General Vehicle Related Topics (Non Year Related) If topic doesn't apply to Toyotas whatsoever, it should be in Off Topic
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Bargas / soda machine CO2 tank as OBA?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 2, 2006 | 11:36 PM
  #1  
Tofer's Avatar
Thread Starter
Sponsor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,173
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup WA.
Bargas / soda machine CO2 tank as OBA?

so while the pledges where cleaning the basement this week they found an old CO2 tank from back in the day when we were allowed to have kegs on campus whit CO2 still in it.... if i get the fittings and what not, would this work as an OBA CO2 tank? is there something that i am missing. it seems like i buy a regulator and hose fittings it should be OBA right?

Last edited by Tofer; Nov 2, 2006 at 11:37 PM.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 11:05 AM
  #2  
mt_goat's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 10,666
Likes: 5
From: Oklahoma State
I don't know about fitting a regulator to it, but check with a place that refills them and see how much it will be to pressure test it. They have to be tested every 5 years and if it's been longer than that they will charge you for doing it.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 11:10 AM
  #3  
slosurfer's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,124
Likes: 0
From: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!)
any co2 tank will work. Like goat said, you will have to get it pressure tested. Also, some places can be finicky about filling tanks if you don't have proof of ownership, so make sure you can find a place to fill it.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 12:02 PM
  #4  
Bill's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, AB, Can
You arn't allowed to keep kegs on campus?

I feel for you deeply, really, that sucks huge donkey balls. I don't know where my university education would be without a constant supply of alcohol, but I think it might be in a place with a higher GPA
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 01:44 PM
  #5  
AxleIke's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,464
Likes: 6
From: Arvada, Colorado
I had issues with the tank being a soda tank, becasue they have to be sold to the public from coke or pepsi. So, shops can be finicky about that. Luckily, the guy at the store was really really cool, and swaped it for me, even though he shouldn't have. Guy was a champ, fellow wheeler, and understood my situation. But, can't count on that happening.

Now, there is a guy on mud, i believe, who had the same problem, and so he got out his metal stamping set, and stamped SOLD TO PUBLIC accross the PEPSI that was on his tank, and they filled it right away. SOOO, i'm not condoning this, as i'm sure it's a bit shaky in some eyes, but thought i'd present you with an option if they try to turn you away.

Other than that, once its been tested and filled, it works great. I've got a 20lb tank, and it goes forever. Plus, you can buy a power tank reg for it, and it will work just as well as a PT. There is a company that sells the PT style guages at much less the cost that PT does, and it is slamin. A buddy got one, so i'll ask him where he got it. Might be worth a looksee at least
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 02:06 PM
  #6  
Scofco's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,587
Likes: 0
From: Whitehorse, Yukon
I've been wondering this as well. I have the tank filled with C02, I'm just not sure what connections I need so it fills my tires.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 03:03 PM
  #7  
Tofer's Avatar
Thread Starter
Sponsor
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,173
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup WA.
Originally Posted by Bill
You arn't allowed to keep kegs on campus?
No, UOP (university of the pacific) is very up tight about having kegs. the party rules are a joke. No drinking in Public areas of the house, (living room, dinging room, hallways ect) it has to be behind closed doors, techinically no more then 10 people per room, which is total bullÅÅÅÅ that nobody follows. but the school will come down hard on you if your caught wiht a keg.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 05:04 PM
  #8  
crackerjack's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 618
Likes: 0
From: cookeville tn.
I saw something about scuba tanks 3000 psi seems would fill a lot of tires and its 5.$ to refill ?
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 05:16 PM
  #9  
Dublin's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 903
Likes: 1
From: Appleton, Wi. USA
Cool idea, I never even thought of it and I have a CO2 tank already setup with a regulator, fittings and hose. I use it for my finish nailer, no miles of cord and hose, and best of all no annoying dtdtdtdtdtdtdtdt of a compressor.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:09 PM
  #10  
FredTJ's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 1
From: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Originally Posted by crackerjack
I saw something about scuba tanks 3000 psi seems would fill a lot of tires and its 5.$ to refill ?
Why do you think that it would fill a lot of tires ?





Fred
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:22 PM
  #11  
Midget96's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
I work for Pepsi and CO2 tanks sell for $22 filled to stores that have Pepsi fountain setups. I've been toying with the idea for a long time. Considering they sell old vending machines and coolers for $25 at the plant (don't take change and you just have to pick them up), I'm sure I could get some old CO2 tanks to sell, too...
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:26 PM
  #12  
Corey's Avatar
Co-Founder/Administrator
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 32,242
Likes: 21
From: Auburn, Washington
Originally Posted by crackerjack
I saw something about scuba tanks 3000 psi seems would fill a lot of tires and its 5.$ to refill ?
Scuba tanks are worthless and also deadly for storage of air off road if the regulator should get knocked off.

http://powertank.com/faqs

Q: “Isn’t this just a Scuba tank? Can I use my Scuba tank with your Reg Kit?”
A: We get this question a lot. Unfortaunately the answer is no. We use only top-of-the-line CO2 certified equipment. Scuba tanks are completely different in cylinder and valve design and scuba tanks cannot be used in place of a CO2 tank. Our SuperFlow Regulator Kits will not work on scuba tanks.
A scuba tank can also not hold enough air to fill up many tires.
One 10 lb C02 tank can refill 30 tires or more.

Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:27 PM
  #13  
crackerjack's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 618
Likes: 0
From: cookeville tn.
Why I guess cause I'm not as smart as you? if ya got a point make it ok !!
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:33 PM
  #14  
crackerjack's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 618
Likes: 0
From: cookeville tn.
Now thats a reply...da sorry 4 being smart ass
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 06:42 PM
  #15  
FredTJ's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 1
From: Tucson, AZ USA Age:60
Originally Posted by crackerjack
Why I guess cause I'm not as smart as you? if ya got a point make it ok !!
Because it's good practice to use the gray matter in your head now and then

That's why I asked the question as I did.
I wanted to see why you thought 3000 psi, in and of itself, was something better that C02





Fred
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 07:21 PM
  #16  
slosurfer's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,124
Likes: 0
From: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!)
Originally Posted by waskillywabbit
[

Please hear me on this. While the CO2 tank you have will work and is certainly capable of taking the pressure of an OBA, it is NOT designed for the application for which you wish to use it, nor is it designed to be exposed to the environment to which you will expose it, and if it has been sitting a while it is no longer a legal tank to be used and should be destroyed/scrapped at the proper facility. Under no circumstances should you use it in my professional opinion and should an accident occur involving it, you could face some serious legal action.
:
I have a question about what makes a co2 tank designed for offroad use. I was under the impression that a co2 tank from a welding supply store, keg store, etc.... is the same as a tank from an offroad company like powertank. I am not saying that one should be used illegaly if it needs to be pressure tested, but I just thought that the tanks are the same.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 07:26 PM
  #17  
AH64ID's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,655
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Originally Posted by crackerjack
I saw something about scuba tanks 3000 psi seems would fill a lot of tires and its 5.$ to refill ?
I too think the average scuba tank would fill lots of tires. But cannot find enough data on the powertank to compare. EDIT: Found more... see below...


Here is the powertank chart. Most of us fall in the 10 or 20 psi range, I usually wheel at 13psi and drive at 26 or 28, on a 35" tire. The largest tank powertank offers is 20 pound tank.




The CO2 tanks I have seen for kegs are rather small, and probally would require filling often. Scuba tanks range from 65 cu feet of air to 130 cu feet of air. What I cant find is the volume of a powertank.

I did find a review of the powertank that mentions that they are rated at 3000+psi, but the way CO2 works is as it evaporates it creates more air, so usually there is only 700-800 psi in the tank, thus the rating in pounds... But looking at tank size on the powertank website the largest tank, 20lbs, has dimensions of 30" tall by 8" diameter, that includes the handle. Scuba tanks with an 8" diameter are 24" to 30", no regulator or handle. A very large scuba tank can hold 130 cubic feet of air at 3000psi. I would like to see how many cubic feet of air 20lbs of CO2 would produce..


Personally I am not sold on the powertank setup. Its large and bulky and has to be accesibble and vertical to be used. I can hide an air compresser under the hood, behind a seat, in a tool box..etc, put a tank or two along the frame, under a tool box, etc.. and run an airline to the front and rear bumpers, and albeit a little slower, fill my tires. I dont waste a ton of space with the tank, dont have to leave it accesible with a bed full of camping gear. And with 2.5 to 5 gals of air at 100 psi its pretty quick to go from 13 to 26psi, even on 35's. Also for anyone who has ever dove you know how often leaks spring up on scuba tanks, which would make me leary of being 70 miles from the blacktop with my only airsource being in a tank. For the inital cost of a powertank I can have a very quick aircompresser and two 2.5 gallon tanks, with no chance of a leak leaving me stranded and no refill costs.

EDIT: Just saw coreys post, guess i have been working on my reply for a while

Originally Posted by FredTJ
That's why I asked the question as I did.
I wanted to see why you thought 3000 psi, in and of itself, was something better that C02
I dont think he was saying to was better that CO2, just looked like he way saying you could fill a lot of tires thats all.

At pressure a large scuba tank holds 130 cubic feet or air, and using 4crawlers chart a 33x12.50 holds 3.2 cu feet of air, so a scuba tank could fill 40 of them, even a small 65 cubic foot tank could fill 20 33's from 10 to 30psi. It takes a 20lb CO2 tank to fill 40 33's from 10-30psi, so thats not too bad...

Last edited by AH64ID; Nov 3, 2006 at 08:01 PM.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 07:32 PM
  #18  
slosurfer's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,124
Likes: 0
From: Los Osos, CA (we can't agree on crap!)
I think he was talking about using air in the scuba tank not co2. I don't think you could find a place to fill a scuba tank with co2, if you did, they would be pretty shady.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 07:40 PM
  #19  
Corey's Avatar
Co-Founder/Administrator
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 32,242
Likes: 21
From: Auburn, Washington
While a scuba tank can be 3K psi, I believe there is only enough air in them to do a few tires.

Remember, it is only air in there.
A C02 tank creates its air when the liquid is let out of the tank it creates pressure that creates air.
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2006 | 07:57 PM
  #20  
AH64ID's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,655
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Originally Posted by Corey
While a scuba tank can be 3K psi, I believe there is only enough air in them to do a few tires.

Remember, it is only air in there.
A C02 tank creates its air when the liquid is let out of the tank it creates pressure that creates air.
I added some info to my post, my math might be wrong be a scuba tank can fill quite a few tires.
Reply



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:21 AM.