Keg King Co2 Cylinder

[Aus_Rider_22]

Hi fellas. Just putting this little rant up to see if anyone else is in the same situation as I seem to be in.

I looked around before buying a cylinder for my kegging setup and chose to buy off eBay. I went this route as it was the cheapest $175 for a brand new 2.6kg filled cylinder and it was a Keg King branded unit. Anyway I was brewing happily and when it first went empty I drove to the Keg King filler in Toowoomba just on an hour away. He filled it up fine for $25 and I was very happy. This was about the end of March.

It blew empty about 2 weeks ago and I was slack and decided to wait til I need something in Toowoomba so I wouldn't be driving up just a refill. Anyway the Saturday just gone I went into the home brew shop and was surprised and angry to be told that they will not fill cylinder. I calmly asked how is this so? The cylinder is in new condition still and the same place filled it a few months ago. He told me stamped certification/regulation pass thing was done overseas and not in Australia and they have been known to leak! If they are knocking me back they have to be knocking others back I would have thought.

A quick look at the cylinder shows a stamp of "ATO" in bronze highlighter, kegking.com.au and a code. On the label it says "Made to: Australian Standards CODE: AS2030, Rego number SD20081074-1". This info is also stamped into the side.

I have emailed the seller who sold it explaining what has happened but I think I will be better off sending one off to Kegking to see what they say. I priced a "recommended" cylinder from the HBS and it was over $300. This isn't a surprise but I decided I am not going give them my cash until I work out what's going on.

Anyone else use Kegking 2.6kg/4L cylinders and have trouble refilling?

Cheers. :icon_cheers:

 

[Kleiny]

Send a email to Kee Doery at kegking he is more than helpful and email will be on there web site

good luck

Kleiny

 

[vajoiner]

I've done the same as you have Rider.

Im in Sydney but i have been swapping it at a HBS so no problem there. I might try an extinguisher filler and see if i get knocked back. Will let you know.

Let us know what Keg King say. Maybe the place you are getting it filled up at just don't want to fill your cylinder. It meets the australian regulations so i can't see why they wouldn't fill other then not wanting to.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Send a email to Kee Doery at kegking he is more than helpful and email will be on there web site

good luck

Kleiny

Good idea. I just sent an email to Kee explaining the situation. Will keep you guys updated.

I've done the same as you have Rider.

Im in Sydney but i have been swapping it at a HBS so no problem there. I might try an extinguisher filler and see if i get knocked back. Will let you know.

Let us know what Keg King say. Maybe the place you are getting it filled up at just don't want to fill your cylinder. It meets the australian regulations so i can't see why they wouldn't fill other then not wanting to.

I had considered hiring a co2 from a LHBS and swapping, but the problem is the closest is the shop I am having trouble with. I get malt and bits and pieces from the shop in my town but he doesn't offer anything to do with kegging or co2.

Something interesting I just noticed is that the shop I went to "Toowoomba Home Brewers" is no longer listed as a "refilling" station for KegKing. They offer Sales and Swapping according to KegKing.com.au. They did have them ticked as a refiller as that's why I decided to originally go to them. The way old mate was talking is that they still refill the cylinders that they sell, just not my type of Keg King! <_<

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Franko]

Give the guys at Keg King a call Ive dealt with them many times and have nothing but praise for there service they have given me

Franko

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Give the guys at Keg King a call Ive dealt with them many times and have nothing but praise for there service they have given me

Franko

Just beat me to a reply. I completely agree. I emailed Kee as recommended earlier in the thread and he has already replied!

He assured me the cylinders from KK are fine, which I didn't really doubt as they carried the standards stamp etc.

I won't copy and paste exactly the details of what he said but he did say that KK and the particular store in question have a slight situation and it seems very likely that this is why they would not refill my KK cylinder. Pretty disappointing from the city's main LHBS. Kee said they hope everything will be sorted soon enough.

I think I will ring and quiz the store before I go back to see how they are going about refills.

 

[Kleiny]

Just ask the store wether they would refil a Stamped in date cylinder, i bet they say yes before they realise its KK which they seem to have a personal grudge against for the time being.

Kleiny

 

[jayse]

I would go in there questioning why the dickhead choose to straight out lie to you, he could have mentioned the problem they have with KK and said we no longer deal with them but instead choose to lie and treated you badly hoping you were just a ignorant dude he could bullshit. He didn't have to tell you why they no longer dealt with them really but seriously will you trust him again?
I am sure many of the dodgey home brew stores hate people who know anything at all about the hobby, especially people who know more then them as the business is built on ripping off people who don't know any better.
I am sure many would hate this site because they can't bullshit as many people/brewers as days gone by.

Maybe even tell him he's been named and shamed here on aussies number one home brewing resource for his poor discision to try and bullshit you.

Being its your only real shop then maybe its not worth confronting him as you need his service but personally I have become a nasty old man and like to take my anger out on people like this.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

In hindsight I wish I had of been thinking and really questioned as to what could be wrong with the cylinder. If it's stamped and approved for another 9.5 years, there is no way a HBS assitant would be able to tell there is sometihng wrong with a cylinder which they are affiliated with. I am a bit pissed at my self for not asking more questions. I was a bit hungover and it was my last stop before heading home so I wasn't in the most confrontational mood or wanting to spend extra time with him.

If they don't pick their act I will just go to a Brisbane KK outlet and just have to wait until myself or someone I know is going that way when I am out.

