Buy or rent your CO2 tanks

[fnmocurtis]

I was lucky that both of my CO2 tanks were given to me. When you "rent", you are paying the same price for the gas but leaving a deposit for the tank. After that it's no different than the deposit on the keg. Swapping tanks and swapping kegs. I hope I never get my keg deposit back!!!! That means I'm not drinking beer anymore!!!! That is a very, very bad thought!!

[psychodad]

I hope I never get my keg deposit back!!!! That means I'm not drinking beer anymore!!!!

Or it means you quit the commercial beer and are making your own like I did. My deposit on a Bud Light keg was 80 bucks. I started home brewing and found that $80 buys a lot of grain and a couple of corny kegs.

[fnmocurtis]

One day. I still remember the last time I, "we" brewed our own! It was 1991 in the Gulf. Alcohol was illegal to have shipped in. We somehow managed to have a kit shipped in from a Field & Stream magazine. It hit the spot, but boy it was nasty!! Of course our control wasn't very good! We "bottled" it in two 5 gallon plastic water cans. We used silicone on the lids to seal them tight! We buried them in the sand to control the temperature the best we could. The cans were almost round after 2 weeks!!! We cut the lids off because we were afraid they would explode!! Had to be one of the worse hangovers I ever had! But it was one that I was happy to have!!

[Kkenc35]

As the OPer, I was wondering if buying at tank would obligate me to have it tested and keep it maintained where as renting, the supplier is responsible.
If all that is involved in buying a tank, is it better/cheaper/ easier to rent?

[fnmocurtis]

In that case you should talk to the people that will actually be doing the filling/swapping of tanks. That would determine what you can do. For me, the welding supply place I go to doesn't fill on site. So I have to swap. I would recommend "buying" a cheap tank on craigslist or ebay, then swap it out. It will probably be cheaper than the deposit you'll have to leave for the tank from the supply shop. They took two crappy tanks that were given to me and gave me a freshly painted tanks both times.

[cubby_swans]

As the OPer, I was wondering if buying at tank would obligate me to have it tested and keep it maintained where as renting, the supplier is responsible.
If all that is involved in buying a tank, is it better/cheaper/ easier to rent?

If you bought a new tank, and you wanted to keep it, you will have to have it re-tested every 4 or 5 years or whatever the time period is. I found a SCUBA shop near me that will test my tank and replace all the valves/gaskets/whatever for $35. Many places will do the hydro testing for cheaper, but not replace any parts. It's worth the few extra bucks to me for peace of mind.

[Kpt42]

I got a 20 lb tank for free. It was already painted and beat up so I exchanged it. That was 2 1/2 years ago. Haven't filled it since. I think its getting near that time though. The high side appears to be dropping, more so than it normally fluctuates with ambient temp. I do have a 15 lb backup though so I'll run it until its empty.

Or it means you quit the commercial beer and are making your own like I did. My deposit on a Bud Light keg was 80 bucks. I started home brewing and found that $80 buys a lot of grain and a couple of corny kegs.

Deposit? Commercial beer? My local brewery does not charge a deposit. They have recently started filling CO2 tanks as well.

[cm11599ps]

My kegerator came with a 5lb tank about 2 days before a big party I was having. I wasn't able to get it filled in time so I borrowed my brothers 2.5lb tank from his kegerator that was empty at the time. There were already 3 kegs used on that bottle with mine being #4 so I knew it was probably due for a fillup.

After my party I brought both tanks in to a welding shop and they said to come back the next day about this time which I did. I wanted our tanks back because both were brand new. I go the next day at the right time, pay my bill up front ($28 for the 5lb and 2.5lb) and go in the back to get my tanks. They tell me they're not ready yet. WTF? So I'm waiting in the back for close to 30 minutes (thank God for slingbox on my eyephone) when the guy finally comes out. These tanks were ICE cold and absolutely DRIPPING with condensation. All was well, I hooked up my tank and my brother did his tank. This was about 2 weeks ago. Being in the back of that place with all the venting and noise and whatnot coming from the hug gas tanks is not pleasant. Kind of scary.

3 days ago my brother calls to say his tank is empty. Weird after only a week. I told him that when I went to pick up a keg they had a sign for a local scuba shop that would refill your tank and this place was much closer than the welding shop. He went in and they filled on the spot. It turns out a washer was missing between the regulator and the gas line. Not sure where it got lost exactly but that's how it lost gas so quickly. He said they didn't do any kind of venting and his tank was not cold when he got it.

[psychodad]

Deposit? Commercial beer? My local brewery does not charge a deposit. They have recently started filling CO2 tanks as well.

This isn't just the brewery. Stores have had to start charging this deposit on everything from Bud Light to Sierra Nevada and everything in between. Not because the brewery makes them, but because that is just what they have to do to not eat the replacement cost of the kegs.

[GBEER11]

Yep

Yeah Physcho dad is spot on, the stores were losing money to people not returning the kegs or returning them to scrap yards and collecting the scrap money. My commercial keg retailer charges 30$ a deposit, but again if you swap out the barrel each time you wont get charged another 30$.

[Yuenglinger]

I'm no expert but here's my $.02...

I bought a 10# aluminum tank with my conversion kit and took it to a local welding shop to get it filled. It cost me $10 and was filled before I was done talkin to the lady behind the counter and givin her my cash. I would say that from reading this post, "your experience may vary".

Obviously it takes minutes or less to fill a #10 tank but you are at the mercy of the people that run the place you are buying your CO2 from! If they are busy with other things or just in a grouchy mood, you might get crappy service. If you do, try someplace else. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes and everyone was nice to me.

My advice would be to decide on what option u like best, (own or rent), and then find a place that caters to your preference. Good Luck!

[rdcollns]

I did the math, and it is easier for me to rent a 4' tall nitrogen tank.

It is $6 a month. Refills are $35, same price as refilling any size tank. A 10lb tank is $100 and I have to pay $35 every 3-4 kegs to refill it. Adding in that I would likely have to maintain or replace my own cylinder every 4 years, I realized that as long as I empty my kegs within a couple months rental is actually cheaper. The only problem is storing a massive cylinder, but I built it into the visual look of my bar, and people like to look at the regulator.

[fnmocurtis]

but I built it into the visual look of my bar, and people like to look at the regulator.

You can't talk about it, and not show it!! I want to see the regulator too!!!

[Kkenc35]

You can't talk about it, and not show it!! I want to see the regulator too!!!

Thats hilarious! Thanks for the laugh man!

[whutever]

I started home brewing and found that $80 buys a lot of grain and a couple of corny kegs.

Here here! ! !