Different wort aeration kits

[fishingbrad]

good price on the reg. I paid twice that through a plumbing supplies 2year ago.

Does anyone else disconnect the cylinder after every use. I lost my 1st bottle (within a month) too a slow leak even though the reg was 0 pressure position/ dial all the way out. It was when I went to buy my 2nd bottle the sales rep told me "disconnect each time as the reg will leak slowly even when the reg dial is out". and thus I've been on this bottle since, given I only use it for lagers and the occasional RIS.

cheers.

 

[mstrelan]

thats exactly the same reg (i did a heap of comparing before buying the one i linked to, cross referencing pics/model numbers etc)
at $98 its slightly more than buying separate though (~$5) , depending on how much of a tightass you are

The $39 reg is now listed at $43, so now less than $1 more, which you would have spent on a sausage at Bunnings anyway.

 

[rude]

Thanks for reply Crusty will go that route

 

[Crusty]

Thanks for reply Crusty will go that route

You'll be more than happy with that choice.
A big thanks to SBOB for the original links & prices.

 

[Benn]

Brewers, in particular those cobbling parts together from components that may or may not be intended for use with high pressure Oxygen.
Downstream/low pressure i.e everything after the regulator, not such a great concern but regulators and valves can be a different story altogether. My understanding comes from my other pastime (technical/cave diving) where we use various gas blends including 100% O2 for decompression. I understand for brewing purposes we are dealing with industrial components but the fundamentals are the same.
Rather than post links to text that no one will read, if you're piecing together parts to build an oxygenation setup just have a couple of quick google searches, for eg. "O2 clean" "oxygen compatible" "oxygen regulator danger" etc.
I'm all for DIY, often to a fault but sometimes I wish I'd read the "instructions" first. Oxygen is pretty serious stuff.
Cheers.

 

[Rambo]

Is there a specific issue you have with the regulater being linked to in this thread that now seems to be gaining popularity? Everything else is downstream from there and therefore low pressure yeah? I'm thinking of putting together one of these "kits" linked to by SBOB, but would be happy to hear any concerns you have.
Cheers

 

[SBOB]

Brewers, in particular those cobbling parts together from components that may or may not be intended for use with high pressure Oxygen.
Downstream/low pressure i.e everything after the regulator, not such a great concern but regulators and valves can be a different story altogether. My understanding comes from my other pastime (technical/cave diving) where we use various gas blends including 100% O2 for decompression. I understand for brewing purposes we are dealing with industrial components but the fundamentals are the same.
Rather than post links to text that no one will read if your piecing together parts to build an oxygenation setup just have a couple of quick google searches, for eg. "O2 clean" "oxygen compatible" "oxygen regulator danger" etc.
I'm all for DIY, often to a fault but sometimes I wish I'd read the "instructions" first. Oxygen is pretty serious stuff.
Cheers.

the regulator i linked to is sold as a regulator suitable for their disposable cylinders, including Argon, Argon/CO2, CO2 and O2. It's designed for portable setups that welders etc use which is why its compatible with the various gas types (and the portable 1L/2L bottles they sell of those)

but as always, people should be covering their own ass and doing research as you said (along with using common sense when using these things... i.e. dont smoke over the opening to your fermenter while waving the oxygen gas around )

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I just looked it up (http://www.dynaweld.com.au/disposable-gas-bottles/234-bossgas-disposable-gas-bottle-regulator.html) and I have a problem with it: it doesn't seem to have been designed for oxygen use.

Using equipment not designed for O2 on pressurised O2 is a real safety problem: things that you think of as inert, like oil or the rubber gaskets in the regulator, become very flammable in pressurised O2. Ignition can be provided by a static discharge from dry gas flow.

Get a proper O2 regulator, designed for the job. It will always have USE NO OIL on it.

 

[Crusty]

I just looked it up (http://www.dynaweld.com.au/disposable-gas-bottles/234-bossgas-disposable-gas-bottle-regulator.html) and I have a problem with it: it doesn't seem to have been designed for oxygen use.

Using equipment not designed for O2 on pressurised O2 is a real safety problem: things that you think of as inert, like oil or the rubber gaskets in the regulator, become very flammable in pressurised O2. Ignition can be provided by a static discharge from dry gas flow.

Get a proper O2 regulator, designed for the job. It will always have USE NO OIL on it.

I just looked it up (http://www.dynaweld.com.au/disposable-gas-bottles/234-bossgas-disposable-gas-bottle-regulator.html) and I have a problem with it: it doesn't seem to have been designed for oxygen use.

Using equipment not designed for O2 on pressurised O2 is a real safety problem: things that you think of as inert, like oil or the rubber gaskets in the regulator, become very flammable in pressurised O2. Ignition can be provided by a static discharge from dry gas flow.

