Beer Forum

Is it Cheaper/easier to buy a CO2 tank and refill it,
or is it cheaper/easier to rent one and trade it in.

Thanks
APM

i don't know how much it is to rent (can't do that up here) but i got a brand new 5# tank on ebay for like $45.. and it about $14 to fill it. if you buy it new at a welding shop its usually comes prefilled but cost something like $120. thats for an aluminum one. i don't know what an old steel one would run.

tom

If you rent a CO2 tank, you will need to put down a good sized deposit at most places. Depending on the place this may only be $10-$15 or as much as the cost of a new tank. You will get this back when (and if) you finally turn the tank in for good. If you take your time and shop around you may be able to find a tank to buy for what your deposit would be. I have gotten 20# tanks as cheap as free (abandoned by a dumpster behind a closed down bowling alley) to as much as $65 (including shipping) on eBay.

To determine the cheaper way to go take a look at the cost of refilling the tank vs trading in an empty tank for a full one. In my case, refilling a 20# tank is about $4 cheaper than doing an exchange. My fill place will fill it while I wait, normally a 10-15 minute wait. The only time I exchange a tank is when the tank is within a few months of needing recertification. Paying an extra $4 to get a tank with several more years left on it's certification is a whole lot better than paying $25 to get a tank recertified.

Owning your own tank gives you the flexibility of either filling or exchanging, while renting ties you to the rental place for fills or exchanges. You will need to look at what is works best for you. If you can do immediate exchanges vs having to wait a couple of days for them to send your tank to a 3rd party to do the filling, you may want to stick with the exchange route.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but it should give you some things to consider.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

Thanks guys, I think i'm gonna just buy my own and refill it, then I don't have to worry about it.

APM

I bought my tank, but then had trouble finding a place to refill it at. Everyplace I called only did the exchange. I ended up trading in my bottle at an exchange. Sucked. My bottle was so much nicer, but in the exchange I pay $10 to change them out and it only takes 2 minutes.

just got everything I need to start kegging my brews.

SOOO excited to not bottles anymore.

APM

the only downside I can think of to owning, is that you must get the tank tested every (five?) so many years. I haven't had to do it, so I do not know what is involved. Perhaps it is inexpensive to have the test performed? At any rate it's certain to be less than the rental fees and deposits etc.

I got my tanks at a fire extinguisher place. It's an old CO2 extinguisher without the nozzle. Twenty pound tank cost $65.00, came full, and the hydro test was very recent. Haven't had to refill yet but other brewers who bought there said it is very reasonable.

Try finding a fire extinguisher business or fire fighting equipment business and give them a call.