To dispense commercial kegs.
How did I do for this CO2 tank
- Thread starter hilljack13
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I spund my stouts to pre-carb them. Still only getting 4-5 kegs out of a tank of beer gas. It was $45 for last exchange at my LHBS. BTW, they refill 5lbs CO2 on premise for $19. They only get about 4.4 lbs in it though. Maybe I need to shop around for larger beer gas tank.
beren
Well-Known Member
or a cheaper fill. I paid $32 I think for mine at a welding shop that had food gas too.
ITV
Well-Known Member
I don't understand a place like Airgas charging a hazmat fee as they are in the business to fill/transport/sell a variety of bottled gasses.
It appears the hazmat fee is based on the total # of CO2 purchased. Last time I was charged $12.20 for 40# [(2) 20#] of CO2. 5 years ago I was charged $0.99 for 5# of CO2.
What's next, a hazmat fee for filling your vehicle with gas or purchasing cleaning chemicals at the store?
ITV
Well-Known Member
I use to do the same with my 10# tank, after realizing that it only cost $4 more to fill a 20#, I now use a 20# tank for transfers and a second 20# tank for dispensing. I keep my 10# and 5# tanks for when I dispense homebrew remotely.
I have three fridges and a keezer serviced by three CO2 systems with an aisle passing between them, so couldn't run them all on one tank even if I wanted to. So I have three 5 pound aluminum cylinders, which is ridiculous wrt refills. I invested in a 20 pound steel siphon tank from AirGas, and never looked back. I get pretty much their best price per pound with a 20 pounder, can refill my little guys on demand, and don't need to deal with any certs across the fleet...
Cheers!
Cheers!
Maybe that's the best of both worlds. Cheaper CO2, fewer drives to the gas place, and you're only risking 5 lbs. if something goes wrong.
The insurance and permits a company is required to carry in order to sell and transport hazardous materials is unbelievably expensive. Like any good business model, those expenses are carried through to the consumer in order to hopefully stay profitable. You’re also paying for it in car gas and cleaning supplies, you just don’t see it as a line item.I don't understand a place like Airgas charging a hazmat fee as they are in the business to fill/transport/sell a variety of bottled gasses.
It appears the hazmat fee is based on the total # of CO2 purchased. Last time I was charged $12.20 for 40# [(2) 20#] of CO2. 5 years ago I was charged $0.99 for 5# of CO2.
What's next, a hazmat fee for filling your vehicle with gas or purchasing cleaning chemicals at the store?
beren
Well-Known Member
Sure, but they charge like 40-50% of the product cost in a "fee"
Airgas is obviously a ripoff, because AWG is a lot cheaper. They also have insurance.
OP
OP
hilljack13
That's what she said!
Too bad the closest AWG is 160 miles. I pass the Airgas everyday.
Long time ago, someone threw out in trash a 20 lb empty tank for a different gas. I picked it up and took it to a gas supplier and apparently it was worth money. He gave me a free 5 lb co2 tank. I also found a corney keg I still use that was tossed out. This was from the demolition of a building and they just threw out stuff.
my local AirGas screws you on the recerts...bring a fresh bottle in and they give you one about to expire. then next time they tell you to go get it recerted on your dime.
my local Praxair doesn't even bother with the dates. just swaps you out at the same price. they handle any recert and it gets averaged out for all the customers. Fair to everyone.
Now Linde has bought out the local Praxair...so will see what's up when I take my bottles back...
my local Praxair doesn't even bother with the dates. just swaps you out at the same price. they handle any recert and it gets averaged out for all the customers. Fair to everyone.
Now Linde has bought out the local Praxair...so will see what's up when I take my bottles back...
My nearest AWG (75 miles) does not charge for recerts on bottles it provided, and they gave be a big break on Airgas bottles. The last guy I dealt with there was a former Airgas employee, and he had choice words for Airgas.
When I get Airgas cylinders, I tell them to get me fresh ones.
When I get Airgas cylinders, I tell them to get me fresh ones.
beren
Well-Known Member
Strange my air gas doesn’t look at dates either they don’t care if expired or not.
ITV
Well-Known Member
Same for me as long as the tank looks like an Airgas tank. A member of the beer club walked in with a 20# Coke CO2 tank (it was painted red) that has been expired for many years. Airgas charged him for a recertification fee which was cheaper than buying a "new" tank from Airgas.
beren
Well-Known Member
a can of spray paint is even cheaper... 
If you’re in the mid-Atlantic, look for a Roberts Oxygen. I had a great experience with them here locally.
https://www.robertsoxygen.com/locations
https://www.robertsoxygen.com/locations
I had Air Gas try to swap me one of their old tired bottles when I brought in a BRAND NEW CO2 tank I just bought to be filled. Told them nope...refill MY brand new bottle please.
Air Gas has lost me for life...and I have 9 20# tanks and an very large nitro tank. I spend lots of coin at their competitor now.
Air Gas has lost me for life...and I have 9 20# tanks and an very large nitro tank. I spend lots of coin at their competitor now.
I stopped doing business with AirGas when they swapped out my empty for their empty. Made the 60 mile round trip again and came home with one half-filled. First one could be a mistake, sure; I could have done that. Before they sent me out the door the second time, shouldn’t they have put a gauge on it to make sure? Nope, not going back.
beren
Well-Known Member
A gauge wouldn’t show anything, but luggage scale with a strap works wonders.
I said gauge, but just meant some way of checking. As I understand it, they keep the empties separate from the full; even the LHBS does that. The clerk swore and blamed it on the delivery from their larger facility that supplies them. He was probably right. I wasn’t really upset, (too much) with having to drive back up and delay my project another day, (this was acetylene) but expected them to check before sending me out again.
I remember thinking the bottle seemed a little light, but I figured the guy knew what he was doing. It wasn’t s large bottle where the difference would be extremely obvious, but only a small bottle like a CO₂ bottle.
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