$5 a LB for CO2??

Is this right? Or do I need to grab another brew and sitthe****backdown?

My local welding shop told me that it would be around $25 to fill my lowly 5# CO2 tank with compressed exhaled breath.

I guess I am new to the kegging realm, but that seems a bit steep for such a small tank.
-Me

Definitely sounds steep. I got mine filled for $14, another place was $16 to trade and the most expensive was $19.

You get grease with that?

my LHBS charges $2 a pound, and the welding shop fills a 5# tank for $8.
I'd tell him You'll pay $25 if it comes with a full corny!

I don't even pay $25 to fill a 20# tank. Time to shop around!

maybe that guy saw you on tv and though you were good for the money. maybe you announced something that he wanted he hear. He didnt know you really werent that happy with your marriage and were only sticking around for the kid. A little co2 to pad his wallet didn;t seem like a bad idea, i mean, you werent the one kicking anyones ass right? how does the old saying go, if you can;t do, teach. is it not the same for announcers? if you can;t do, announce? maybe he had your number? expensive air followed by expensive adivice.

My last 2 fills were:

5 lb - $10 at a beer distributer
20 lb - $15 at a welding / gas supply shop

Ya, I pay $2 per # at the local fire extinguisher place. The most expensive place around here is $20 for a 5# tank.

$8.50 for 5# here...

BarleyWater said:

Ya, I pay $2 per # at the local fire extinguisher place. The most expensive place around here is $20 for a 5# tank.

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+1. Those places are generally cheapest.

i filled my 20lb tank for $22, it was ~$1/lb + filling fee at a local fire supply shop

Many times, you will spend a fixed amount just to have the compressed gas folks handle your tank. It's usually much cheaper per pound to have a 15-20lb tank filled than a 5lb.

I pay $8 for a #5 exchange. Maybe they are charging more for filling your bottle while you wait?

5 lb tank refill = $27 at gas pro.
20 lb tank swap out = $20 at FFF.
I use my 20 lb for my keggerator, and the 5 lb tanks for get togethers that I use a two draft picnic box.

I pay $14 for an exchange at Airgas.

When I first filled my tanks in NW PA,
5# was $11.25
10# was 11.50.

It's the labor to fill it. it's the same for both sized tanks.

Now in brooklyn I pay $23 for a 10# swap.

B

$9.50 at fire extinguisher shop for 5lb, and $12 something for a 10lb.
Koetter fire protection in Dallas.
You are paying more for the service than you are for the gas. They get the gas from the air we breathe. Even a local bar I know has a nitrogen co2 scrubber for their beer. That welding shop is just giving you the a$$hole tax because they are used to dealing with bigger bottles.

I pay 14.00 for a 5# swap.

check places that fill up tanks for paintball. They usually have the adapter to fill a 5lb tank and wont rip you off.

Cool. I might see if I cant get a bigger tank either from them or even my buddy. (He works for a restaurant and might be able to get me one)
Thanks for the replies!
-Me

5.00 for a 5 lb here at local soda place and 9 at the lhbs

I usually just do a swap at the local welding supply place here.

20# - $27
10# - $22
5# - $18

The gas is cheap, but the service and hazmat charges are what makes filling a 5# just ridiculous.

I don't keg so I am not sure if this would work. But I used to play paintball a lot. A lot of people use CO2 tanks (I used high pressure air) and Pb shops usually fill any size tank for 4 bucks. I don't know if the fitting is the same but i may be worth looking nito..

There is a place off Virginia Beach Blvd in Norfolk called Fire-X. They are a fire extinguisher place. About 14 bucks to fill a 5lb tank and they do it right there. No exchanging of tanks. Kinda far for you but there should be a ton of welding shops near you. The only reason I say that is because there is a ton of ship yards near you aswell, and where there is ship yards, there is welding shops.

I had a 5 and 10 # filled for $16 each. Last week I had a 20# swapped/exchanged for $15 from a different place.

Skins_Brew said:

There is a place off Virginia Beach Blvd in Norfolk called Fire-X. They are a fire extinguisher place. About 14 bucks to fill a 5lb tank and they do it right there. No exchanging of tanks. Kinda far for you but there should be a ton of welding shops near you. The only reason I say that is because there is a ton of ship yards near you aswell, and where there is ship yards, there is welding shops.

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Yeah, I think thats the place that HBUSA suggested I go to fill my tank. I might have to make the trek out there to get this taken care of. Either that or get a bigger tank.
-Me

I received a free 20lb CO2 tank from an old job that the hydro had expired in 1986. I had to pay 20 bucks for the rehydro on it and it cost 21 to fill it. To fill my 5lb tank it had been costing me 20.50

Ahoy hoy,
Up here in interior Alaska, its about 31 bucks to fill a 20 pounder.
FYI.....

I have heard the same price from AirGas mid-America. I thought it was kinda steep, but they are the only place around for me

Maybe it's just more expensive in CT - my last 3 tank swaps (5#) were done at 3 different companies - all of them were $18.

Hope you get a reach around too for that amount.....