Co2 tank on it's side?

[autonomist3k]

I had my co2 tank on its side for days supplying pressure to my keg, and then I found out that you're not supposed to do that, but from what I can tell no liquid co2 left the tank and my regulator seems fine.
I quickly called the guy at a welding shop and he said it was fine to keep it on its side, but everything I read on the internet says it's really bad to do it.

I don't know what to believe, but my brand new keezer didn't blow up, so I'm leaning towards the empirical evidence I have in front of me that seems to say it's not an issue.

Anyone have the same experience? any experts on gas cylinders that can explain what is right??

 

[autonomist3k]

I figure I should add that it's a brand new tank, and I inspected the lines and there was no visible liquid co2 in them, (assuming that's possible).
Here's a picture of the valve on my tank, just in case.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1429295699.479818.jpg

 

[max384]

I can't tell you whether or not it's okay to lay a tank on its side. However, I can tell you that if it were leaking, it would still leak whether on it's side or upright.

You also wouldn't be able to see liquid CO2 if it were leaking. At atmospheric pressures, CO2 cannot exist as a liquid. It will go straight from solid (dry ice) to gas and vice versa. Carbon dioxide must be under pressure to exist as a liquid. If it were leaking liquid out, it would either form dry ice around the leak, or it would leak out as gas (most likely, I would imagine).

 

[autonomist3k]

I don't mean a leak at any of the connections, I just mean liquid co2 going into the regulator as opposed to gas.

I just talked to a guy at airgas and he said that the liquid level was probably just lower than the valve(luckily for me).
He said that if liquid got into my regulator that it would freeze up and not operate at all, that wasn't the case.

I feel like I dodged a bullet, but now I'm pissed because my keezer design relied on my co2 tank laying on its side on the top shelf. Back to the drawing board I guess.

 

[Howhownow]

It would keep the dip tube from picking up everything from the bottom. CO2 tanks have a dip tube, right??

Edit: Maybe not. I would be concerned about it going into the regulator, though.

 

[masonsjax]

NOOO!!! THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU!!!

CO2 is a liquid when under pressure in our tanks. There's no diptube, the CO2 is released in gaseous form right from the top of the tank. This is why a tank gauge is useless, the headspace shows the same pressure until the liquid is gone, then it drops quickly as you use the little bit of gas that's left.

If you store your tank on it's side you run the risk of liquid CO2 being released rather than gas. You wouldn't see the CO2 as liquid as when released to atmospheric pressure it will turn into gas state quicker than you could see it. You really don't want this to happen, it could ruin your tank valve, regulator, etc, ruin your beer, and waste a lot of CO2. Keep that baby standing tall.

 

[max384]

I don't mean a leak at any of the connections, I just mean liquid co2 going into the regulator as opposed to gas.

Oh okay, I misunderstood what you were saying.

It would keep the dip tube from picking up everything from the bottom. CO2 tanks have a dip tube, right??

Edit: Maybe not. I would be concerned about it going into the regulator, though.

No dip tubes... You DON'T want to pick up the liquid from the bottom. You want to do the opposite of that.

 

[Howhownow]

Yep, as soon as I said it I realized it was the opposite.

 

[max384]

It happens to the best of us!

 

[jsprinceiii]

It would keep the dip tube from picking up everything from the bottom. CO2 tanks have a dip tube, right??

Edit: Maybe not. I would be concerned about it going into the regulator, though.

A Dip tube in a CO2 tanks allows for liquid transfers..
Example.. 20# tank used to fill smaller tanks, such as Paintball cylinders.

Do not use a tank for beer, with a dip tube installed..