Score!!!

[Rhys79]

I just got offered a 10lb or 20lb (the guy says it's about 30" tall, so could be either...) CO2 tank for free. I won't have any more info on it till I pick it up, but I'm going to go with the assumption that it's expired and needs hydro tested. How much can I anticipate this costing, and what kind of place would I get ahold of to have this done?

TIA!!

 

[drunkatuw]

I paid $25 recently to have a 20# co2 tank hydro tested. I took it t a fire extinguisher place.

 

[Rhys79]

Well, hell of a lot cheaper than paying for a cylinder, so I'm not gonna argue much... It may still be good, guy's not even sure if it has anything in it or not. Might get really lucky and pick it up and find it has a full tank of CO2 in it already. Now, to pester my stepfather to find the old O2 regulator he has so I don't need to buy one of those either

 

[Shaggy]

Great thread!
Inspired me to call my local fire extinguisher company...they said about $28 for my 20# tank.
I picked this up a couple months ago and haven't had the need to use it yet as I've a 5# that pushes my commercial brew. However, I just started to order equipment for kegging home brew and want to get the 20# up and running for that.

 

[Rhys79]

Wow, the local fire extinguisher company here charges $13.50 to hydro test, and $11 to fill a 10lb and $16.50 to fill a 20lb... You guys are gettin jacked (unless thats to test and fill...)!! :rockin:

 

[capntang]

You might be able to swap it out for a filled tank at a place that deals in tank swaps. Check in your Yellow Pages or on Google for a welding supply or gas supply shop in your area (National Welders Supply and Praxair are two examples). I've heard they either don't check or don't care about the tanks test status.

I also scored a free 10lb tank - half full with two years left before it needs to be retested.

 

[Rhys79]

Picked up the tank this morning. I'm pretty sure it's a 20lb tank. It's about 23" tall to the neck and about 8" in diameter. It's a steel tank, a little rusty, but in pretty good shape, nothing a little BKF won't take care of. Painted red at the top with a label and stamping from some carbonics company from Chicago. Hydro stamps from '84, '89, and '94, so it's WAY overdue for hydro testing.

Other than that, it's got ICC-3AA180, 88934CE, and AWK stamped on the neck. Don't see anything else on it. The valve is made by Thermo.

Is the fact that it has a company name stamped on the neck going to cause a problem. I can get it hydro tested and filled for about $30 at one of the local fire extinguisher companies. Anyone know what Praxair charges for a tank exchange? It's a nice steel tank, I'm a bit loathe to give it up for a crappy aluminum tank if I don't have to...

 

[capntang]

I think my local Praxair was around the $20 mark for a 20lb exchange.

Am I the only one that would prefer an aluminum tank? No worries about rust, lighter weight, etc.