Keg CO2 with 12oz paintball gun tank

I'm thinking of getting into kegging because I'm tired of bottling. I've been looking into the necessary hardware, and I came across an interesting idea from Williams Brewing supply here: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_PAINTBALL_TANK_R_P1791C148.cfm I already have a paintball setup so this seems like a good use for my paintball gun tanks since I don't paintball much anymore.

Regular CO2 regulators cost $30 less then that setup there. Hopefully there is a adapter somewhere that would mate the paintball gun tank to a regular CO2 regulator. So it would seem that the smart move would be to buy a regular CO2 regulator and the right fitting to attach to a paintball gun tank pin valve. What sort of fitting do regular CO2 tanks use? Has anyone tried to jerry-rig something like this before or bought the designated unit from Williams Brewing?

Thanks!

I have not tried it but here is someone who has ...


Let us know how it turns out.

I was wondering, does the CO2 need to be food grade? or can it be the kind from a paintball store?

I get my CO2 from a welding shop, I doubt it is "food-grade". Just pure.

Not sure.

I fill my own CO2 at work. We have a paint ball site:rockin:
The CO2 comes for BOC. I guess I should ask.

I made one by ulitlizing a 5/8 -1/4 reducer, a 6" 1/4 steel braided hose and a ASA (air source adapter) from my box O' spare paintball gun parts.

I am still dealing with a small leak coming from the 5/8 reducer because it doesn't seem to be seated quite right with the regulator. I may just have to redo it altogether.

The biggest PITA is that most soda regs are left hand thread(at least mine are) If it were simply standard pipe threads it would be a snap to hook up.

Any online paintball shop will have the steel braided line and a ASA for CO2 tanks.

I built one of those and it works pretty good. I used a paintball tank filler and the line that came with, hooked it to a regulator making sure all the threads were tight, and had to use a couple reducers. Connected with the regular keg connectors. Actually pretty simple once I found the hardware.

This is as simple as it gets.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Once I get my keg I guess I should take the CO2 cylinder and the keg fittings with me to Home depot and see what I can make.

Why not by a small CO2 fire extinguisher and take the horn off and fit pvc tubing.

i feel that the paintball tank setups are nice for temporary setups or also for traveling, but limited in their use for permament installations (kegerator at the house). i feel that for the cost, just a bit more money can garner you an industrial co2 tank that will last much longer. if you look on craigslist, you are bound to find a good deal. i found a 50# co2 tank for 20 dollars once. regulators can also be found for pretty cheap as well, and there you have your full system that will last much longer than a 20oz paintball tank. the fills are much cheaper per lb of co2 as well. it cost me around 15 to fill my 50# tank (this was last year, and prices have risen, but still maybe around 20 if i were to do it now), and i expect this tank to last me years with the way i use it (serving only at my kegerator, i use my 20# tanks to carbonate during conditioning in the chest freezer/fermentation chamber).

look at the total long-term cost, not just the immediate costs. if you can front the greater immediate costs of industrial tanks, i would definitely recommend it.

ptpeter said:

I was wondering, does the CO2 need to be food grade? or can it be the kind from a paintball store?

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Just make sure the co2 is not for pellet guns, as they inject a lubricant in with the gas!

In the UK food and non food CO2 is the same. The regulations come in on the storage and labeling after the bottles are filled.