# Recertification of CO2 Cylinder



## N7QL (Mar 13, 2018)

I scored a 5 lb cylinder today for 10 bucks. The person who sold it to me thought it was empty (storage facility manager who emptied an abandoned unit). I turned the valve ever so slightly and heard a healthy hiss considering how little I turned it so I assume there is a decent amount left. Obviously I won't know until I get a regulator on the cylinder. Which brings me to my question. If a cylinder has been expired for more than 5 years can I have it hydrotested? I am pretty sure it is more than 5 years since its last hydrotest. In all my searching on Google I have only seen one other person with the same crown markings and they look nothing like modern DOT crown numbers. It is a steel cylinder, the most rust I see is on the collar, but even that is surface rust I could easily remove. I could make out what looked like date codes. If I am right it's been 25 to 30 years since this was last tested. The fact that the valve turns like it was brand new and it opened and closed with no issues does encourage me. It also encourages me to know that older steel cylinders were made to last and that there are even WWII vintage cylinders still in use. It is said they were higher quality cylinders than the newer steel cylinders. If my cylinder is even half full of liquid CO2 that would make my day. Still will they exchange it for a certified cylinder filled? Would I do better to recertify my cylinder and keep having it filled? Would I do better to exchange it for another cylinder? Lastly would they just let me exchange it for another one without? Thank you for your help. :nerd:


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## Amp2020 (Mar 8, 2013)

Find a place that services fire extinguishers. They should be able to fill the tank for about $5 and hydro test it for about $25. Chances are good that the tank will pass and they'll fill it for you. If it fails, they'll drill a hole through it and throw it away. But they might be able to offer you a deal on another one.

If you have trouble finding a good place to test the tank. Ask the places around you. Where do they send the tanks to have them tested? Some will keep it a secret but the smart ones will share this information in hopes that you'll come back to them for the refills in the future. Especially if you buy the regulator locally.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Airgas in Decatur will probably test it for free - the ones I've been to in the past have never charged me. Worst case scenario, they swap it out for you.

So definitely worth stopping by their location near you.


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## MichaelBrock (May 31, 2011)

It seems price and practice varies quite a bit with regards to CO2 tanks! I also home brew and get my CO2 tanks refilled several times a year. Here in Gainesville, FL we would two options:

1) take it to Airgas and exchange it for a full 5# tank. They do not care that the tank is expired (or at least they haven't ever checked). That would cost you $30 here. I did just this with an expired tank last week. I don't think our airgas re-certifies tanks and I don't think they even fill them locally but instead have them shipped in. Their prices have recently gone up. It used to be $25 to exchange 5# tanks.

2) take it to the local fire extinguisher company. They can recertify it and also fill it. Last year it cost me $27 to re-certify a 15# tank. I usually just exchange expired tanks at Airgas but 15# is an unusual size. It cost me $27 to refill the 15# tank and about $24 to refill the 5#. It seems CO2 is a precious commodity here compared to what others are paying!


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## N7QL (Mar 13, 2018)

Thank you all. I was a bit anxious that I wouldn't be able to have it tested or exchanged but at the same time $10 isn't a monumental loss. Airgas is the one I will be calling. Even if I have to pay $30 to have it exchanged it is waaayyyyy better than 60 for the tank and 20 for the fill.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I would recommend doing a check of a number of different spots as how eacht treats the idea will vary. Since Airgas is a "name brand", they are often more expensive than some of the lesser known and they also may have more strict rules to follow. But it is very much a company decision at each place. I like to check local welding gas suppliers that deal straight with guys ike welders who base their buying on service and often the small guys are more agreeable.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

N7QL said:


> Thank you all. I was a bit anxious that I wouldn't be able to have it tested or exchanged but at the same time $10 isn't a monumental loss. Airgas is the one I will be calling. Even if I have to pay $30 to have it exchanged it is waaayyyyy better than 60 for the tank and 20 for the fill.





PlantedRich said:


> I would recommend doing a check of a number of different spots as how each treats the idea will vary. Since Airgas is a "name brand", they are often more expensive than some of the lesser known and they also may have more strict rules to follow. But it is very much a company decision at each place. I like to check local welding gas suppliers that deal straight with guys ike welders who base their buying on service and often the small guys are more agreeable.



Yea whole thing is a crap shoot..
Had an expired tank and at the cost of re-certing I could get a new(used) one w/ full 5 year cert.. or so I thought..
What they forgot to mention was it included a free fill of CO2... 



Currently CO2 rates went over double my old rate (apparently some "carbon tax" state thing for greenhouse gasses).


Needless to say I either barely broke even(unlikely) or lost a bit...


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## N7QL (Mar 13, 2018)

MichaelBrock said:


> It seems price and practice varies quite a bit with regards to CO2 tanks! I also home brew and get my CO2 tanks refilled several times a year. Here in Gainesville, FL we would two options:
> 
> 1) take it to Airgas and exchange it for a full 5# tank. They do not care that the tank is expired (or at least they haven't ever checked). That would cost you $30 here. I did just this with an expired tank last week. I don't think our airgas re-certifies tanks and I don't think they even fill them locally but instead have them shipped in. Their prices have recently gone up. It used to be $25 to exchange 5# tanks.
> 
> 2) take it to the local fire extinguisher company. They can recertify it and also fill it. Last year it cost me $27 to re-certify a 15# tank. I usually just exchange expired tanks at Airgas but 15# is an unusual size. It cost me $27 to refill the 15# tank and about $24 to refill the 5#. It seems CO2 is a precious commodity here compared to what others are paying!


I am planning on calling Airgas and a few others as well. My biggest worry was from a post on another forum I found when googling that stated that if a hydrotest wasn't performed within 5 years of the expiration date of the cylinder they wouldn't even bother hydrotesting it much less exchanging it. 


PlantedRich said:


> I would recommend doing a check of a number of different spots as how each treats the idea will vary. Since Airgas is a "name brand", they are often more expensive than some of the lesser known and they also may have more strict rules to follow. But it is very much a company decision at each place. I like to check local welding gas suppliers that deal straight with guys like welders who base their buying on service and often the small guys are more agreeable.


I will definitely call around. I haven't had much of a chance lately but I should be able to find out tomorrow who to go with and what I need to do with whoever I go with. Thank you everyone for the help. I will post here what I find out.


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