
Well-Known Member
I live one hour away from my "local" home brew store and will soon need to have my CO2 tank refilled. What sorts of places might do that for me? And what sorts of prices are you getting when you go there?
Who Refills Your CO2 Tank? (not your LHBS?)
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Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Look for a place that services fire extinguishers. That will probably be the cheapest cost. Some places that fill paintball gun bottles are also able to fill our tanks at an ok rate. A third place is a welding gas supplier. Check your area and make some calls.
For reference the fire extinguisher place I use filled my 20# tank for $17.
For reference the fire extinguisher place I use filled my 20# tank for $17.
Craven_Morebrew
Member
I get mine filled at Linweld for about $15 and some change..
I exchange mine at our local welding supply store. I have a variety of tanks, here are the refill prices:
2 pound-$7
5 pound-$8
30 and 35 pound tanks-$12
50 pound-$20
The 2 pounder is for keg take-out, the 50 was in the barn of a house a friend bought, and the owner of the welding store traded my 2 20 pound tanks for the 30 and 35.
These are all exchange prices except forth 2 pounder, I drop it off and pick it up a few days later since there are only 2 of this size in town.
2 pound-$7
5 pound-$8
30 and 35 pound tanks-$12
50 pound-$20
The 2 pounder is for keg take-out, the 50 was in the barn of a house a friend bought, and the owner of the welding store traded my 2 20 pound tanks for the 30 and 35.
These are all exchange prices except forth 2 pounder, I drop it off and pick it up a few days later since there are only 2 of this size in town.
android
Well-Known Member
ditto on the local welding shop.
Airgas. I just swap, too, so I no longer have a shiny tank but I also don't have to worry about hydro cert dates.
OP
OP
maltoftheearth
Well-Known Member
So Airgas requires you to use their tanks?
paul
Well-Known Member
I get mine filled at a place that services fire extinguishers.
$6 for 5 lb
$6 for 5 lb
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Yeah, most places do a swap and won't fill your tank. They either send them off to another facility to be filled or just can't fill your tank because of policy. So you get a cruddy old steel tank when you swap out your shiny new one.
If I were to do it again I wouldn't have bought my own and just put down a deposit on a swapper. I drive 30 miniutes to get mine filled when the airgas is right up the street next to another place that does the same.
A welding supply shop fills my 5lb tank for $5 (they have a tank the size of my house.) Arigass wants $32 for a exchange.
I was advised by my fire extinguisher place that the "crudy old steel" tanks are actually better than the new shiny aluminum ones.
bmbigda
Well-Known Member
if you post where you live exactly, you might find others around you on here?
i was in a pinch needing a fill on a sunday and got directed to a paintball field i never knew existed (they dont have a web site!)
i was in a pinch needing a fill on a sunday and got directed to a paintball field i never knew existed (they dont have a web site!)
Yeah, but they're heavier and they rust! The guy at the welding shop always tries to grab me an aluminum tank if he can. Much easier to carry for me.
There is a gas place that fills them for me, about an hour's drive away. But the swap place is 2 miles from me and is not expensive at all (about the same price, actually) and the hydro tests don't matter when you swap.
Nope. I've acquired tanks from other homebrewers, and they've never questioned where I got them, and they aren't Airgas tanks. Pretty sure as long as they don't say "PROPERTY OF COCA-COLA," you're good to go.
william_shakes_beer
Well-Known Member
Are there any concerns about the co2 being clean enough to go into a food product? welders and firemen don't usually eat from their tanks.
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
There are some great threads that debate this to the bitter end. My general consensus is that my CO2 from a welding supply is just fine.
motobrewer
I'm no atheist scientist, but...
fox welding supply
I use AirGas too... if you find a full facility they'll fill for you but most of their branches are swap only. I go to a full facility but I don't care about a shiny tank so just swap out when I go in. It is faster and easier for everyone involved and, as mentioned, no worries about certs or anything. Oh and I got a second tank with a handle out of the deal last time so works out well. 
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Local welding shop as well. $14 for a fill.
burninmules
Well-Known Member
The only place anywhere near me that will refill them is a fire extinguisher place. Anywhere else in the area does swaps only. I pay 21 dollars to fill my 5 pound tank though ;( I could do a swap for less money but, I have such a nice shiny aluminum tank.
In Chicago west suburbs, out the door inclusive of hazmat and local taxes:
AirGas, West Chicago: $24 5# exchange
Terrace Supply, Schaumburg: $21 5# exchange.
This place was recommended to me by a local homebrewer, but I have not tried them yet:
Pain Co2 exchange, Addison: $17 fill your 20# tank. This strikes me as a better alternative to the industrial and welding supply houses, especially considering the cost.
