What's the *highest* price you've seen quoted for a CO2 swap?

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the_bird

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I called over to the homebrew shop to see how much a CO2 tank exchange would cost, since I'm going over there this weekend anyway and the local Airgas place is a PITA to get before they close...

10# tank. All in date. Just a swap.

FIFTY ****ING DOLLARS! American dollars! Fifty of 'em!

For a ten-pound tank. $25 if I was just swapping a five!

Airgas isn't the cheapest place, I'm sure, but $50 for ten pounds of CO2? REALLY? People pay that? I mean, I know he's got to make a living, I'm happy to support the store even though it's an hour+ drive to get there... but even if he's paying retail to get those tanks swapped himself, he's still got to be getting a 100%+ markup on them!

So, I'm taking off a little early on the day before the long weekend, and hitting up Airgas. I'm sure I'll spend $50 at the homebrew shop this weekend, but I'll be damned if it's on CO2.
 
That's insane!!
I spend 23 dollars to fill up a 20lb tank...
Igotsand
 
Well, you ARE in EBF, MA... I've been using a place in Quincy that refills your tanks for a reasonable rate. If I recall, it was about $12 to fill a 10# tank. $17 to fill the 20# when I had that done. Just hope to find a similar place close to Nashua, NH once I've moved. :D :drunk:
 
I go to either airgas $24 or to boston fire extinguisher in lynn ma which is $10 if you leave it overnight (filled by 8am) or $20 if you fill as you wait
 
... so, Airgas was no better. Absolutely insane, the pricing, I've got to find another place (but yeah, East Bumble**** and all). The CO2 itself wasn't bad... about $20. But, there was friggin' $24 worth of fuel and hazmat surcharges. And of course, I didn't think to confirm the price until I already had the new tank in the car, and I *need* CO2. But, Jesus Friggin' Christ, that ****ing hurts. $46 friggin' dollars. **** me (they just did).
 
You've been officially "Graped" by AirGas... :eek:

I'd start hunting for other CO2 sources if I was you.

I actually just did a little looking for myself... Found a place that seems reasonable in Derry, NH (moving to Nashua, NH) that fills (while you wait no less) a 5# tank for $10... Will have to call and see what they get for the other size tanks and such. But a ~30 minute drive is well worth not getting graped. :eek: :ban:
 
There's a fire extinguisher place I've gone to before, but the problem is that it's on the far side of Pittsfield, and I have to leave the tank overnight. That's the opposite direction of work, so that's basically an hour and a half out of my morning, for two mornings. I know there's another welding-supply place in Pittsfield, I'll call them next week, see if they'll swap, I have a 20# tank that's empty, too, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna give AirGas $100 to swap that one!
 
Well, darn. I found a place to swap my 5# for about $7, and a 10# for $10.

But the last time, I took my 10# in and he didn't have any 10#. And I really, really wanted gas. He told me didn't have any 5#s either. So he gave me a 20#, for $15. I got a 20# for my 10#!

I had to come home and drill my fridge door (the 10# fit in the fridge, while the 20# barely did) but now I have a 20# tank that should last me a long long time, and a 5# spare for when I travel, or run out of gas in the tank, or for the small kegerator at the cottage.

Um, sorry, Jay. One of the advantages of living in a rural area, I guess. :D
 
I do live in a friggin' rural area!

Jesus, man... "HazMat charge"? What's the hazardous material here? And $18 "fuel surcharge"? Did it ****ing fly first class into Pittsfield?
 
For the difference, it would be worth going to either Derry or Quincy to get the tank filled.

My main CO2 tank is a 20# (all tanks sit outside the brew fridge). I have a 10# that's for when the 20# runs out so I have plenty of time to get it filled. Or for when I get/make my keezer (hopefully not too far away). I might get another 10# or 20# tank at that point, so that I always have a spare tank. Of course, I also have my original 5# tank and a cute 2.5# tank for use in a pinch. Not to mention the paintball bottles that I can use for other things. :D You can never have too much CO2 bottles/tanks filled and on hand. Never know when you'll need to use them (well, I do most of the time). :D
 
I do live in a friggin' rural area!