 

[JestersDarts]

I would go in there questioning why the dickhead choose to straight out lie to you, he could have mentioned the problem they have with KK and said we no longer deal with them but instead choose to lie and treated you badly hoping you were just a ignorant dude he could bullshit. He didn't have to tell you why they no longer dealt with them really but seriously will you trust him again?
I am sure many of the dodgey home brew stores hate people who know anything at all about the hobby, especially people who know more then them as the business is built on ripping off people who don't know any better.
I am sure many would hate this site because they can't bullshit as many people/brewers as days gone by.

Maybe even tell him he's been named and shamed here on aussies number one home brewing resource for his poor discision to try and bullshit you.

Being its your only real shop then maybe its not worth confronting him as you need his service but personally I have become a nasty old man and like to take my anger out on people like this.

here here -

If you have another choice for supplier - dont ever go back.
People who make shit up for reasons why not... bah dont waste your time.

oh and make sure you let him know why.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Just a further update which proves the bloke at Toowoomba Home Brewers was lying through his teeth about my cylinder being unsafe for filling. I am not as hesitant about posting the following anymore as it's clear I was lied to because they didn't want to fill a certain brand!

"Peter (THBs) said that he has an agreement with Air Up to promote their cyinders. He also said that the air pump that he purchased from Air Up was sold to him on the basis that he was only allowed to use the pump to fill Air Up cylinders. From my understanding peter is trying to talk to Air Up to have this restriction removed."

Very interesting. Kee recommended asking the local Firies where they obtain there co2 for their extinguishers from. I know a couple so I will ask. Fingers crossed.

 

[brettprevans]

Just a further update which proves the bloke at Toowoomba Home Brewers was lying through his teeth about my cylinder being unsafe for filling. I am not as hesitant about posting the following anymore as it's clear I was lied to because they didn't want to fill a certain brand!

"Peter (THBs) said that he has an agreement with Air Up to promote their cyinders. He also said that the air pump that he purchased from Air Up was sold to him on the basis that he was only allowed to use the pump to fill Air Up cylinders. From my understanding peter is trying to talk to Air Up to have this restriction removed."

Very interesting. Kee recommended asking the local Firies where they obtain there co2 for their extinguishers from. I know a couple so I will ask. Fingers crossed.

like a lot of stuff to do with these limited supplier companies its anticompeditive behaviour and should be reported to your states consumer affairs tribunal and the ACCC.

 

[potof4x]

Hello Rider,

Just now hit the same wall. First time I have gone to fill my CO2 at Toowoomba Home Brewers, and they wont do it. Dion there did tell me that his shop was the only way to fill my cylinder in Toowoomba, did not quiz him further because I thought F*ck it, I could drive to Brissy and fill it for the same price anyway...

Settled down and Rang Kee and he recommended the fireys ... How did you get on, were you able to get yours done in T-bar, or the locals wherever you are?

Cheers Rob

 

[potof4x]

Oh K,

Just got off the phone with one of the Fireys I know in Toowoomba, and he reckoned all their extinguishers were sent to Brissy for refill... D'oh. So the hunt continues...

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Hello Rider,

Just now hit the same wall. First time I have gone to fill my CO2 at Toowoomba Home Brewers, and they wont do it. Dion there did tell me that his shop was the only way to fill my cylinder in Toowoomba, did not quiz him further because I thought F*ck it, I could drive to Brissy and fill it for the same price anyway...

Settled down and Rang Kee and he recommended the fireys ... How did you get on, were you able to get yours done in T-bar, or the locals wherever you are?

Cheers Rob

That's ordinary that they still won't take non-Air Up cylinders! :angry:

I am sorry to say I gave up on the looking for a home brew shop that does Co2 refills. My work recently changed to a new company for our oxygen and acetylene and I enquired about CO2. They provide 6kg bottles of Co2 so I now can request another cylinder whenever I run out. Fairly good value. $7 per month rental and $35ish per refill which is better than $25 for a 2.6kg refill.

I am sorry that this doesn't help you.

Before I got this sorted out I was going to just get a refill at Brew By U at underwood. They confirmed over email that they refill KegKing and Air Up cylinder that are within there safety date for $25.

Hope this helps.

 

[philmud]

About to buy a KK 2.6kg cylinder off eBay, but am cautious because they're substantially less than the MKOL ones. Anyone in Melbourne use a KK bottle and have no dramas refilling? Am I better off not being a tightarse & spending the extra $40 on the MKOL bottle I know I can swap at g&g?

 

[tateg]

About to buy a KK 2.6kg cylinder off eBay, but am cautious because they're substantially less than the MKOL ones. Anyone in Melbourne use a KK bottle and have no dramas refilling? Am I better off not being a tightarse & spending the extra $40 on the MKOL bottle I know I can swap at g&g?

U can also swap the 2.6 kk at grain and grape. That is where I swap mine.

 

[takai]

Swap or refill the KK ones all the time. No issues at all. Either G&G, or KK themselves.

 

[MHB]

Guys there were some problems with the certification of KK bottles, but for gods sake that was years ago, look at the date on the thread being replied to, its over 5 years old, things might have changed a bit since then.
The other point is that MKOL bottles are Aluminium, and will only need testing every 10 years, the KK ones are Steel and if the residual pressure valve works they to need testing every 10 years, mind you of the hundreds I have filled over the years I can only recall a couple that did work so anticipate testing them every 5 years.

Personally I think the lighter better quality Aluminium MKOL bottle is well worth the small extra expense.
Mark

 

[philmud]

Cheers guys, I had been under the impression that G&G only swapped MKOL bottles.