Get a proper O2 regulator, designed for the job. It will always have USE NO OIL on it.

I might be missing something here but where does it state it's not suitable for oxygen?
The bossgas regulators can be used on any of the disposable gas bottles, including O2.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I can find no reference to it being rated for O2 on their website or anywhere else. The linky to the gas bottles on the regulator page has Ar, CO2 and mixtures thereof, but no O2.

The fact that the regulator doesn't say "USE NO OIL" is a red flag.

IMO it would be prudent to assume it isn't oxygen safe until shown otherwise.

 

[manticle]

I might be missing something here but where does it state it's not suitable for oxygen?
The bossgas regulators can be used on any of the disposable gas bottles, including O2.

As lyrebird suggests, their disposables don't include O2 - only argon and argon mix for tig and mig.

O2 under pressure is, at the very least worth an email or phone call to the manufacturer to check.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

OK I just looked it up and it's a requirement of the US Regulations: 29CFR ChXVII #1910.253 part 6 para (iii) says:

Gages (sic) on oxygen regulators shall be marked "USE NO OIL".

Accordingly any regulator with a gauge not so marked would be illegal in the USA. I'll see if I can find a copy of the relevant AS (#4267 I think) to see if applies here as well but I can't see anyone manufacturing a gauge that would be illegal to sell in the USA. This is reinforced by the fact that the actual oxygen regulators from the same maker are properly marked, see http://www.dynaweld.com.au/gas-regulators/111-bossweld-oxygen-gas-regulator.html .

Edit: while looking for the AS, I came across a message on a US Welding site where someone asked where they could buy the special " N O " oil used on regulators. I hope this was tongue in cheek.

 

[Crusty]

As lyrebird suggests, their disposables don't include O2 - only argon and argon mix for tig and mig.

O2 under pressure is, at the very least worth an email or phone call to the manufacturer to check.

You can't use a standard regulator on these that says use no oil on the gauge, making it only usable with the bassgas regulator.
I'm certain the more expensive regulators take into consideration the use of bigger cylinders which I believe are under more pressure which will require a better regulator able to withstand said pressure. I think you'll find that any brand of disposable cylinder regulator won't have the use no oil logo on the gauge.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I'm certain the more expensive regulators take into consideration the use of bigger cylinders which I believe are under more pressure

Not a huge difference: the 1 litre cylinder you referenced seems to be charged to 11 MPa, tested to 14.5. A size D oxy cylinder is charged to 14.3 MPa and a size G (the big *******) is 18 MPa.

Ultimately it's your decision, I just want you to make that decision in possession of the right information.

 

[SBOB]

but as they actively list it in their catalogue in the section with the disposable bottles, as the regulator for those actual bottles, I dont see how it couldn't be suitable for use with the oxygen bottle

(jump to page 62 on http://www.dynaweld.com.au/content/16-weldpoint)

 

[manticle]

bossgas-disposable-gas-bottle.jpg

You can't use a standard regulator on these that says use no oil on the gauge, making it only usable with the bassgas regulator.
I'm certain the more expensive regulators take into consideration the use of bigger cylinders which I believe are under more pressure which will require a better regulator able to withstand said pressure. I think you'll find that any brand of disposable cylinder regulator won't have the use no oil logo on the gauge.

Fair enough. I was looking at the table with part numbers and product description and o2 was not mentioned.

 

[Crusty]

Ok guys, I've just contacted Welders online on the phone & spoke to Mitch regarding the Bossgas regulator for disposable cylinders & it is perfectly fine to use to oxygenate our wort with this setup. He informed me though that if you tried to weld with it using oxygen, you wont be here soon after as the regulator diaphragm will most certainly allow flash back to the cylinder causing it to explode. For our purposes though, all good & not a problem whatsoever.

 

[manticle]

Good to know.
cheers

 

[mstrelan]

Thanks Crusty for following up on this. I know very little about this subject but know that O2 can be very dangerous, which is why I wanted to check compatibility.

 

[Crusty]

Thanks Crusty for following up on this. I know very little about this subject but know that O2 can be very dangerous, which is why I wanted to check compatibility.

It's wise to check for sure & I was starting to get a bit worried that I didn't do enough research before hitting the purchase button.
Just don't attempt to weld with oxygen using these regulators, you'll blow yourself sky high. This setup is a pretty good price & just a short trip to Bunnings to get replacement cylinders is pretty handy. Running it for 60sec or so at 2L/min will give you about 55 uses, so it will last quite a while.
I haven't used mine on a beer yet & won't get the chance until we get back from Tasmania. We're heading down there on 21/9 & flying home on the 6/10 so I'll be around the Island for 15 days. I'm hoping to catch up with a few of you guys to put a face to a name whilst we're down there.