Dirty CO2??

[CptnCrackoff]

i have done some research before posting but cant get a definate answer, i thought i'd ask the guys that know.....

I have come to have a co2 cylinder (1kg), its supplied to use in welding, i have read that this is 'dirty'co2, and not food grade, i cant see that the actual gas can be different, speaking to the welders at work they say it needs to be pretty pure to be any use to them (i'm no welding expert!!).

i emailed the company that supply them, they responded earlier saying its not suitable as brewers co2 has added nitrogen....am i daft or is that complete nonsense??

does anyone have any ideas, obviously i'm brewing on a budget, i can get it filled for less than £3 a time!

if it does sound useable i'l post pics of the end to see if its got a good fitting to go straight to a keg lid - i have looked at pics but still not sure and cant get to the LHBS til next week!

i am still relatively new to brewing and have only kegged once, so any advice would be great!

cheers

jon

 

[Wez]

i emailed the company that supply them, they responded earlier saying its not suitable as brewers co2 has added nitrogen....am i daft or is that complete nonsense??

I can help on this point, yes they are talking out of their mangina's - you do get c02/nitro mix gasses (for Guinness etc) but brewers also use just c02.

 

[Lurch]

I use regular welding CO2 and am still not dead.

 

[Muddydisco]

Same here welding bottle from my welder, I now use argon! Definalty not good for brewers! and it gets filled at a fire extinguisher service centre!

Whilst on the subject of gasses can we use pure nitrogen instead of co2?

 

[CptnCrackoff]

its got this fitting......

at the moment i'm using those little 8g bulb thingys...similar to what i used to use in a target pistol some years ago...

 

[Varnish]

Nitrogen isn't very soluble in liquids.
The result is the beer won't be fizzy if you pressurise with pure Nitrogen.

However it does mean you can use a high pressure for moving the beer long distances (from cellar to tap), or for forcing through a restrictor plate (like in a stout tap) without over carbonating the beer. Which would happen if you used pure CO2 at high pressure.

 

[Aleman]

CO2 is CO2 . . . Welding CO2 is used to provide an inert atmosphere around the 'burning' area to prevent oxidation of the metal . . . as such it has to be ove very high prurity as it will affect teh quality of the welds. . . . The difference is generally down to the way the bottles get stored once filled . . . . although my brewing gas supplier also does welding gasses and they are stored int eh same way

Pure nitogen is often used for 'draught' white wine as it won't dissolve in the liquid. A 70/30 mix (n2/C02) is used for Guinness, and IIRC a 50:50 mix is used by Whitbread

 

[prolix]

what aleman said

 

[tigertim]

Absolutely. I also get my cylinder refilled from a fire extinguisher service centre. At £2 a time I can't really complain, and I've not had a problem thus far!

 

[Bru4u]

Once when we ran out of CO2 for welding I connected up a bottle I use for brewing, it was rubbish to weld with, those bottles get filled with pure CO2 for my brewing, he also supplies coca-cola, so this has led me to belive that some mig co2 gas is indeed blended with others to improve weldability, however the gas used for fire extinguishers is just pure co2.
I've totaly confused the issue now,,,,,, sorry :wha:

I was in today replacing a large Mig bottle, If I had known I could have asked the supplier themselves as they fill the bottles on site and also do medical gases and lots more. Next time.
Bru

 

[CptnCrackoff]

Thanks guys, thats all sounding promising...

Just whether that fitting is going to be any good!?? :?

 

[jamesb]

I've worked a lot with different gases and cylinders, and although I recognise that fitting, I can't remember where I've seen it. Certainly isn't common.

 

[CptnCrackoff]

ah, i'll have to take it down the LHBS at some point, i just wanted to avoid the ' help me with this please, i'm not buying one of yours' maybe if i buy some wine and beer kits first, then reveal the dodgy bottle..... :