Co2 fire extinguisher to gas kegs.

[simo hart]

Just a quick few questions:

Does anyone use fire extinguisher cylinders to gas their kegs?

If yes, do they need to be modify them?

Who do you get to refill them?

And have you ever had any issues with getting them refilled or with infection (food grade or industrial co2)?

Is it worth just buying a cylinder made for home brewing?

Any help would be good,
Cheers

 

[nic0]

Lots of us use them, their is only one type of Co2 and its food grade, you need to get one that has the correct thread for a Co2 reg and the dip tube should be removed so you don't inject liquid Co2 into the reg. When i started kegging none of the brew shops had the C02 cylinders so i got a fire extinguiser because i didn't what to rent a cylinder off BOC. If i was starting out again would probably go down the cylinder path as most home brew shops have them and you won't have any problems with the handle leaking.

 

[takai]

Has anyone converted one to an O2 cylinder? I have been considering converting a 1kg extinguisher for O2 delivery rather than my bigger cylinder.

 

[wombil]

Where are you takai?

 

[takai]

Melbourne. Have several spare 1kg dry powder and AFFF extinguishers from my racing days.

 

[woodwormm]

for the OP - where are you? may help others to suggest suitable suppliers.

once you've got an extinguisher that suits the regulator, you can simply turn the extinguisher upside down and use like that - allows gas not liquid out of the bottle.

once you reveal your location someone will surely chime in with a brew friendly extinguisher shop, who'll be able to remove the dip tube (so you can use upright) and refill it for you.

I supplied my extinguisher guy with 3 x screw type valves to install into my 3 extinguishers, so I don't have any lever handle issues. The lever handles usually end up leaking as homebrewers use the lever more than they're designed for. The screw valves come from Keg King, spares for their CO2 cylinders fit nicely into certain extinguishers. from memory about 24 bucks each.

 

[wombil]

Can get them done on the gold coast.Thats a long way from melbourne

 

[slcmorro]

their is only one type of Co2 and its food grade

Incorrect. There is food grade, and industrial grade. Food grade needs to be 99.9% CO2 to be labelled as such. Industrial grade can be 99%, with the remaining 1% made up of very harmful and nasty chemicals such as benzine and others. You do *not* want to use anything that is *not* certified food grade CO2.

Sure, places that fill cylinders may call their CO2 Food Grade or Industrial Grade, yet still supply Food Grade for both applications and charge accordingly, however it is illegal for a place to supply Industrial Grade and call it Food Grade, not the other way around.

Always ask if it is food grade.

 

[Feldon]

I think there might be a very pure medical grade CO2 as well.

 

[MaltyHops]

Melbourne. Have several spare 1kg dry powder and AFFF extinguishers from my racing days.

Not a good idea ... powder/AFFF extinguishers seem to have operating pressure ratings of 10-11bar whereas CO2 extinguishers seem to have operating pressure ratings of around 58bar.

 

[simo hart]

Thanks for all of your input, cheers!