Buy or rent your CO2 tanks

[Kkenc35]

I plan to buy but I might not see the whole picture!

Thanks!

[psychodad]

Where I get my gas, it is cheaper and faster to rent than have mine filled.

[mjn]

Same here. Filling it takes a few days, or we can swap it out on the spot.

I gave them my nice beatifully clean aluminum tank that came with the kegerator and got a nasty beatup old painted tank in return.

But I swapped that one out yesterday and got my nice new one back.

[cubby_swans]

It takes one minute to fill a co2 tank. I never understood why some places only swap out. I get my own tank filled at a paintball shop. In and out in 5 minutes of less for $10 cash.

The tank came with my kegerator. The advantage to me, is I have a nice clean brushed aluminum tank instead of a beat up nicked paint rusty trash heap looking tank.

[DPIStorm]

I have a nice clean brushed aluminum tank instead of a beat up nicked paint rusty trash heap looking tank.

Sounds like my 15lber!

[huey782]

On the flipside, I traded in my beat up POS and got a nice new (looking) one in return. $15 to get a 5 pounder filled, in and out in minutes.

[mjn]

I had a terrible time finding a place. And I am near a few indutrialized areas?

In Fact I got my Summit SBC-500B for under $100(never used) because they owner couldn't find anywhere to fill the tank.

[BrewGuru]

Anyone who hands someone a tank, and gets a 'fill in minutes' is being done a disservice.

Physics and thermodynamics for this situation being fairly constant, it is safe to say that the ONLY way to get a complete fill is to properly chill the cylinder before filling.

Some hack shops will partially fill the bottle and quickly vent this gas, which has the effect of cooling the bottle down slightly and allowing more in when filling, however this is not only in-efficient and irresponsible, it is also environmentally unsound. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, and wasting it to cool the bottles down not only vents it into the atmosphere, but also wastes fossil fuels for the energy that was required to initially extract and compress it...

Shops that do proper fills usually get the bottles to freezing or sub freezing temperatures to fill the bottle, and often only do exchanges, or drop off and pick up.

If you have an accurate scale, weigh your cylinder after they fill it. You can only get ~1.8lbs od CO2 into a room temp 5lb cylinder without chilling, if you vent chill, you can get 2 to 3 lbs in the cylinder.

[psychodad]

It took a bit for me to get over the shiny tank syndrome too. but in the end, it hangs on the back of my kegerator where nobody even sees it.

Dropping the tank off on Saturday and picking it up Tuesday wasn't a hassle. But psychomom trading it in and me drawing beer that evening is less of a hassle.

And paintball shops... They aren't in the gas business. Like guru said, leave it to the pros.

[Skinsfan1311]

I "own" two 5lb steel tanks, so running out is never an issue.

My buddy has a neighbor who works for AirGas, and he swaps out the empties , for free. I've never gotten the same one back, but they're always in good shape.

I'm pretty sure that they're filled properly, because I got 8 1/2 bbls out of the last one.

[cubby_swans]

Anyone who hands someone a tank, and gets a 'fill in minutes' is being done a disservice.

Physics and thermodynamics for this situation being fairly constant, it is safe to say that the ONLY way to get a complete fill is to properly chill the cylinder before filling.

Some hack shops will partially fill the bottle and quickly vent this gas, which has the effect of cooling the bottle down slightly and allowing more in when filling, however this is not only in-efficient and irresponsible, it is also environmentally unsound. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, and wasting it to cool the bottles down not only vents it into the atmosphere, but also wastes fossil fuels for the energy that was required to initially extract and compress it...

I get 8-9 1/2 barrels out of my co2 tank, that has been filled while I wait, within minutes. Yes, they vent gas off to cool the tank. But I assure you I get a full fill. I go through 1 co2 tank a year (about 8-9 1/2 barrels), and I use the proper co2 pressure setting (12psi or so, depending on the beer). So if 1lb or so of co2 gets vented once a year, to cool my tank, so be it.

I can run down the list of things I do that are 'green', to compensate. I use low wattage halogen bulbs in my entire house, inside and out. I ride a scooter that gets 65mpg to the light rail train that takes me to work every day. I recycle nearly religiously. I re-use pop top beer bottles for my home brew, and re-use is a infinitely more efficient that recycling. I mulch organic discards for the vegetable garden in my backyard. I turn the A/C up a mile high when we're home during the day, and don't turn it back down until the sun is setting.

[fnmocurtis]

I have two 20lb tanks that I swap out. Less trips to the welding supply shop. It may be overkill, but I have never run both of them out. I use one tank for picnic taps for parties. All my friends call for the bottle and tap when they have parties. I sleep better at night knowing that no beer is being "skunked!" Sometimes I get the leftovers if I have room! Now that is a good friend!

[cubby_swans]

I get 8-9 1/2 barrels out of my co2 tank, that has been filled while I wait, within minutes. Yes, they vent gas off to cool the tank. But I assure you I get a full fill. I go through 1 co2 tank a year (about 8-9 1/2 barrels), and I use the proper co2 pressure setting (12psi or so, depending on the beer). So if 1lb or so of co2 gets vented once a year, to cool my tank, so be it.

I can run down the list of things I do that are 'green', to compensate. I use low wattage halogen bulbs in my entire house, inside and out. I ride a scooter that gets 65mpg to the light rail train that takes me to work every day. I recycle nearly religiously. I re-use pop top beer bottles for my home brew, and re-use is a infinitely more efficient that recycling. I mulch organic discards for the vegetable garden in my backyard. I turn the A/C up a mile high when we're home during the day, and don't turn it back down until the sun is setting.

I forgot something. One gallon of gasoline produces 19lbs of carbon dioxide. So taking two trips to the shop in a gasoline powered vehicle, if you leave your tank for a fill, will likely put more co2 into the atmosphere than the shop venting a lb of co2.

[jhon]

I get mine filled at a place that services fire extinguishers. After 7 1/2 kegs, I decided to have it refilled whether it needed it or not. He put in on a scale and filled it up. No gas went into the air, and no tanks were chilled before filling.
Just because you drop off your tank for a day, or you swap out your take does not mean that they are doing it any greener. But it does mean they are making it inconvenient.

[psychodad]

I walk to the gas supplier with solar powered sunglasses and I recycle the air I breath on the way.

I think the OP just wants to know if there is a real advantage to keeping the shiny tank or if it is OK to not worry about it.