Trouble filling SodaStream tank

[wsmith1625]

A while back I bought an adapter to fill my SodaStream tank using the #10 co2 tank for my kegerator. It's been working great mostly, except when my #10 tanks goes below #3. When it's under #3, I can only get the SodaStream tank to take about 100g of co2.

Here's my fill process..
I freeze the SodaStream tank for 30 min. Then I connect SodaStream tank to #10 tank using the adapter and flip it upsidedown. I slowly open the valve until I can't hear the CO2 filling anymore. Then I weigh it to see how full it is.

Does anyone know why this is happening or know how to fix it? I'm guessing the pressure in my #10 tank is too low, but it continues working fine in the kegerator. I only have a single gauge regulator, so I don't know what the high side pressure is. Thanks!

 

[OLBrews]

I refill Sodastream tanks as well off my #5 CO2 tank. Works most of the time - I find that getting the flow is tricky as too much will close the valve built into the Sodastream tanks. Sometimes disconnecting and a second try works. I've also been only filling when my CO2 tank is full: I just hold on to the empties until tank day and batch fill all of them.

 

[Vale71]

How do you determine how much CO2 is left in the tank? With liquid CO2 pressure will remain constant (dependent on temperature) until all liquid is exhausted and only gas remains. Perhaps your tank is in this condition and you're only equalizing pressure between the two tanks and only transferring gas and not liquid?

 

[lumbergh]

I've been having a similar issue. The first 2 fills were fine from a new 5# tank. After that it won't fill. I've tried at least 5 times. At this point I'm thinking of getting the adapter so I can hook up a CO2 tank directly to the soda stream and not have to worry.

 

[Bobby_M]

When you say "under 3 pounds", do you mean that you've weighed the tank and see that it's only 3 pound over the tank's tare weight? There's no reason it shouldn't fill until there's zero pounds of liquid CO2 left.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

Out of curiosity, are you using an adapter like this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LZBMTTC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2WESH8YPBA4DY&psc=1
I'm looking into options for seltzer water, as I'm not satisfied with a carbonation cap, carbonation stone and 1L bottle. Too bad they don't have a ball lock adapter that hooks up from the regulator directly to the sodastream machine. I have a dual regulator and wish I could just hook the second line to the sodastream.

 

[Bobby_M]

Sodastream uses 800 PSI input so adapter or not, no dice off a regulator.

 

[wsmith1625]

When you say "under 3 pounds", do you mean that you've weighed the tank and see that it's only 3 pound over the tank's tare weight? There's no reason it shouldn't fill until there's zero pounds of liquid CO2 left.

Yes, I weight the tank and subtract the tare weight. I do this for checking both the #10 and SodaStream tanks.

 

[drjayray]

My buddy in TN refills those sodastream bottles. He buys a bunch empty on Craigslist. Goes down to local grocery store and gets a piece of dry ice (solid frozen co2). Takes the valve right off a bunch of bottles. Lines them up. Uses some oven gloves and puts a chunk of ice in a clean folded towel. Smashes it up with a hammer. Gets a little scale and measures out the grams of co2 the bottle will hold. Pours that amount down the neck of bottle and reseals the valve on top. Says he adds just a little more because their is some loss, less if you put the empty bottles in freezer first. He has quite a following with people dropping off empties and he fills them much cheaper than sodastream charges. Never had an issue. I was like wow no gauges, high pressure hoses, regulators, etc. and takes the rest he does not use and puts it way in backyard to fool the mosquitoes thinking their are warm blooded mammals breathing out co2 back there while he sips his wine or beer with no bites. F’in genius if ya ask me....

 

[wsmith1625]

How do you determine how much CO2 is left in the tank? With liquid CO2 pressure will remain constant (dependent on temperature) until all liquid is exhausted and only gas remains. Perhaps your tank is in this condition and you're only equalizing pressure between the two tanks and only transferring gas and not liquid?

I weigh my tanks and subtract the tare weight to get the co2 volume. Your idea about equalizing the gas pressure seems to make sense. I know the #10 tank is low, so it's possible it's out of liquid co2. The particular tanks I've been getting aren't stamped with a tare weight, but my research and what the tech at the fill station confirmed was 14lbs. I'm at 16.5lbs now so I should have 2.5lbs left. I tried filling the SodaStream tank again today and no luck.

 

[wsmith1625]

I've been having a similar issue. The first 2 fills were fine from a new 5# tank. After that it won't fill. I've tried at least 5 times. At this point I'm thinking of getting the adapter so I can hook up a CO2 tank directly to the soda stream and not have to worry.

