Upgrading CO2 tanks

This may be common knowledge here, but I just found it out yesterday. I took my empty cylinder into the local beer distributor for an exchange. I asked the guy if I could upgrade from the 5# to a 10 or 20# tank. He said I could. THe deposit amount is the same you just pay an extra $10 for the additional 15#'s of gas. Fan-freaking-tastic. I now have the 20# cylindar in my basement for a mear $23.00, that should minimize the number of trips for refills, plus 4 times the gas for only twice the cost.

I doubt this is useful info if you store your tank in the fridge or only have an uinder the counter sized kegorator.

Are you paying a deposit because the store ownes them?

Yes, you pay a deposit, get a tank, then exchange the empty tank for a full one as needed.

Kind of like the Walmart propane tank exchange program.

Can someone enlighten me on the usual practice for Co2 filling/exchange? I have everything but a co2 tank for kegging. Most of the local places charge $85 for a new 5lb tank, mail order seems to be around $65 shipped.

Do most of the chain gas places do exchanges or fills? If they do exchanges, do they usually do this deposit system? If they do exchanges can I just buy a crappy old 2 lb tank or something and exchange it for a 5 lb tank?

I really don't want to spend $65 on a new tank if all I'm going to do is go turn it in to the shop and get an old tank in return...

My local place - National Welders - sold me the tank, but does a simple exchange when I bring it back empty. So, I'll keep the tank when I move but not necessarily the one I started with. They're a national chain - as their name would indicate - so if you can find a branch, I'd recommend them.

Focus

I held on to my shiney new one for quite awhile, but in the end the convenience of exchange outweighed waiting for a fill.

Most times I had to drop off one dsay and pick up the next.

Shiney tank doesn't affect the beer quality. I just let it go.

Ok, so I should just buy one eh

Would this work?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92809

Harbor freight is near my house, no shipping. Also no details on it. I assume a Co2 tank is a Co2 tank though right? I don't know how many pounds a 20 cu ft tank is, but the dimensions listed are about the same as a 5lb tank.

debtman7 said:

Ok, so I should just buy one eh

Would this work?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92809

Harbor freight is near my house, no shipping. Also no details on it. I assume a Co2 tank is a Co2 tank though right? I don't know how many pounds a 20 cu ft tank is, but the dimensions listed are about the same as a 5lb tank.

Click to expand...

Go talk to the guys at the place you're going to get it filled. They all have different policies.

I'm leary of bottle exchanges of any kind. I don't have CO2 tank because I'm not kegging, but I don't exchange my propane tanks. I don't like the idea of using a tank that could have been mistreated or damaged, so I prefer to buy new and refill.

Well propane being as flammable as it is would worry me more than Co2.

I simply exchange my 20# for a full one. 20# lasts a while (about 6-8 months). Exchanging has brought me from a 5# to 10# to 20# as my gas shop was out of each and just "upgraded" me for free to the larger bottle.