Is it necessary to chill the co2?

[rudebrews]

Trying to decide which size of co2 canister to buy (5#, 10#, 20#) and wondering if it is necessary or beneficial at all to keep the canister in the kegerator with the kegs or if I could just as easily
get a big 'ol 20 pound canister and keep it outside unrefrigerated and run a gas line in to the kegs through the collar. Are there any problems that arise from having the gas at a different temp than the keg or with the gas just getting too warm? Do I really need to get a little 5# canister so that I can fit it in the chest freezer?

 

[ShakerD]

Chilling the CO2 just takes up extra space in your keezer or kegererator.

 

[Yooper]

There isn't any reason to keep your co2 in the kegerator. Well, except that I didn't want to drill a hole through my fridge. So, it's easy to keep it in the fridge. But there isn't any need for it at all.

 

[day_trippr]

Considering all the condensation that occurs within a chiller, I suspect it's actually A Good Thing to have the tank and particularly the regulator on the outside...

Cheers!