They apparently supply the regional food and beverage services.
AirGas, West Chicago: $24 5# exchange
Terrace Supply, Schaumburg: $21 5# exchange.
This place was recommended to me by a local homebrewer, but I have not tried them yet:
Pain Co2 exchange, Addison: $17 fill your 20# tank. This strikes me as a better alternative to the industrial and welding supply houses, especially considering the cost.
They apparently supply the regional food and beverage services.
There is one more near there MikeYoung, Illinois Fire and Safety (In Addison as well). $19 and change to refill your 5# tank. The guys there are friendly and helpful. This is where I go. Might have to check our Pain though.
Brewsncrabs
Well-Known Member
My LBD (local beer dist) fills em! They prob dont like me anymore as I drink my own!
$20 for 20# at a place here if I tell them the LHBS sent me. That's refilling my tank. They probably would do an exchange for the same price.
That's where I get mine filled, and for about the same price...
I actually picked up an old 20lb steel tank, and I just noticed that it has a coca-cola stamp on it
. It looks like the last stamp was '95.How certain are you that they won't fill this tank?
I ask because the Airgas around me, actually allows re-fills, so maybe the policy's differ from store to store.
They won't fill it if it is out of cert... or, more accurately, they will charge you to certify it before filling it.
As far as not filling if it has a "property of" on it? I've never heard of someone being turned away.
As far as not filling if it has a "property of" on it? I've never heard of someone being turned away.
MonkeyWrench
Well-Known Member
Take it in and ask. If they say no, take it somewhere else. Problem is, you might be in possession of stolen property. Also, my welding shops won't exchange a tank that says someone else's name on it because it's a rental tank.
As far as where to exchange, check gardening and hydroponics stores. My aunt owns a hydroponic store and exchanges 20+ lb aluminum tanks. Prices start at $10.99 for a 20lb exchange and go up from there. I saw that and told her she doesn't charge nearly enough. Some others near you might fill them, I'd call around.
What's really cool, she does enough CO2 business that she got me a free full 10lb aluminum cyl! Score!!
As far as where to exchange, check gardening and hydroponics stores. My aunt owns a hydroponic store and exchanges 20+ lb aluminum tanks. Prices start at $10.99 for a 20lb exchange and go up from there. I saw that and told her she doesn't charge nearly enough. Some others near you might fill them, I'd call around.
What's really cool, she does enough CO2 business that she got me a free full 10lb aluminum cyl! Score!!
My buddy at the LHBS up the street from me installed a fill system and the air supply guy told him to deep freeze the tanks before filling to get them as full as possible. So if you go in with a cold/frozen tank you may optimize your fill. That doesn't help you with your question though.
If you're in a "green state" you may also look for the local grow supply store. Filling or exchanging tanks is a high volume item for them and the prices are competitive.
If you're in a "green state" you may also look for the local grow supply store. Filling or exchanging tanks is a high volume item for them and the prices are competitive.
GNBrews
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Since keeping your tank cool on the way to get a fill is a bit of a PITA, most gas distributors will fill the tank slightly, let it cool, then dump the pressure from the tank quickly to cool it to sub-zero temps before the actual fill.
i use airgas. honest fill, and fills a 10 lb for around $5
That makes sense and is a good idea, I'm going to see if it will work for my buddy. He only has a 700lb mother tank so every drop counts when it comes to product loss vs him making a few bucks on a fill.
Hydro date is 5 years from the date stamped on the tank. I was told that violations are fined at $10k per instance, when I tried to have my old 20 oz paintball tank filled. That's really almost too bad. The 20 oz tank is the perfect size for tailgating and picnics. I still might try filling it by inverting my own larger tank, but that's already too much trouble for its $20 replacement value.
I personally haven't had an issue, but I know some people around here have. YMMV.
Gameface
Well-Known Member
Airgas.
I keep my tank and pay $8 for a 10# fill.
I keep my tank and pay $8 for a 10# fill.
I actually picked up an old 20lb steel tank, and I just noticed that it has a coca-cola stamp on it
How certain are you that they won't fill this tank?
I ask because the Airgas around me, actually allows re-fills, so maybe the policy's differ from store to store.
TomSD is correct. I've been denied because my old steel one was out of Cert. It's expensive to get it recertified, $40 I think. However, the place I went to rebuilt the valve for me for no charge.
Also, if my experience is similar to your area, you will have to leave the tank there for them to certify it and come back another day to pick it up.
I don't mind paying to get it re-certified, since the 20lb cylinder only cost me $30, half full. I'm just worried about the coca-cola stamp making the tank unusable.
