Do you refill or exchange your CO2 bottles

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Blindguardian

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I am just wondering what everyone here does about getting there CO2 as I am very new to kegging and I have my set-up on the way for kegging.

thanks
 
I exchange at a welding supply shop because (a) I never have to worry about paying for re-certification of the tank and (b) it's cheaper than getting it filled at the LHBS.

I started kegging with a used system so I had no attachment to the tank in any way. I give them a used empty tank, they give me back a used full tank.

If I had dropped a bunch of money on a brand new tank, I might be inclined to have it refilled.
 
Wife bought me a brand new tank so I refill. No way I'm giving them brand new tank for some junker. If she wouldn't have surprised me, I'd went with exchanges from the beginning.
 
Exchange. LHBS, liqour store and refills are about even, but I don't have to re-cert on exchanged tanks. I'm around $15 for a 5# tank.
 
Last time I exchanged an out of date 20# for a new 20# for ~$30 or something. Next time I'll be taking it for a refill at my local beverage fountain supply company. Refills are ~$21 there
 
I have a brand new tank so I just get it refilled, cost me $12.
I dont want to exchange a new bright and shiney tank for a rusty looking old one. Thats just me!
 
I get my tank refilled at a Fire Control store in towm. It has been MUCH cheaper then when I exchanged it at the LHBS. I had a 5 lb tank I was exchaning for ~$27 and it was only $18 to refill. Then I got a 15 lb tank from the fire control place for $75 with a fresh cert and full. That tank only cost me $20 to refill!!!!
 
I've never done anything except exchange tanks. I got my original tanks used and flat don't care if they are shiny or not. Exchanging takes about two minutes and $8. Filling is a 'come back in two hours'.
 
I exchanged my brand new shiny tank for a full ugly one at AirGas. The guy tried to pull the nicest looking one for me, anyway. As long as it pushes and carbs my beer, I don't really care.

25 bucks, I think, for a five pounder.
 
Wow!!! Yeah if I could exchange for $8 I would to. Luckily it only takes them 2 minutes to refill. Why is it so expensive for CO2 where I live?
 
I have mine refilled. Mostly because that's what my local compressed gas place does. My tank sits in the back of my kegerator, and I only see it when I exchange kegs.

That being said, I guess it's nice knowing there's a nice shiny aluminum one sitting there.

My place charges either $16 or $18 for the fill. Can't remember.
 
OK all you "8 bucks at Airgas" guys- why did I pay so much? Is the variability state-to state that much?

Though I do like the relative ease of being in and out of there in five minutes and the opportunity to look at all the fun welding stuff they have...
 
I HAVE to go with the exchange option. Local Airgas store in OK does not fill anything, they are setup as exchange only and ship their empties for replacement @ a larger facility 70 miles away. I checked this option before purchasing a new tank....otherwise I would have been doing the driving for a refill.
 
When I got my hands on one, it was used and out of date, but nice looking. The shop I exchanged it at said: "You have a pretty tank, so I'll try and exchange it for another pretty tank." He charged me for the exchange, and a fee for the test. I'll be normal exchanges from here on out.
 
At the part time job (liquor store/LHBS/Bridal) we do beverage catering for wedding parties and the like so we have something like 25 jockey boxes. I take mine in and the service fills it next time they come in -- cost to me $0.00. On occasion if one of our bartenders call me at home from a party saying the CO2 ran out, I'll just grab my spare and take it over to swap out helps me justify getting my refills for free.

Pro Tip: Always have two tanks. Your CO2 will run out 10 min after your gas shop closes for the night, and usually just before game time.
 
I am going to have my CO2 5# tank refilled just because I do not want to exchange it for a old beat up one. I called around and found a fire equipment place that will refill it for $18 and for an exchange at the local welding shop they wanted $23. I wish I lived in some of the places I have seen posted here where it is only costing people $8 - $11!
 
Depends... I go to a local fire store and if they have a pretty bottle I exchange if not I'll just wait a day or two and have it filled. They charge me $10 either way.
 
