CO2 Container Question

[HomeBrewGuy89]

Just getting into this kegging setup business. I have a bunch of old paintball CO2 tanks from back in the day and was wondering if these are safe to use for kegging, speaking more on the topic of health and sanitation.

I know there are "food grade" CO2 cartridges out there so this is why I ask.

Right now I am buying the filled kegs with a pump from a local store. Which I recently found out that if you don't finish them in a day they go stale in the next day or two. So I have this beautifully full keg that is now stale that I would hate to let go to waste! The local store rents the CO2 hardware for the keg, so all I need is the CO2 source, which is what brings me to my question here.

 

[zachattack]

Many of us use paintball canisters to dispense but you'll need an adapter to work with a standard regulator.

The bad news is that the beer is toast. Once it's oxidized you can't go back.

 

[HomeBrewGuy89]

The bad news is that the beer is toast. Once it's oxidized you can't go back.

Interesting. I was under the impression that if it was sealed in the keg you could introduce CO2 to revitalize it back to normal quality? Is this true only in some circumstances?

 

[jddevinn]

No, the oxygen has an oxidation reaction with many many different things in the beer.... ie it is no longer oxygen but has chemically changed by reacting with stuff in the beer. No way to "un oxidize" these reactions.....ever

My only concern would be oil or other contaminants in the paintball canisters.

 

[HomeBrewGuy89]

Well darn. Hate wasting beer. Thank you for the in-sight gentlemen.

 

[ericbw]

Many people use paintball tanks. If you are concerned about contamination, get a sterile filter and put it in the line between the gas and the keg.

Take a look at kegconnection.com or kegoutlet.com. They both have a basic paintball set up for about $100. Or they will help you get the adapter and other parts separately. Both companies are helpful in my experience!

 

[jddevinn]

I have no issue with paintball tanks..... paintball tanks that are old and were filled by the paintball place is another issue!!! I'm sure that there is oil in the CO2 from a lot of paintball places.

 

[ericbw]

Why do paintball guns need oil in the gas? Why/how does the oil get in the tank?

 

[jddevinn]

paintball guns do not need oil in the gas, however the difference between food grade and industrial gas is contamination that can happen during storage. Gas for industrial use (ie paintball) MAY have had contaminants, likely oil, in it that remain in the tank. For the low cost I would not risk it.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Right now I am buying the filled kegs with a pump from a local store.

Just an FYI on this. The hand pump does nothing more than keep pressure in the tank to serve the beer. This is done by pumping air into the tank to maintain the 15psi. We used to make sure that we drank from a fresh keg at frat parties back in the 1980's after tasting a keg on a Saturday morning that had been tapped on Friday night.

I wasn't aware that they were still offering these setups, since most beer drinkers have gotten more educated in the last 20 years.

 

[jddevinn]

Just an FYI on this. The hand pump does nothing more than keep pressure in the tank to serve the beer. This is done by pumping air into the tank to maintain the 15psi. We used to make sure that we drank from a fresh keg at frat parties back in the 1980's after tasting a keg on a Saturday morning that had been tapped on Friday night.

I wasn't aware that they were still offering these setups, since most beer drinkers have gotten more educated in the last 20 years.

If you buy a keg of commercial beer at most places around here (even grocery stores that offer) you have an option to get a hand pump with deposit. Assumption is if you take it it is a "one night party". As little as a year ago I went to a catered outdoor wedding that the caterer was serving (3) types of beer in ice from handpump kegs as well as been to several professional conferences where a company sponsors a "happy hour" toward the end of the day..... fom hand pump kegs in ice bins!!!

Drink it all at once and its fine!

 

[ericbw]

paintball guns do not need oil in the gas, however the difference between food grade and industrial gas is contamination that can happen during storage. Gas for industrial use (ie paintball) MAY have had contaminants, likely oil, in it that remain in the tank. For the low cost I would not risk it.

How is the oil getting in there? If you need co2 then you need co2. A welder doesn't need oil in the gas.

 

[jddevinn]

How is the oil getting in there? If you need co2 then you need co2. A welder doesn't need oil in the gas.

He doesn't NEED but requirements are based on use not on NEED, there is no need for oil but it may be allowed.


http://www.co2meter.com/blogs/news/16831989-why-the-grade-of-co2-gas-you-are-using-is-important

http://www.praxairdirect.com/Carbon-Dioxide/10152_10051_11826_-1___image_0_

https://www.mathesongas.com/pdfs/products/Carbon-Dioxide-Pure-Gas.pdf

 

[ericbw]

He doesn't NEED but requirements are based on use not on NEED, there is no need for oil but it may be allowed.


http://www.co2meter.com/blogs/news/16831989-why-the-grade-of-co2-gas-you-are-using-is-important

http://www.praxairdirect.com/Carbon-Dioxide/10152_10051_11826_-1___image_0_

https://www.mathesongas.com/pdfs/products/Carbon-Dioxide-Pure-Gas.pdf

Read your links. When they are talking about purity of gas, there are lists of impurities. I don't think the concern is with oil - which is what people ALWAYS say when you talk about using paintball tanks. That there is/could be oil in the tank or gas.

Nitrogen is an impurity, but you can buy "beer gas."

So I understand that you should get food grade gas. But I do not understand the obsession with oil in the paintball gas. Oil in industrial gas would be dangerous, wouldn't it?