I may go that route myself. A dedicated #5 tank for the SodaStream would make things much easier.

 

[wsmith1625]

Out of curiosity, are you using an adapter like this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LZBMTTC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2WESH8YPBA4DY&psc=1
I'm looking into options for seltzer water, as I'm not satisfied with a carbonation cap, carbonation stone and 1L bottle. Too bad they don't have a ball lock adapter that hooks up from the regulator directly to the sodastream machine. I have a dual regulator and wish I could just hook the second line to the sodastream.

The SodaStream connects to high pressure, so you don't need a regulator. Just get a dedicated tank and use one of these adapter.
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Kit...qid=1632444832&sprefix=soda+stream+ada&sr=8-5

 

[Smudgey]

I use 2L PET coke bottles with a carbonation cap (gas post QD connecrion) to make seltzer when my 5KG bottle gets too low to refill soda stream canisters. I set the reg to 50psi - PET coke bottles start failing at ~150psi so a good margin there. 30 seconds shake and you're good to go if the waters cold. If I hadn't come across a $5 brand-new-second-hand soda stream I'd still be making all my seltzer this way.

5kg CO2 gets me about 10x 250g refills and half a dozen 19L kegs carbed & lots of miscellaneous use but the weights taper off a bit. COMPLETELY releasing all the CO2 then freezing the bottles before you connect and fill them makes a big difference. I usually get them to within 10% of the fill weight (under) but getting them really fill doesn't matter to me. If I don't have them completely inverted as the flow starts when the large tank gets low I can end up with a pretty light canister.

 

[wsmith1625]

I use 2L PET coke bottles with a carbonation cap (gas post QD connecrion) to make seltzer when my 5KG bottle gets too low to refill soda stream canisters. I set the reg to 50psi - PET coke bottles start failing at ~150psi so a good margin there. 30 seconds shake and you're good to go if the waters cold. If I hadn't come across a $5 brand-new-second-hand soda stream I'd still be making all my seltzer this way.

5kg CO2 gets me about 10x 250g refills and half a dozen 19L kegs carbed & lots of miscellaneous use but the weights taper off a bit. COMPLETELY releasing all the CO2 then freezing the bottles before you connect and fill them makes a big difference. I usually get them to within 10% of the fill weight (under) but getting them really fill doesn't matter to me. If I don't have them completely inverted as the flow starts when the large tank gets low I can end up with a pretty light canister.

Great tip. I have a carb cap and have to try that again. Also, how are you completely releasing the gas from the SodaStream tank?

This is the adapter I use.

 

[lumbergh]

I have that adapter. Next time I try it (if I do), I will release all pressure. You can push on the pin on the SS canister to release pressure

 

[lumbergh]

Is there a difference between the CO2 tank to SS adapters. I'm looking at doing the direct connection to the machine. I'm looking at getting the monkemon one linked above

 

[wsmith1625]

Is there a difference between the CO2 tank to SS adapters. I'm looking at doing the direct connection to the machine. I'm looking at getting the monkemon one linked above

Regular co2 tanks and SodaStream tanks have different threads. The monkemon adapter eliminates the SodaStream tank completely. The black side connects to the SodaStream machine in place of the tank. The brass side connects to a standard co2 tank.

 

[lumbergh]

I meant to say is there a difference between the brands of adapters

 

[Smudgey]

Also, how are you completely releasing the gas from the SodaStream tank?

Once they stop working in the soda stream, its easy to depress the canisters stop-valve with the handle of a spoon. If there's still high pressure inside you'll struggle to do this; it should be less pressure than you need to squash a tomatoe. It'll hiss for a few seconds.

I'm not sure if freezing the canisters for 15mins or so causes a slight vacuum that helps, or if the stop-valve allows O2 to suck inwards - or both. I haven't used my refills to carb kegs but it may be a potential source of oxidation. Others may know this for sure.

I'm tempted to use 250g canisters & reg adapter to finish carbing just to reduce the chances of a CO2 leak smashing out a new 5kg bottle... it really sucks and if this hasn't happened for you yet, chances are its just a matter of time!

Also, when you're making seltzer in a coke bottle it helps to squish the bottle to take the air out before you put the cap on. This way once you turn the CO2 on and the bottle pops out there's a mouthful of CO2 at the top to shake into high surface-area bubbles, rather than a mix of mostly air. You'll notice every time you shake, the CO2 flows again.