how much should a co2 refill cost?

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phoenixs4r said:
Not bull****. But different scale. PB shops are used to filling 20 ounces tanks and having customers ***** that their efficiency sucked because they didn't slow fill the tank. It most likely wouldn't be relevant to our size tanks.

Edit: also, it wouldn't be WASTING co2 per say, but nit filling the bottle up all the way. I have no proof of the following but I'd imagine its due to the increased pressure sustained when the cold co2 supply goes into the warm tank. It will warm up and put too back pressure, resulting in what the operator believes to be a full tank but really isn't.

I'd like to see anyone raise their hands and yell me they've weighed their tank after getting it filled. A not full tank probably happens more often than not but again paintballers will blow through 1-10 tank per day while we are using one for months.
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Ya i guess my thing is that if the tank can hold 5lbs of CO2 then the most I should be charged for a fill is 5lbs worth of gas. The shop owner made it seem like it would take more than 5lbs worth to fill it? Basically, if I understand you correctly it would just take longer if it wasn't cold?

I mainly just want to avoid taking it to this place and having them charge at $0.25/oz for say 6lbs worth. That would be like $24 dollars. Since I can drive 35 minutes each way and burn less than $9 in gas to get a $15 fill at this other place.
 
I just filled my 7lb tank for the first time at a fire extinguisher place and it cost me $32 for a 7lb fill. I know I won't be going back there. Hopefully I'll find someplace that has decent prices.
 
Naptown said:
I just exchanged a 5lb tank at a local "oxygen" house here in town. It was quite a bit more than I expected. I paid $14.65.

Now, here is the kicker and I don't mind paying the difference. I took in a steel tank and they only had aluminum. So, I definitely got lucky, but I'm wondering if he charged me for my "luck."
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I've paid $8-16 for #5 (it's been going up), but the local welding shop sold me on upgrading to a #10 tank. $20 for the exchange and only $2 more for a fill! I'm ahead after the second fill.

As to luck in swapping to aluminum. When I first moved here the guy asked if I MINDED getting aluminum instead of steel. He tried to reserve the steel tanks for his customers that didn't trust aluminum.
 
Used to pay $12 for a 20lb exchange, but I was good friends with a guy at a gas company. Look for a nexair, airgas or similar company to you and they usually are extremely cheap. They do prefer exchanging tanks which also allows you to never worry about a cert.
 
Hi

Around here, the price isn't just for the refill. They also hit you with a "hazmat fee". It's a flat fee, so you fill as many tanks at one time as you can.

Bob
 
I paid about 35 for a 15lb refill and 28 for a refill on a 5lber outside Baltimore. Some 15$ Maryland safety tax I was told...
 
I don't know if you have an "Airgas" store, I just exchanged a 20lb tank for a filled one for $20. Well like 21.32$ with tax. But I think Airgas is a fairly large company and exchange was easy, cheap i guess.
 
04xb12s said:
I think where you live makes a big difference. I live in a suburb of DC and prices here are astronomical. For exchange programs here they want $100 for the first tank and $20 for exchanges after that for a 5#er!. I grew up in Upstate NY and if you have your own tank you can get refills on a 5# for as little as $5. So needless to say I will be getting my tank filled up there whenever I go visit my parents. I've read on here that paintball shops and fire extinguisher stores are usually the cheaper places to go rather than a specialty gas depot.
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I'm in SoMd, pay $14.00 for exchange and aluminum tanks look new every time. Three Mules Welding is the source and larger tanks are Way cheaper. I've been getting rid of all tanks smaller than 20 lb.
 
My last refill was right around $14. The price had increased from the previous refill by about a dollar. I might be able to find a place that is cheaper, but the one I go to now is extremely convenient, being only a couple blocks from my house.
 
Hi

How often do you fill up a 20 lb tank? (or even a 5 lb for that matter).

I suspect that doing more than one tank at a time would save you money. It would save me a couple bucks at the place I go. Given how long a tank lasts I rarely need to fill more than one though.

Bob
 
I just refilled (actually traded in) an empty 20# tank for about $17, including tax. They took the beat up old ugly tank I just bought, and gave me a bright shiny (nearly) new one in return.
 
Nice, yeah I was reading the thread and one dude paid 12. Insane. I was happy with 19. Now I just have to buy dual regulator and tubing to finish the setup.
 
I'm one of the guys that exchanges 20# for $20. For anyone else that goes to Airgas, if they ask you whether it's for a restaurant, say yes and it will be a couple of dollars cheaper. I said "no, it's for my beer at home" the first time, and the guy told me to just say yes from now on. Can't argue with that :D
 
masonsjax said:
I'm one of the guys that exchanges 20# for $20. For anyone else that goes to Airgas, if they ask you whether it's for a restaurant, say yes and it will be a couple of dollars cheaper. I said "no, it's for my beer at home" the first time, and the guy told me to just say yes from now on. Can't argue with that :D
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I walk in to airgas with my work uniform on most of the time. Same deal, I get some sort of discount that way. I wish I knew what the percentage was.
 
masonsjax said:
I'm one of the guys that exchanges 20# for $20. For anyone else that goes to Airgas, if they ask you whether it's for a restaurant, say yes and it will be a couple of dollars cheaper. I said "no, it's for my beer at home" the first time, and the guy told me to just say yes from now on. Can't argue with that :D
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I do Airgas exchanges and they are the best price in town AFAIK -- maybe a local/mom & pop shop could be cheaper but for a chain you cant beat $20 + tax, in and out in 5 mins.
 
Wow I cannot believe how cheap co2 is in Williamsport PA compared to what I have been reading. I bought a new kegco 5#er off amazon for 50$ and I expected to have to exchange it. I got lucky and found a place 1 mile from where I reside and it was 6.40$ to fill my tank. I had called somewhere else and I was quoted 20 with exchange or 30 for a fill so I guess I got lucky.
 
I'll have to ask. I don't know what it cost. I just exchange a 5lb tank each time at airgas. They charge it to my employers account, so I have no idea what it cost.

My LHBS is $22 to swap a tank for a full one, 5#. But claims it's beverage grade... *shrug*...
 
I'm about to buy a new kegging system and put my TAD into semi-retirement. I used to refill my previous system, but I'm leaning toward the exchange system now. I have an Airgas not too far away. I'm a little shy about refilling these things now after a refiller filled my 2.5lb cylinder with 5lbs in 1996. The thing was hissing most of the way home and then the safety valve blew. My car windows fogged at about 45MPH and I couldn't breath normally for hours. At least the exchange tanks are probably pre-filled properly...I hope.
 
I'm just curious about the question of Co2 being food grade! Co2 is Co2! Right!
 
jeepinjeepin said:
I'm guessing tap-a-draft.
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Yes, TAD = Tap A Draft. I actually have 12 of them and two of the 8gram regulators that can accept Nitrogen. That is maybe the best thing about the older TAD systems vs the new ones. But, I'm still going to keg in 5gal cornies this year and I'm going to install a keezer in my basement. The TAD is great for portability.
 
The local restaurant supply store around here charges $75 for a 20lbs tank deposit and $20 to fill. So first time is $100, $20 after that to exchange.
 

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