Jesus, man... "HazMat charge"? What's the hazardous material here? And $18 "fuel surcharge"? Did it ****ing fly first class into Pittsfield?

Most likely... They had you by the short hairs and knew it. That's why I'll only go to places that fill my tank for me. No stupid travel charges tacked on there. :tank:
 
Most likely... They had you by the short hairs and knew it. That's why I'll only go to places that fill my tank for me. No stupid travel charges tacked on there. :tank:

See, I don't think so. Guy couldn't have been nicer. Didn't seem like a dink (we were chatting a bit), and I don't HE was getting anything extra for the markup.
 
See, I don't think so. Guy couldn't have been nicer. Didn't seem like a dink (we were chatting a bit), and I don't HE was getting anything extra for the markup.

Sure, he was nice, since YOU'RE the one getting graped (not him)...

I'd seriously find someplace that's more reasonable for the CO2 and just stock up so that you don't need to go very often. I've had my 20# connected up for about a year now and the high pressure gauge hasn't moved much at all. Just hope I can get it filled/swapped before the hydro date expires on it.
 
I've payed $18 for my 5# from Airgas before and thought that that was crazy since at all of the homebrew shops around here it's like $14 but I just went to a welding and gas supply place called Quimby who I used to use for industrial uses at work and it's $12.44 which is the best I've ever seen around here.
 
I swapped 10lb out yesterday for $12.58 at Airgas. They are pretty good about swap outs, but they won't fill my 5lb, and I don't want to swap my beautiful aluminum tank for their crappy steel ones. I am working on building a rig to fill my 5 from my 10, then run the 5 until empty, refill again, and then swap out the 10. Pain in the butt, but I get to keep my tank. When I have the rig built, I will be switching to a siphon tube 10.
 
I swapped 10lb out yesterday for $12.58 at Airgas. They are pretty good about swap outs, but they won't fill my 5lb, and I don't want to swap my beautiful aluminum tank for their crappy steel ones. I am working on building a rig to fill my 5 from my 10, then run the 5 until empty, refill again, and then swap out the 10. Pain in the butt, but I get to keep my tank. When I have the rig built, I will be switching to a siphon tube 10.

That's going to get expensive fast, since you'll be lucky to get a single fill of the 5# from the 10# tank. You have to chill the tank being filled before you can fill it, which means venting out the CO2 you dump into it. Unless you have a compressor on the system (which places that fill larger tanks do have). IF you're serious about doing that, get at least a 20# tank for the source. Even then, you'll only get a couple of fillings for the 5# tank.
 
Refrigeration of the tank, and re-filling when 5lb tank has 8oz by weight left in it gives me a clean fill with only a half pound loss per fill. It is not ideal, but it is not totally wasteful either. I could go the 55lb route, but I really don't want to make that first purchase.
 
Thing is, I've got to Airgas many times before (this shop and the one up in Bennington), and it's never been THIS expensive. I was planning on maybe $25 - pay a little more, but it's convenient and all. That's why I'm pissed I didn't think to ask until I was all loaded up - not that I had too much of a choice, I've got to get this beer kegged and both tanks are empty.
 
Thing is, I've got to Airgas many times before (this shop and the one up in Bennington), and it's never been THIS expensive. I was planning on maybe $25 - pay a little more, but it's convenient and all. That's why I'm pissed I didn't think to ask until I was all loaded up - not that I had too much of a choice, I've got to get this beer kegged and both tanks are empty.

I know- that would piss me off too. Who would think it would be that outrageous?

The good news is you have beer on tap, and that ********* doesn't. And your beer is better even if he did have beer on tap.

Does that help?

No, I didn't think so either. but I tried!
 
