Are co2 bulbs, co2 bulbs?

[Mickcr250]

Hey guys I'm bringing a keg to my parents place for Christmas and was going to use my keg king mini reg to push the beer. I've got some x tech co2 cartridges for filling bike tires at home and was wondering if they would be OK for this? The last lot of cartridges I bought (also for bike tires) were food grade but these don't seem to be or at least aren't advertising as being so. I did a test and pushed a cartridge of co2 into a cup and nothing but gas came out so think it might be OK. So what do you think should I use them?

 

[pcmfisher]

I would suggest they will be fine.

 

[Bribie G]

I suggest you do a trial session first, serving yourself at least ten pints using the bulbs and see how you feel.

 

[Mickcr250]

Hahaha ten pints and I will feel great. Maybe not the next day though

 

[earle]

Apparently while Co2 is Co2 there is a difference in the lubricants used on the machinery to produce food grade CO2. From what I've read the lubricant used on machinery for non-food grade Co2 is much cheaper but may contain toxins. Who knows how much and maybe from the small amount of co2 in a bulb it is not of consequence if only used in frequently???

 

[lobedogg]

I've only ever bought the food grade ones online, but have heard of people using the ones sold at bike shops and wouldn't hesitate if I was in a bind.

 

[Mickcr250]

Ah right so its the lubricant on the machinery that's the difference. Like I said I did a test bulb into a cup to see if any fluid or anything came out and nothing did so I would think it must be such a tiny amount if any. And I'm just pushing the beer not carbonating so I'm leaning towards using them

 

[Feldon]

The FDA in the USA grades CO2 as follows (I guess Australian standards are the same or similar):



The stuff that is not CO2 are impurities like nitrogen and other hydrocarbons (eg. benzene, ammonia, carbon monoxide).

Not a huge difference between industrial grade and beverage/food grade.

As long as your CO bulbs are at least industrial grade you're possibly OK, but if the CO2 is below FDA level industrial grade and carries more impurities - who knows?

 

[Mickcr250]

Just had a closer look and it says the contents is UN1013 and after a bit of research its at least industrial grade and I seems a lot of homebrewers use this in there bottles so think I'm all good

 

[Mickcr250]

It actually looks like the easycharger ones which are food grade are also un1013

 

[N3MIS15]

My local home brew shop uses industrial gas to refill bottles. I have had an industrial (welding) bottle pouring my beer for the past 2 years (borrowed from work ) and I'm still alive...

 

[Grott]

It actually looks like the easycharger ones which are food grade are also un1013

Have used these several times with no detrimental effect and my research suggested nothing wrong with them grade wise for carbonating/dispensing beer. In any event would suggest any industrial lubricant would stay within the gas release unit and/or keg poppet.
Cheers

 

[wynnum1]

Commercial brewery would produce lots of co2 so do they collect and on sell as this would be a waste product and greenhouse global warning gas but if sold would be the final users emision..