CO2 Tank refill

[JHarrington]

I just got my first kegging system and I would love to get some CO2 in the tank. I would like to decorate my tank and do not want to exchange it. Is there anywhere in the Frisco, Allen, Plano, or Colony area that does this? I don't want to drive all the way to Dallas but I guess Lewisville wouldn't be too bad. Any leads?

Thanks!

[Guerra]

The places I go to all exchange. Garland Welding has filled my tanks when they did not have any available for exchange.

For exchanges in Plano go to Mr. G's. (Coit & 15th). I have never bought CO2 from them before, but they seem ok for everything else.

Thurston Discount Beverage will fill your tank, but they do not properly fill. They have a bulk tank and will just connector your tank to theres and turn a valve and fill. When it stops flowing they call it full. I have used them 3 times, each time when I placed my regulator on the tank it read low. So beware.

[JHarrington]

Thanks Orlando! I talked to Kim today too and it looks like I may need to just do an exchange. Sure seems easier.

[Bill Lawrence]

Like Orlando, I have noticed that Mr. G's exchanges CO2 however I have never tried it there. I get mine from Garland Welding Supply and they generally exchange. Since I live in Richardson on the east side, they are closer to me and open Saturday morning which is a gigantic plus.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by decorating a CO2 tank but there are a couple of reasons to exchange rather than keep the same tank all the time. Those tanks must periodically undergo hydrostatic testing. If you exchange tanks two or three times a year (which is about what I do) you don't really have to worry about that since the tank you get will at least theoretically be recently tested. If you always keep the same tank, you could end up in a situation where you would potentially have to pay to have it tested, money that could better be spent on beer. Also, if your idea of decoration involves painting the tank, just don't do any of that bake on paint stuff, it could damage the tank. I have heard of people painting scuba tanks which subsequently blew up as they were being filled injuring people and property. Much better to just hang a couple of Christmas balls and tinsle off the valves and call it a day (Oops, I guess I should have said "Holiday balls", I can be so insensitive at times).

[JHarrington]

Yeah, I recently heard about the bake on paint myself and nixed that idea. I exchanged at Mr. G's. $18.00 for a 5lb tank. It should last a long time though.

[Mike Grover]

Bill you promised not to talk about your "holiday balls" on this forum anymore.

[BigWally]

Hydrostatic testing cost about $25 and is required every 5 years. So if you wanted to "decorate" a cylinder, you could, just be prepared to pay to have it tested every five years. Kotter Fire Protection performs hydrostatic testing on cylinders when you need the service.

As far as decoration goes, anything that heats the metal is bad. If you wanted to apply stickers or regular paint that is ok. Also be careful about sanding the cylinder as you could conceivably remove too much material and weaken it.

[JaySchafer]

Yeah, I recently heard about the bake on paint myself and nixed that idea. I exchanged at Mr. G's. $18.00 for a 5lb tank. It should last a long time though.

Yikes, that's expensive. I'm also on a 5 lb tank (I know, should have bought a 10 or 20 pounder, which I'll do in the future). Had it filled once at Parkit Market on Greenville for I forget how much (maybe low-mid teens?), and just recently paid $10 at Koetter (per the recommendation of some guys here) near the Design District of Dallas. Not sure how good of a fill I got, as my regulator seems to have hit the ground a few too many times, but the guys there were nice enough. Shame they aren't open on weekends, but I imagine that CO2 refills aren't a huge part of their business.

[BigWally]

Koetter does a good job at filling tanks. They pump liquid CO2 into the tank. I used to get fills at Parkit Market, but they were just gas fills unless you did an exchange.