C02 tanks

Question... What would a good price be for a 50LB C02 tank be? I got my 5Lb one filled, and asked about the processes for filling it myself (assuming i got a bigger tank) and they said it would only equalize pressure if you hooked the two tanks up. How do you alls do it?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/fill-your-own-dang-co2-bottle-75951/

having pointed you here, I'll warn you to buy the 50# bottle WITH a "dip Tube" or a "Siphon Tube"

You will end up with about 4# in your 5# bottle....but YOU get to fill it, so WHO CARES!

Nevermind - misread the OP!

Like Everything, it's a bit investment.....Maybe $300 for a 50# Tank....but it's $30 to fill the 50# tank, and you can fill your 5# 10 times!

just be careful. As an avid paintballer. I started filling my own and my friends CO2 tanks to save money. (before I switched over to nitro) anyway..you NEED AND MUST HAVE a good scale to weight your empty bottle, hit the TARE button to reset to 0 and then fill it(digital is best). Even then I think it's a bit dangerous. I had a c02 bottle burst on my before and it AIN'T fun.

So if you are gonna do it...do it right!

Dan

flyweed said:

just be careful. As an avid paintballer. I started filling my own and my friends CO2 tanks to save money. (before I switched over to nitro) anyway..you NEED AND MUST HAVE a good scale to weight your empty bottle, hit the TARE button to reset to 0 and then fill it(digital is best). Even then I think it's a bit dangerous. I had a c02 bottle burst on my before and it AIN'T fun.

So if you are gonna do it...do it right!

Dan

Click to expand...

I understand your concern, but if you don't have a pump, it's not going to matter. If you have 1# or 4 1/2# in a tank, you will have the same pressure. The only time this will be an issue, is if you over fill with a pump, and end up without enough head space in the tank. Even then, the over pressure disk in the valve should give way thousands of pounds of pressure before the tank gives way. Just as the OP said, We are just equalizing pressure here, that will prevent you from ever getting a "Full Fill" but with no pump you can not over fill the receiving tank.

flyweed said:

just be careful. As an avid paintballer. I started filling my own and my friends CO2 tanks to save money. (before I switched over to nitro) anyway..you NEED AND MUST HAVE a good scale to weight your empty bottle, hit the TARE button to reset to 0 and then fill it(digital is best). Even then I think it's a bit dangerous. I had a c02 bottle burst on my before and it AIN'T fun.

So if you are gonna do it...do it right!

Dan

Click to expand...

As a former paintballer and ref, I agree that a scale is best. Back in my 'outlaw' days I always did my own fills without a scale. I used to freeze the small bottle to maximize the fill and fill from my 20#...dangerous to do without a scale. I never had one blow which is surely due to luck. The only times I had discs rupture was as a ref filling at the field. The common practice was to do a quick fill, dump it to freeze the bottle, then fill the bottle full as it was hanging on a scale. In hind site I wonder if the freezing made the burst disc weak.

If you don't have a scale you are likely still relatively safe to fill so long as you don't freeze the small bottle and stop filling when you hear the flow slow down...NOT when the flow actually stops. On second thought, just invest in a scale and play it safe. :rockin:

Thanks all! and the big bottle was on 200$ bK

claphamsa said:

Thanks all! and the big bottle was on 200$ bK

Click to expand...

I'll take another for that! Congrats.

When I worked for our Ambulance service, we filled our own O2 bottles with 50lb tanks.

You can only equalize the pressure, 1800lbs in the 50 = 1800 into your other tank. You can not overfill unless you have a pump.

Filling small paintball tanks, would be different....

Uhh call
Baltimore Welding Supply Co
Write a review
2718 N Point Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21222
(410) 282-2800‎

they seem to have the best deal. I talked to him the other day he has a 5lber for 85 but wanted a 20lber for 100 with a 15 fill.

If i wanted to fill a paintball tank could I flip my big tank upside down?

I would still need to find a way to connect the two. Plan A was to connect the paintball "remote" hose to the "high pressure" side of my pressure regulator. The "right turn" style threads on my hose for the paintball tank will not connect to the "left turn" style threads on the regulator.

Anyone know of an adapter for this problem?

madewithchicken said:

If i wanted to fill a paintball tank could I flip my big tank upside down?

Click to expand...

Check my fill your own thread. Yes You can. But be very careful. The cheap Paintball tanks are apparently very fragile, and according to flyweed are prone to exploding.

monty73741 said:

Uhh call
Baltimore Welding Supply Co
Write a review
2718 N Point Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21222
(410) 282-2800‎

they seem to have the best deal. I talked to him the other day he has a 5lber for 85 but wanted a 20lber for 100 with a 15 fill.

Click to expand...

SparklingCarbonic.com sells them to the public now for what they used to sell to distributors.

This is from their craigslist ad:

"I have a number of co2 cylinders ranging in size from 2.5# to 20# size. Prices range from $25 to $75. These cylinders are all freshly tested and can be filled if picked up. You will not find a better cylinder for a better price. Please call with any questions at 513/325-7279."


I have two 2.5# and one 10#.

man thinks are cheaper in OHIO

I am saying you should find the people how do the actual testing and refurbishing in you area. If they will not sell to the public find a friend with a small business. Usually all vendors want is an the tax info for the business.

made with chicken-do not run liquid co2 through your regulator. you will buy a new reg very soon if you do.

i am not sure who said it, but freezing a co2 tank to fill it is very dangerous if you do not have a scale.

i am sure whoever said it did not have a tank rupture in their hand. (they would not have a hand anymore) they had a burst disk go. its loud, but really not that dangerous.(unless you are in a closed space)

fill your own co2 only at room temperature.

all co2 paintball tanks are made to the same specs of the regular size co2 tanks we use every day. they all have a DOT rating on them. if they do not, so not use them. they are unsafe, and should have been taken out of service.

i've been in the compressed gas business my entire life. my father started our business 40 years ago.

any questions, please ask.



i personally do hydrostatic testing of cylinders. the dot rating of the normal co2 tank is 1800 lbs working pressure. the test rating is 3000psi.