oxygen canisters from home depot

[raouliii]

.....Stirring alone can only introduce 8 ppm of dissolved O2 maximum......

I don't believe stirring will get it anywhere near that 8ppm. In YEAST, by Chris White (of White Labs), it is stated "With plenty of headspace, a strong back, and lots of vigorous shaking, a homebrewer can get levels as high as 8 ppm into the wort. This is about the maximum using air."

The same book states "For the average wort and yeast pitching rates, the proper amount of dissolved oxygen is 8 to 10 ppm."

I am confident in believing that my process of adequate yeast pitch/20second O2 injection/ 30second vigorous shaking, is likely providing all the O2 my yeast need. I use a 6.5gal carboy which provides 1gal of O2 saturated headspace.

Except for one slight underattenuation using WLP007, my 20ish batches have all reached expected FG using this method.

 

[petey_c]

thesmithsera, You might try weighing a full and empty one. I know they only hold 1.4 oz. A cheap kitchen scale would give you a ballpark idea of what you've got left. I try and do the same with my propane tanks, but sometimes the, "I'll get to the propane place a little later..." never happens.
Okay so I read some of the other posts... If you need a 'script to get the medical tanks filled, what about an O2 tank from a welding set-up? Maybe a small 40 CF tank. (spoken like a true non-welder...)

 

[steveoc]

As mentioned above, here in the States you need a prescription to fill an medical tank. I use a 20 cf oxygen welding tank with a regulator designed for such from Williams. The initial layout is more, but you get 18x the oxygen as a disposable cylinder for the cost of about 2 cylinders.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

So I decided to hold off on the home depot canisters for now, instead I just bought a new mix-and-stir, this time a stainless steel rod. I need it for wine making anyway, and it is WAY better than shaking the hell out of the carboy. I run it for 5 minutes with my drill, threading it through a drilled bung, and it turns my wort (or in this case, today, a cyser) into a foamy cream.

I was at Harbor Freight today, and looking at their Oxygen cylinders and regulators. I suspect a single fill would last me my next 10 years of brewing, so I'm gonna wait for my 20% off coupon and get them in the next few months. I can stick with low gravity brews for a few weeks anyway.

Thanks to you all for the info. It's a shame that the regulator for the Bernzomatic/Worthington cannisters isn't more widely available (read: cheaper).

 

[bethebrew]

So I decided to hold off on the home depot canisters for now, instead I just bought a new mix-and-stir, this time a stainless steel rod. I need it for wine making anyway, and it is WAY better than shaking the hell out of the carboy. I run it for 5 minutes with my drill, threading it through a drilled bung, and it turns my wort (or in this case, today, a cyser) into a foamy cream.

I was at Harbor Freight today, and looking at their Oxygen cylinders and regulators. I suspect a single fill would last me my next 10 years of brewing, so I'm gonna wait for my 20% off coupon and get them in the next few months. I can stick with low gravity brews for a few weeks anyway.

Thanks to you all for the info. It's a shame that the regulator for the Bernzomatic/Worthington cannisters isn't more widely available (read: cheaper).

Bought three Bernzomatic containers today for $9 each. Got them at the local Ace, Home Depot didn't have them. The regulator I think was $30? I forgot what the diffusion stone was but it bubbles super hard if you turn the regulator even a little bit more. Can't imagine what a big set up would do, you could blow up your carboy. Ha.