How heavy is a filled 20oz tank?

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CanadianNorth

CanadianNorth

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ok,

so my title is the bottom line, but read on if you want more info!

I am new to kegging, and haven't even emptied one of my two 5 gal kegs yet.

The problem is - I seem to be chugging through co2 and I don't know why.

I am basically going through a 20oz co2 tank for every keg, probably more. I check for leaks and can't find any.

So, my tanks feel a bit light, so I'm wondering if the place that's filling them is doing a good job or not.
My tanks, full, weigh 850 grams, or about 1 lb, 15oz's.

HELP!
 
I'm hoping that I've read your IP correct. 20 oz CO2 tank? Hmmmmm.... I would say that I do not know of any 20 oz CO2 tanks. But I do know that there are 20 lb. CO2 tanks. If you are going through a 20 oz CO2 tank then yes that should be about normal, considering the carb level and the pressure needed to dispense. Me thinks you should "up-grade" to atleast a 20 lb CO2 bottle. A 20 lb'er will then be sufficient to dispense homebrew for atleast a year. Just my $.02 worth.
 
the_Roqk said:
I'm hoping that I've read your IP correct. 20 oz CO2 tank? Hmmmmm.... I would say that I do not know of any 20 oz CO2 tanks. But I do know that there are 20 lb. CO2 tanks. If you are going through a 20 oz CO2 tank then yes that should be about normal, considering the carb level and the pressure needed to dispense. Me thinks you should "up-grade" to atleast a 20 lb CO2 bottle. A 20 lb'er will then be sufficient to dispense homebrew for atleast a year. Just my $.02 worth.
Click to expand...

Thanks

Unfortunately, yes. thats a 20oz tank. they are sold by Kegconnection.com, as an option, because there are more places to fill them than larger tanks.
Sadly -- looks like I got 'taken for a ride'

:-(
 
CanadianNorth said:
Thanks

Unfortunately, yes. thats a 20oz tank. they are sold by Kegconnection.com, as an option, because there are more places to fill them than larger tanks.
Sadly -- looks like I got 'taken for a ride'

:-(
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that you've been taken for a ride but you have purchased something that was only supposed to last for carbing and dispensing. By getting CO2 in a more "Bulk" quantity (say 5, 10, 20 lb) it will last longer. So, don't feel slighted. Experience will guide you to a better decision next time.

BTW you can always get that 20 oz tank refilled at a paintball shop for future homebrew dispensing.
 
20oz is a pretty common size for paintball. If there is a paintball shop or field near you, you should try to get it filled there. It will be cheap and they always fill them with the correct procedure. They should purge it to make sure it's empty, pump in a few ounces to freeze the bottle, purge again, then put the tank on a scale and pump in 20oz of Co2. Other then that, there's no real way to tell you how much your tank is going to weigh when it's full unless you know what it weighs when it is completely empty.
 
Myke_J said:
20oz is a pretty common size for paintball. If there is a paintball shop or field near you, you should try to get it filled there. It will be cheap and they always fill them with the correct procedure. They should purge it to make sure it's empty, pump in a few ounces to freeze the bottle, purge again, then put the tank on a scale and pump in 20oz of Co2. Other then that, there's no real way to tell you how much your tank is going to weigh when it's full unless you know what it weighs when it is completely empty.
Click to expand...


Thanks- I guess I can live with 20oz tanks for a while.

I am still thinking I'm not getting a full tank at the shop. Having dispensed propane in a past life, I know that they only fill them 80% full.
Do most shops have regulations for co2? Do they fill them all the way or do they go 'short' a bit?

thanks!
 
CanadianNorth said:
Do most shops have regulations for co2? Do they fill them all the way or do they go 'short' a bit?
Click to expand...

In my experiences, we always filled them to what they were rated. 16oz bottle got 16oz, 20oz got 20oz, etc... I don't have any experience filling anything larger then around 32 oz bottles or something in a commercial setting, but I would expect the same.
 
Weight the tanks before you get them filled. I know an empty steel #5 tank weights more than a full aluminum one.

I don't used 20 oz. tanks, but based on my experiences with #5'ers, you should be getting two kegs. I get 8+ kegs out of #5 and that's mostly soda water at 40 psi.
 
I think CO2 tanks are only supposed to be filled to 68% capacity. CO2 under pressure will turn to gas at around 100deg F. If you overfill you could exceed the rated pressure when the tank is heated.
 
I fill my own 20oz tanks from a main tank for the purpose of portability. On average empty weight is about 2.5lbs depending on the manufacture. Personally I only fill to 16 -18 oz of CO2 to give myself a safety margin and because it doesn't cost me any extra to fill it again. I've seen them burst when left in the heat, I'd rather avoid that and not waste CO2.

Will
 
I use my 20 oz. just for dispensing and it last me 4 or 5 kegs. I have a 20 lb. tank I have in my basement for carbing.
 
CanadianNorth said:
ok,

so my title is the bottom line, but read on if you want more info!

I am new to kegging, and haven't even emptied one of my two 5 gal kegs yet.

HELP!
Click to expand...

Hey, if you need help draining a keg, I can help. :D

And if you need help filling a keg I can help. :drunk:

I use 5 pound tanks for dispensing and 20 pound tanks for everything else.
Using those paintball tanks won't get you far using it to carb up and to dispense.
 

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