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JeremyL

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Hi,
For any CO2 gas bottle experts. I am looking at purchasing a gas bottle and asyou all know i have two options, aluminum or steel. Can anyone tell me whatsbest? From my research i can see that Aluminum does not have the big rust factor andas per most gas bottles the ones i am looking at have a 10yr life span (i know steel ones do as well) beforethey need to be re-tested. It is my opinion that Aluminum would last past the10yrs and would this be the case?

Another reason i am leaning toward Aluminum is that i notice all regulators have inlet filters, is this because rust particles
from bottles can affect regulator mechanisms and to what extent can this ulter the life span of regulator?

I am not concerned about durability issues as i under stand all gas bottles need to be handled with care and i am not going to play football the thing, so please do not bring up this stupid marketing ploy. I am also not interested in weight.

What's best?

 
i dont know whats best but also consider what can be filled (or will actually be filled) in your local area

some retailers are not "filling or swaping" other competitors bottles
and some wont "swap" bottles that were purchased elsewhere
 
aluminium recertified at 10yrs.
steel needs to be recertified at 5yrs not 10.

my recommendation is the mykegonlegs brand. the have a cylinderswap program similar to the LPG one. Take your empty and swap for a full one.

then you dont have to worry about your cylinders condition or when it needs retesting.

my last swap cost $60. paying a little extra for the convenience (and not paying for the tests/recert.) is worth it in my view.

you could also get refills until the cylinder is almost out of date, then get a swap for a new cylinder.
 
aluminium recertified at 10yrs.
steel needs to be recertified at 5yrs not 10.

my recommendation is the mykegonlegs brand. the have a cylinderswap program similar to the LPG one. Take your empty and swap for a full one.

then you dont have to worry about your cylinders condition or when it needs retesting.

my last swap cost $60. paying a little extra for the convenience (and not paying for the tests/recert.) is worth it in my view.

you could also get refills until the cylinder is almost out of date, then get a swap for a new cylinder.

Thanks mate but i brew, carbonate and dispense alot so i will need to avoid the whole extra cost for the swap thing. I am going Aluminum as i reckon that will last the journey and save me a packet and i reckon steel will rust and effect the regulator as well, unless someone can tell me different by next week. Also i am on top of the fill thing, just called the local HBS and they where happy to fill for me.
 
aluminium recertified at 10yrs.
steel needs to be recertified at 5yrs not 10.

my recommendation is the mykegonlegs brand. the have a cylinderswap program similar to the LPG one. Take your empty and swap for a full one.

then you dont have to worry about your cylinders condition or when it needs retesting.

my last swap cost $60. paying a little extra for the convenience (and not paying for the tests/recert.) is worth it in my view.

you could also get refills until the cylinder is almost out of date, then get a swap for a new cylinder.


What size bottle was that?
 
For any CO2 gas bottle experts.
What's best?

I am certainly not an expert but am willing to share some information told to me by a professional. I chose to use a converted fire extinguisher as it is cheap, easy and I have a local source who will refill it for me. In this instance I went to Ceasefire in Adelaide; I know this probably isn't local to you. However, I mention the business in order to establish their credentials (unfortunately their website is 'coming soon') as professional fire extinguisher experts, CO2 refillers and licensed to recertify fire extinguishers. They also refill regular CO2 cylinders of all shapes and sizes (including but not limited to MyKegOnLegs bottles).
An interesting point he said to me is that during the process of recertifying and pressure testing a cylinder, the threaded neck section is slightly stretched in the process. They have a special calibrated tool to determine if the threaded neck of the bottle is too stretched to be recertified. He claimed that it is likely that the neck will be stretched beyond that which is useable well before the bottle wall fails due to rust or corrosion.

I don't see how steel could rust quicker than aluminium might corrode but I am certainly not a metallurgist. Point being is that perhaps the steel versus aluminium debate may not be as important as one might think? Although if as you say, the recertification period for aluminium is greater, then naturally it would be subjected to stretching of the threaded neck less frequently? Notwithstanding that perhaps aluminium might stretch more readily than steel?

I hope it is further food for thought for you.
 
I am certainly not an expert but am willing to share some information told to me by a professional. I chose to use a converted fire extinguisher as it is cheap, easy and I have a local source who will refill it for me. In this instance I went to Ceasefire in Adelaide; I know this probably isn't local to you. However, I mention the business in order to establish their credentials (unfortunately their website is 'coming soon') as professional fire extinguisher experts, CO2 refillers and licensed to recertify fire extinguishers. They also refill regular CO2 cylinders of all shapes and sizes (including but not limited to MyKegOnLegs bottles).
An interesting point he said to me is that during the process of recertifying and pressure testing a cylinder, the threaded neck section is slightly stretched in the process. They have a special calibrated tool to determine if the threaded neck of the bottle is too stretched to be recertified. He claimed that it is likely that the neck will be stretched beyond that which is useable well before the bottle wall fails due to rust or corrosion.

I don't see how steel could rust quicker than aluminium might corrode but I am certainly not a metallurgist. Point being is that perhaps the steel versus aluminium debate may not be as important as one might think? Although if as you say, the recertification period for aluminium is greater, then naturally it would be subjected to stretching of the threaded neck less frequently? Notwithstanding that perhaps aluminium might stretch more readily than steel?

I hope it is further food for thought for you.

Thanks Malted, what about rust and regulators, got anything for me there? Still sticking with Aluminum as it still seems the safer bet.
 
Thanks Malted, what about rust and regulators, got anything for me there? Still sticking with Aluminum as it still seems the safer bet.

I was reflecting on rust and perhaps it too is not really much to be concerned about in regards to the inside of CO2 cylinders? Rust needs oxygen and water for it to occur. Surely if a bottle/regulator is purged properly there would be an abscence of both oxygen and water and therefore little chance of rust occuring? I would be concerned if a depressurised cylinder was laying about with an open valve or no valve at all; I wouldn't think this would be common.
Perhaps the filters on regulators are more to catch potential particulates that may have gotten into the bottle/regulator thread area before they were connected? Just a wild guess.

At a recent first aid training day in the use of medical oxygen it was (IIRC) best practice to vent the cylinder a little before attaching the regulator.
 
I have a 6.8kg MKOL bottle. There are no swap sites handy for me but the local Brew by U will fill it on the spot for $40.
So, refill till it gets near test then swap for another one.

As a comparison I just had my Stinguisher refilled - 6kg?? and it cost $72.60 at Northside Fire Service.

Campbell
 
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