The only time I paid that much was when I brought my 10lb tank into the LHBS and discovered that the safety inspection was due again. That was a pisser. I think it's around $15 for a 10lb tank exchange normally. I wonder why it's so high where you are?
 
I know- that would piss me off too. Who would think it would be that outrageous?

The good news is you have beer on tap, and that ********* doesn't. And your beer is better even if he did have beer on tap.

Does that help?

No, I didn't think so either. but I tried!

Well, I've found another welding-supply place on the other end of Pittsfield (where I don't usually go); I'll call them next week and get a quote on the 20#, but the *great* news is that they appear to actually be open Saturday mornings! That's the other pisser, having to bail out of work early to get to a place that closes at 4:30.

I don't think the dude at the store had anything to do with the fees, it's all corporate and he's just working there. I'm abstaining from declaring him to be full of *****ebaggery.
 
I don't think the dude at the store had anything to do with the fees, it's all corporate and he's just working there. I'm abstaining from declaring him to be full of *****ebaggery.

I agree, but what kind of rant can it be without throwing out the d'bag word?


Being open on Saturday mornings is a HUGE plus- that would be awesome if that worked out for you!
 
I have really enjoyed reading this thread today. I took all three tanks in to get swapped at a welding supply store that I usually have fil all of my CO2 needs. These were the prices quoted for swapping:

5 lbs $24, 20 lbs $36 and 50 lbs $62. There was also a mandatory hazordous cargo charge of $5 per tank for the exchange regardless of the tank size. I was also told that it is now against the law to transport any 20 lb or larger tank in the trunck of a car or back of a van. They offered to deliver the tanks for an extra $10 per tank plus 40 cents milage. All of these prices were increases of 50% or more from 6 months ago so I just said screw it. Drove back home and took the tanks to a fire safety equipment store and had them refill all three for a grand total of $70 plus tax with no extra charges. They even helped my load the 50 lb tank into my pickup. The dang thing weighs over 100 lbs when full. After all of this I now know which place is going to get a sampler case of beer next time I bottle.
 
Last weekend I swapped an out of date, steel, 20# tank for a full, in date, aluminum, 20# tank. I think it was only $26, which is a few dollars more than it took to fill my other steel, 20 tank.

I plan on upgrading to another aluminum one when it is out.
 
I have found it doesn't hurt to tell them what you are going to doing with the co2, as most people do enjoy beer. Last time I swapped out some tanks the grumpy gas guys face lit up when I told him I use the co2 to carbonate my home brewed beer. My steel tank got swapped to an aluminum one. Also the medical oxygen tank that another place wouldn't take, he gladly took and traded me a non medical tank so I didn't need a perscription. It can't hurt to start a conversation. I usually will just get my tank filled, but if the inspection is close or over due I'll swap it. It does seem like the price of gas has gone up at least 30% since last year.
 
Refill (swap) for 2 kg CO2 is 33 (was 20 if i recall) euro now at my local shop.
Problem is: I could probably be cheaper when I do a refill on a normal gas reseller, but my local shop is just 10 minutes drive from work. Saves a lot of time and petrol.
 
I took a keg with me to a family reunion in Idaho. I knew I would need a refill on my CO2, so I called to see what it would cost me there. One place quoted me $32 for a swap on a 5lb. I don't remember the name of the place, but I think it was somewhere similar to Airgas or Praxair. Needless to say, I opted for a fill while you wait here in PA for $10.
 
Another to place to try might be an auto parts store if they keep Oxy and Acet for the shops. I work for an auto parts store that exchanges airgas tanks and its about $24 out the door for 20lb. Never check hydros, open 7 days a week, and I believe cheaper than going straight to airgas!
 
I swapped my 20# tank and 5# tank out at Airgas in Orlando FL two weeks ago, It was $38 after tax for both. I did not pay attention to the individual price and this was my first time doing a swap. Normally I go to a local package store where they fill the tanks.
 
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