Beer Gas in CO2 Tank

[jmadway]

My LHBS says it will fill my CO2 tank with the beer gas 75% Nitrogen/25% CO2 mix for nitro dispensing. I have seen quite a bit of disagreement around here as to whether filling a CO2 tank with beer gas is wise to do. From what I gather, most of the concern seems to be around whether a CO2 regulator can handle the higher pressure of beer gas dispensing.

So, my question is this: with the CO2 regulator that I would use on my new nitro tap, I routinely burst carb at 30psi. Since 30psi is the standard pressure used on a nitro tap, why should I be concerned about using my CO2 regulator? Seems like it could handle the pressure.

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

Thanks!

 

[mamies]

I would have thought the issue would be about the regulator not the gas bottle. I don't think a normal CO2 regulator can handle nitrogen.

 

[JuanMoore]

So, my question is this: with the CO2 regulator that I would use on my new nitro tap, I routinely burst carb at 30psi. Since 30psi is the standard pressure used on a nitro tap, why should I be concerned about using my CO2 regulator? Seems like it could handle the pressure.

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

Thanks!

You're thinking of the pressure the regulator dispenses (the out), when you need to be concerned with the pressure being applied to the regulator (the in). CO2 regulators are rated for 1800 psi, and nitrogen regulators are rated for 3000 psi. Since it's a CO2 tank being filled, it should be filled to a pressure that the CO2 regulator can handle, assuming that those filling it know what they're doing. Some people don't like to make that assumption. The real danger IMO is adapting a nitrogen tank to use a CO2 regulator, since someone could easily fill it with either beer gas or nitrogen to a much higher pressure than the regulator can handle.

 

[jmadway]

You're thinking of the pressure the regulator dispenses (the out), when you need to be concerned with the pressure being applied to the regulator (the in). CO2 regulators are rated for 1800 psi, and nitrogen regulators are rated for 3000 psi. Since it's a CO2 tank being filled, it should be filled to a pressure that the CO2 regulator can handle, assuming that those filling it know what they're doing. Some people don't like to make that assumption. The real danger IMO is adapting a nitrogen tank to use a CO2 regulator, since someone could easily fill it with either beer gas or nitrogen to a much higher pressure than the regulator can handle.

Thanks, that's very helpful. So, if I understand you correctly, so long as the tank is filled below 1800 psi, there's no problem, correct?

My home brew shop only exchanges tanks, so I'm assuming that they have the filling of the beer gas in CO2 tanks down. Nevertheless, I will make sure I have a conversation with them when I go in and make sure the tank is pressured appropriately for my regulator.

 

[JuanMoore]

Ignore my earlier post, I was half asleep and not thinking properly. Nitrogen and CO2 create different vapor pressures, so it doesn't matter how much you fill the tank, as long as there's liquid gas in there, the nitrogen will create a much higher headspace pressure than the CO2. As long as you keep the tank cold, the pressure should stay under the 1800psi the CO2 regulator is rated for, but that doesn't mean filling a CO2 tank with a nitro blend is advisable.

 

[Brickout]

I use a standard CO2 regulator with beer gas without any issues.

Here in Chicago our beer gas tanks and CO2 tanks use the same fitting. They also use the same regulators. This info is straight from the compress gas distributor that handles most of the bars in Chicago. So I'm not making this up.

When I needed beer gas, I took my 5lb tank in. They made sure it was empty of all CO2, Then they filled it with beer gas and put a new sticker on it.

I carbed my beer at 4 psi using regular CO2. Once it was carbed, I hooked up the beer gas at 30 psi. All was good

 

[strumke]

I checked on this before setting anything up. I bought an old taprite regulator on craigslist and it had a pressure rating higher than the beergas tank had. It's an 80cf tank that is stored outside of the freezer and hasn't had a problem yet (~6 months)

 

[jmadway]

Glad to hear that a number of you have done this without issues. Thanks for the info!

Any of you naturally carb your nitro brews? Seems like a good way to do it so that you don't have to switch tanks back and forth between co2 for carbing and beer gas for serving.

 

[RGillette10]

I use a standard CO2 regulator with beer gas without any issues.

Here in Chicago our beer gas tanks and CO2 tanks use the same fitting. They also use the same regulators. This info is straight from the compress gas distributor that handles most of the bars in Chicago. So I'm not making this up.

When I needed beer gas, I took my 5lb tank in. They made sure it was empty of all CO2, Then they filled it with beer gas and put a new sticker on it.

I carbed my beer at 4 psi using regular CO2. Once it was carbed, I hooked up the beer gas at 30 psi. All was good

The guy at the gas supply shop where I refill my beer gas assured me that using a CO2 tank with a CO2 regulator was safe for beer gas use. He said, "I do it, and all the restaurants and bars here do it." I'd still talk with the people who refill your tanks, but I wouldn't anticipate any problems.

 

[Brewerforlife]

I use CO2 regs. at our pub with our nitro blend. The cornelius brand regs. even say for carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, 2600psi max 500psi min. I have to use a male-male adapter inbetween reg and bottle though. Air-gas just gives them to me for free.