CO2 cylinders

[Virwill7]

Hello fellow brewers! Need some advice on CO2 cylinders. I've recently acquired a 7-gallon conical that I can operate under pressure and can finally play with using a carb stone, brewing under pressure and so forth. I've never bought CO2, so it's completely new to me. What size cylinder makes sense for a modest homebrew setup? And what do you typically pay to get it filled when needed? Thanks in advance.

 

[whoaru99]

5lb and 20lb are pretty common sizes, and are what I have.

I do tank exchanges rather than fills. Last exchange was on the 5lb and it cost me just shy of $17. It's been quite a while since I exchanged the 20lb but from memory it was only like $5 - $6 more than the 5lbr, but it's 4x the amount so the actual price per lb price is quite a bit less in the 20lb.

But, for exchange, you need to have a tank or there will be tank deposit or whatever it's called too.

Prices seem to vary a fair bit though so maybe you could do a little better, or it could be more.

 

[Virwill7]

@whoaru99 Thanks. Do you brew 5-gal batches and if so does the 5lbr get you through a couple of sessions?

 

[Jonakr]

5lb and 20lb are pretty common sizes, and are what I have.

I do tank exchanges rather than fills. Last exchange was on the 5lb and it cost me just shy of $17. It's been quite a while since I exchanged the 20lb but from memory it was only like $5 - $6 more than the 5lbr, but it's 4x the amount so the actual price per lb price is quite a bit less in the 20lb.

But, for exchange, you need to have a tank or there will be tank deposit or whatever it's called too.

Prices seem to vary a fair bit though so maybe you could do a little better, or it could be more.

Yeah, I have 2 5 lb tanks, exchange at my LHBS is about $20-25 but they are open on weekends. I can get a refill at Airgas for less than $20, but they are open M-F 8 am to 5 pm.

 

[whoaru99]

@whoaru99 Thanks. Do you brew 5-gal batches and if so does the 5lbr get you through a couple of sessions?

Yeah, 5 gal, but I'm not very good at keeping track how long the cylinders last and I have not brewed for a while (although made a few batches of wine). I do know a 5 doesn't last very long even with a small leak. I use the 5 mainly for serving because it fits inside the fridge along with two Cornie kegs.

The 20 does double duty for me for carbonating and purging, and fits my small wire feed welder if I'm not using flux core wire.

 

[Prince William]

Just had to buy a tank. I had acquired a few from marketplace. Went to have the 5lb one filled and they told me that they don’t exchange steel tanks so make sure that it is aluminum. Check the date on the tank also because they told me that they are only good for 5yrs due to co2 being corrosive. So that experience costed me $150 instead of about $20. Just some information for some that don’t know.

 

[FogHTX]

Facebook Marketplace is a good source for used tanks in my area. They will need to be hydro tested every 5 years (costs $35 at the place I use) though some places will do exchanges of expired tanks. Economy of scale applies at filling - a 5lb tank costs me $25 while a 20lb tank is $40. I prefer aluminum tanks because they're so much less heavy - my 20lb steel tank is a chore to haul around even when empty. I find 10lb aluminum to be the sweet spot for me. How long it lasts depends on how you use it in terms of force carbing, serving, purging, pressure tests, etc. but as a rough guide I figure 1lb per batch.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've been using 20# CO2 tanks. mostly for economy sake. Yeah, they're big and heavy to log around when serving on location, especially when mostly full. But I've never run out unexpectedly.

First I had them refilled for around $20 at a fire protection outfit , then later I swapped them out at Praxair, aluminum for aluminum, never having to deal with hydro testing again every 5 years.

So make sure you get aluminum for aluminum.
From what I gather, most outfits won't let you swap out steel for aluminum, but some may try to "pawn out" a steel one.

 

[mac_1103]

Check the date on the tank also because they told me that they are only good for 5yrs due to co2 being corrosive.

They need to be recertified (hydro tested) every five years, but they can last much much longer. I once picked up a rusty old steel five pound tank that had an original date of 1997 but had been recertified four times. I only took it because it was free and almost full.

 

[whoaru99]

Hydro testing aspect is why I exchange. The tanks I bought off marketplace were expired but the place I exchange tanks took them anyway. They said cost of hydrotesting is baked into exchanges. Since the exchange prices I've been paying seems toward the lower end from what I've seen/read, I'm OK with that.

 

[Whisky River]

Just my 2c but I would highly recommend a 20lb tank. I think 20lb is the industry standard, you can get them filled/ exchanged at LHBS and also fire stores and any welding supply house. Nobody near me will fill your tank anymore, and the only places that exchanged 5lb tanks were the LHBS which have all closed by now. Get a 20 and you can be sure there will be a place to get it filled forever. If you want something smaller and more mobile, then you can also buy an old 5lb on FB marketplace or somewhere with an expired hydro date for very little and then fill it yourself off your 20 if you want.

 

[Bobby_M]

First establish where you will get the gas and if they fill or exchange. Ask them what size tanks they deal with. THEN buy a tank. 5 is more mobile, 20 is way more economical.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I've been using 20# CO2 tanks. mostly for economy sake. Yeah, they're big and heavy to log around when serving on location, especially when mostly full. But I've never run out unexpectedly.

First I had them refilled for around $20 at a fire protection outfit , then later I swapped them out at Praxair, aluminum for aluminum, never having to deal with hydro testing again every 5 years.

So make sure you get aluminum for aluminum.
From what I gather, most outfits won't let you swap out steel for aluminum, but some may try to "pawn out" a steel one.

You can always get lucky. I bought some gear from some guys who listed on Craigslist. I baulked at the 10# steel tank that had expired 10 years ago, so the fellow gave it to me. What the heck; it would make a great doorstop.

On a whim, with nothing to lose, I tried to exchange it. The vendor said that he didn’t have any 10 pounders on hand; did I care to upgrade to a 20#? I thought about it like a half second and said sure. I left there with a brand new, full, 20# aluminum tank for $27!

I hated to turn it in, but didn’t know of anyone who would fill it, so my first exchange got me one that looks like it’s been around the block a time or two. But hey, I don’t display my tanks so no big deal. Next time; I might get a nice one again.