| Author |
Message |
    
Ray Danen
New Member
Username: Rdanen
Post Number: 22
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 05:29 am: | 
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After 5 years of kegging, and about a 5 year old 5lb aluminum C02 tank from B3, I needed a refill today, only to find my local gas store wouldn't fill it! The gas folks told me I needed to get the tank hydrostatically tested and stamped, before they could refill it, and that they weren't in business of testing tanks anymore. I've only filled the tank 3 times since I bought it, but apparently C02 tanks need testing every 5 years, and they wouldn't exchange the tank out.
Where can I go to get my nice and shinny aluminum tank hydrostatically tested, and how much can I expect to pay?
Cheers!
-Ray |
Paul Edwards
Advanced Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 515
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 11:45 am: |
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Look in your yellow pages for "Carbonic Gas" for another supplier. Chances are one of them either can do the test in-house or contracts with another company to do the test.
Yup, tanks have to be tested and stamped every 5 years.
I think I paid about $15 last time one of my tanks needed testing. |
Miker
Junior Member
Username: Miker
Post Number: 96
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 04:35 pm: |
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Call around to different places such as gas suppliers, welding suppliers and fire extinguisher suppliers until you find someone who will either test it or swap it out. |
Paul Edwards
Advanced Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 516
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 05:00 pm: |
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You'll most likely get charged the hydro test fee plus the fee for refill if you want to swap out an empty out-of-date cylinder.
Plus you're likely to not get anywhere near as nice and shiny a cylinder as the one you own.
I got lucky with a couple of 20 lb tanks I had. I did have to pay the test fee for them since they were way out of date, but I was able to swap a couple of old steel cylinders (that I got for nothing) for newer aluminum ones.
I also own a 10 lb cylinder I bought years ago. When it's needed testing, I can drop it off at my gas supplier, and pick it up the next day.
Check around, if you're in a decent sized city, you'll likely have several choices. Got a brewpub or decent beer bar nearby? Talk to the manager and see who supplies their CO2. |
Kevin Davis
Member
Username: Ktdavis98
Post Number: 133
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 01:15 am: |
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Since I started kegging a 20# tank was given to me that seems to have 10 to 15 lbs of gas in it, but is outdated. Once I use all the CO2 I want to have it tested but it has Dr. Pepper stamped on it. Will someone still test it with an obvious name on it, or is it just trash once I use it's contents? Anyone had one tested like this?
Kevin |
Geoff Buschur
Intermediate Member
Username: Avmech
Post Number: 388
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 01:27 am: |
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Thief!! Just kidding 
For all they know DP sold it to you. It is only their property until they give it to somebody else.
Besides, isn't all of DP's work contracted out to both Pepsi and Coke? |
Kevin Davis
Member
Username: Ktdavis98
Post Number: 136
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 01:48 am: |
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Geoff, I'm not the thief, my cousin is. And maybe he did work for one of those companies?
Kevin |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 1372
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 01:56 am: |
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Spread a little Bondo over the DP name stamped on the cylinder, then sand it smooth and paint a square over it, which will nicely disguise it. I have a 20 lb. aluminum cylinder that I bought from Pepsi when they were consolidating smaller local distributors into a large regional one. On a couple of occasions I was asked how I got the cylinder when it was refilled, so I just painted out the label and have never had a problem since. |
Kevin Davis
Member
Username: Ktdavis98
Post Number: 137
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 02:04 am: |
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I guess that is why Bill is a Moderator, he has all the answers! I thought about doing that, (since I crashed a few cars and have a little bondo experience), but I wasn't sure.
Kevin |
Geoff Buschur
Intermediate Member
Username: Avmech
Post Number: 390
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 02:07 am: |
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JB weld may hold up a little better in the hydro test. I'm not sure how well Bondo holds up in an aqueous environment. |
Paul Edwards
Advanced Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 518
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 01:31 pm: |
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One of the steel 20 lb cylinders I had given to me was painted Pepsi Blue, and had "Pepsi-Cola" stamped in it.
I simply took it to my gas supplier and traded it in, no questions asked. They probably did the bondo & repaint trick for all I know and put the cylinder into their inventory.
I have a friend who gets his cylinders from a Pepsi plant near where he lives. He didn't even have to give them a deposit, he just pays for the gas when he trades a cylinder. |
Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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