# laying co2 tank on its side



## alan j t (Feb 13, 2008)

i think iread somewhere here that it is NOT a good idea,the reasoin why exactly, i i dont know


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## jjp2 (May 24, 2008)

It is very bad. CO2 is a liquid in the tank, laying it on the side will allow the liquid to enter the regulator which would cause all kinds of problems.


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

did you ever turn one of those compressed air cans upside down, and it shoots out ice... kind of the same idea.


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## Postal Penguin (Mar 30, 2009)

CO2 canisters must be kept upright. CO2 tanks are basically a tank full of liquid with gas on top. As you draw off the CO2 gas, the liquid evaporates to replace the gas used so the regulator is only meant to deal with gaseous CO2. 

However, if liquid CO2 enters the regulator, the liquid could be forced into the low pressure side of things where it will boil, cause a spike in pressure and destroy the regulator and possibly everything else down from there.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

To reiterate what everyone has said so far: putting your CO2 tank on its side is *not* a good idea, as it will destroy your regulator.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

Funny thing- when I once ordered a tank and got it filled at welding supply store. The guy said to me that my tank has a tube that extends right to the bottom and it's not good for my regulator because it will suck up the liquid co2 so he suggested that I swap my brand new tank for an used one. I listened to him but after I came home I thought I was ripped off and he just wanted a new tank. But since you're saying liquid co2 is bad for a regulator, was he right to swap the tank?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

You got ripped off. No CO2 tank will have a tube that extends right to the bottom to suck up liquid CO2.

Liquid CO2 is bad for your regulator, but only if you were to use the CO2 tank improperly (i.e. using it on an angle, or on its side).

Postal Penguin has already explained how a CO2 tank works. The CO2 is kept under pressure, and is thus a liquid. However, this is for only (say) the bottom half of the tank. The remainder of the tank is CO2 gas. When you open the regulator/needle valve and allow CO2 to come out, it is the CO2 gas in the tank that is escaping. To maintain equilibrium, some of the liquid CO2 will "become" gaseous CO2 (for lack of a better word).


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## zzyzx85 (Feb 13, 2008)

He could have been right. If that tank really did have a tube in it, the tank was probably designed to fill other CO2 bottles with the liquid CO2.

Did you shake the bottle when it was empty and heard a rattle or clunk inside?


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## patrock (Feb 21, 2008)

Smoq, I think the salesman did the right thing, and saved you a from a real problem. I own a C02 tank with a syphon tube, I use it for making dry ice (and doubles as a fire extinguisher on occasion:hihi.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Reiterate, no, tank must be upright when hooked up. People get paranoid when transfering it in their car, you can have it on it's side to move it but must be upright when in use.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

straight up.. you can adjust the regulator to save space.. it can be 90 degrees or whatever


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