When to replace co2 bottle?

[chillipickle]

Just checked my co2 bottle and it looks like the needle is about to hit the red segment on the gauge.

When do you guys refil, when it's just about to run out, or play it safe and refil with some left in the bottle?

 

[Leon103]

Still on my first one. Most likely when it's empty.

 

[chrisbjones202]

With liquid co2, when it hits the red your on vapours, doesn't move much beforehand. I weighed my latest bottle full to know how much left down the line. Fairly cheap so I'd rather waste a few pounds worth than run out as my closest is 45min away, i was panicking in first lockdown

 

[UKSkydiver]

Hi Chris
You're round the corner from em - where do you get yours from?
(Not that I'm desperate, I've only recently got mine)
Cheers

 

[chrisbjones202]

I've got an adams gas bottle as I used to work near one but now closest is Brize Norton

 

[Leon103]

With liquid co2, when it hits the red your on vapours, doesn't move much beforehand. I weighed my latest bottle full to know how much left down the line. Fairly cheap so I'd rather waste a few pounds worth than run out as my closest is 45min away, i was panicking in first lockdown

What was the weight?

 

[Graz]

When it's run out....

....Then you find out the place you got your last one from has stopped doing them and spend a couple of weeks looking for a new supplier. Good job I had a nice stash of bottled beer for such emergencies

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I have a 2kg bottle which hits the top edge of the red shaded bit when full. As soon as it starts moving down from there it’s only a matter of days before it’s empty.

 

[Banbeer]

Just checked my co2 bottle and it looks like the needle is about to hit the red segment on the gauge.

When do you guys refil, when it's just about to run out, or play it safe and refil with some left in the bottle?

When my first one went into the red I ordered a new one (6.5Kg) and the new one was delivered a few days later and it was half way in the red still. Unfortunately they dropped me off an empty one by mistake so had to wait for another one to come, the C02 in the kegs kept pouring though so you will have a few days grace when it runs out completely, depending on how much you drink of course

 

[foxbat]

What was the weight?

Your cylinder might have 'tare weight' stamped on it. That's the weight when empty.

 

[chillipickle]

After removing the reg today, the bottle felt almost empty.To be honest the 6.35kg bottle has lasted pretty well, constantly carbing 3 kegs, closed transfers and flushing.
I can't remember exactly how long maybe 7 months.Exchanged the bottle today as another closed transfer at the weekend, didn't fancy running out.

 

[Leon103]

Your cylinder might have 'tare weight' stamped on it. That's the weight when empty.

Good thinking

 

[Regfixit]

I was wondering the same. I think that as the CO2 is liquid in the bottle it stays at pretty much full pressure until the liquid as all evaporated. Then it runs out very quickly, unlike say a pure nitrogen cylinder where the pressure will drop more like a fuel tank gauge in relation to how much is left.
I was thinking I'd get a Sodastream bottle as backup and run my cylinder until empty then use the Sodastream until I can get my cylinder refilled, then top up the Sodastream from the new cylinder.
That way get full use of the CO2 cylinder and avoid droughts !

 

[Wigglebutts Brewery]

Agree with weighing the bottle when you first get it. Dials can be misleading specially if your setup is a normally unheated shed. My bottle looks almost done when its 10c in the shed but weighing the bottle indicated it still got a lot of CO2.