If your in Ft Worth, TX twobucks will refill a 5 lb tank for about $10.00 which a lot cheaper than the $16 price I got quoted from a paintball store that was further away.

cheers
-Chris
 
Yea, wish I could find a cheaper place. Airgas wants to exchange. I have a nice aluminum tank, so no thanks. I can't find anyone to refill for less than $20. Kind of steep for 5lbs of CO2 IMO.
 
Yea, wish I could find a cheaper place. Airgas wants to exchange. I have a nice aluminum tank, so no thanks. I can't find anyone to refill for less than $20. Kind of steep for 5lbs of CO2 IMO.

damn, that sucks.
 
Exchange.. I think an exchange on my 20lb is like 15 bucks I think. Been awhile though, I have a few tanks and don't usually exchange them until I am on the last tank.
 
Exchange. I bought some ugly out of date used 20# steel tanks on craigslist pretty cheap. One of them I exchanged for a clean 20# aluminum tank which cost ~$40 initially with the hydro fee, and ~$22 to exchange later. The other one I traded for a clean 10# aluminum and they waived the hydro fee since I was downsizing, so it only cost me $15. I always ask for a clean aluminum tank when I exchange, and they've always had one so far.
 
I bought a new aluminum CO2 tank so there is no way I'm exchanging that thing - not until it gets really beat up. I don't see that happening since I usually take care of my stuff. I think it's $19 for a 5# refill here.
 
Yea, wish I could find a cheaper place. Airgas wants to exchange. I have a nice aluminum tank, so no thanks. I can't find anyone to refill for less than $20. Kind of steep for 5lbs of CO2 IMO.

this is the main reason why I got the kegging kit minus the tank....I just bought the tank from airgas and swap em out. Saves quite a bit of money in the long run
 
If you are in the Cambridge/Boston area I manage the store and swap tanks at Airgas Cambridge. 5# for $18.32 including taxes & fees, 20# for $29.31 including taxes & fees.
 
I refill. I too bought a new shiney tank... that is now hidden in the back of my kegerator, that I only see when I have to refill it. But I refil in Malden MA, ARCO Welding. Their prices just went up from 2 bucks a # to 2.2 a # ...not a bad deal...
 
I had a shiny new tank at one point, so I was getting it refilled... but the only place around that will refill instead of swap requires that drop the tank off and pick it up the next day, and it's a good twenty-five minutes or so away. Fire-extinguisher place, they do them all at once (and there isn't always someone there; it's just an old garage). Too inconvenient, especially since they're only open during the week and it's in the exact opposite direction of work.

So, I bit the bullet and now just swap out. Major side benefit is that the welding place where I swap is open Saturday mornings. Plus, yeah, I had acquired an OLD CO2 tank, probably fifteen or twenty years out of date, and they swapped it with no problem (other than it was an odd size, so they needed to special-order).

The tank's not on display, so in the end it doesn't really make much difference. Not worth losing an extra two hours in travel time for each refill!
 
about $20 to exchange a 20 pounder, and $40 for my 64-pounder. From there, I fill my own 20oz paintball tanks for portability and to take up less room in my kegerator.
 
$20 and 5 min to refill a 15lb at the best beer store around. Although for some reason I always end up walking out of there $100 poorer
 
Yea, wish I could find a cheaper place. Airgas wants to exchange. I have a nice aluminum tank, so no thanks. I can't find anyone to refill for less than $20. Kind of steep for 5lbs of CO2 IMO.

"Kind of steep"? more like highway robbery!!

I do both and learned the hard way that 5# and 2.5# tanks are a rip-off refill or exchange.

20# or larger steel tank exchanges are the best deal by far

It's almost impossible to find an aluminum exchange

If people keep giving me tanks I may never have to refill or exchange again I've been asking for the two expired 100# tanks at work I think they are both full
 
Refill. Not exchanging my aluminum tank for a rusty steel one...you crazy? LOL Friend of mine did so and the steel tanks leave a rust ring in his fridge. Gas places LOVE to exchange expensive aluminum tanks for cheap steel ones.....
 
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