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CO2 Stuff


Bilbo

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I picked up a 3.2kg fire extinguisher bottle today and I have a CO2 reg put aside for me but I need to try and locate the tap to replace the fire extinguisher squeeze handle. Without this I cant attach the regulator.

Does anyone have one spare or know where I could get one from cheep.

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You will need to get the cylinder re-certified so get the certifier to replace the valve. CO2 has to be re-certified every 5 years or they wont refill it, and changing the valve require's a re-cert.

The certifier wants an extra large pile of cash over the price of testing to supply and replace the tap so I though I would ask if its possible to locate one and do it myself so I just pay the $35 for testing.

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I finally got sick of the 2 litre bottles and yeast so I splashed out to get a proper pressurized system. :D

The main supplier didn't want to be identified but I want to say a huge thank you to some of the other companies who offered good advice and helped out.

Firewise Longburn for offering the how to guide. These guys are really good and best prices for parts.

Torch and Regulator Services Terrace End for fitting the reg and the fittings all together.

and especially

National Gas who went above and beyond by checking and locating a small leak and then fixed it at no charge when I got the system filled today.

FireE1.jpg

FireE4.jpg

It isn't the best setup around and I know about the problems of having of a valve freezing open when using the squeeze handle as a tap but for the moment I am happy it works.

FireE2.jpg

After spending quite a while on the phone to many companies all around NZ I found that it is possible to do this for well under $200 complete. I actually finished this for under $50 and then $24.50 to fill it so total was a shade under $70. It pays to ring around. Even if it turns into a complete failure I haven't spent a fortune and its in a plants only tank so nothing too serious can go wrong.

FireE3.jpg

Just looking for a good diffuser and a check valve now.

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The cylinder (bottle) alone is $200.

Regulator + solenoid + needle valve is $80. Bubble counter (optional, but recommended) $10, diffuser $15, check valve $10, CO² tubing $10 (approximately)

All prices except cylinder are in USD. If you're going to import do it now, the exchange rate is great.

Reg + Solenoid + Needle Valve: http://cgi.ebay.com/A-100-CO2-Regulator ... 0407770055

Bubble Counter: http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-C02-Bubble-Cou ... 255ea4f172

Diffuser: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-2000-Live-ad ... 415078aba9

^ (I used a power head + internal diffuser, more efficient but takes up a lot of space)

Brass Check Valve: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-Check-Valve- ... 3caa4c4e91

CO² resistant tubing: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-Co2-Diffuser ... 3eea962726

All in all, the complete setup will set you back around $400.

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Love the leaking Jebo filter in the bucket with the power plug lying on the floor next to it. :oops:

As you have suggested this isn't really a very safe way of setting up a CO2 system, I'd strongly recommend doing this properly, risking your life just doesn't seem worth the $150 you've saved. If that valve doesn't close and you (or someone who doesn't understand what you have done) undoes the regulator the pressure coming out could easily kill you.

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Love the leaking Jebo filter in the bucket with the power plug lying on the floor next to it.

The junk corner of the fish room :oops: and the filter does leak which is why its no longer plugged in, nor is the power cord :)

Anyway-

I had no idea how to make this so I asked a fire engineering company to fit a tap and they are the ones who said told me that it could be done this way, and they claim to have seen a number of these types of conversions before.

Being a bit sceptical I took it to another certified gas retailer who said the same thing and put it all together for me. After that I took it to some other companies to check over and they said it is (not ideal but) perfectly safe. It was only after that that I got it filled.

It was during the filling that we found a leak in one of the brass fittings around the regulator which freaked me out a bit but that was soon fixed.

Not one person so far has said a bad thing about it but a few did say that a tap might make it a bit easier to handle so I will get one fitted next time I have to fill it.

The bottle could do with a paint job but has passed its pressure test. The gauges and regulator aren’t the shiniest but work correctly. I know it looks a little rough but it has passed all the checks. I am quite wary of high pressure cylinders so I tried to tick all the boxes I think.

I have to concede that if someone does break into my shed and locked fish room to pilfer something or remove the regulator then they could end up hurt, one way or another :wink:

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  • 5 months later...

Sorry to dredge this one up again but I've got a co2 extinguisher that I intend to use for my tank and would be quite happy doing it this way. I'm in 2 minds about getting the tank re-valved, on one hand it'd be more convenient but I'm not sure it matters.

Bilbo - can you recommend the people who did the work for you?

Does anybody know the cost to get a cylinder re-valved/certed?

Thanks in advance.

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The cylinder (bottle) alone is $200.

Regulator + solenoid + needle valve is $80. Bubble counter (optional, but recommended) $10, diffuser $15, check valve $10, CO² tubing $10 (approximately)

All prices except cylinder are in USD. If you're going to import do it now, the exchange rate is great.

Reg + Solenoid + Needle Valve: http://cgi.ebay.com/A-100-CO2-Regulator-Solenoid-Magetic-Valve-Control-/290407770055

Bubble Counter: http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-C02-Bubble-Counter-Home-Aquarium-Water-HQ-/160501657970?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item255ea4f172

Diffuser: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-2000-Live-ada-Aquarium-Plant-Glass-CO2-Diffuser-/280522959785?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415078aba9

^ (I used a power head + internal diffuser, more efficient but takes up a lot of space)

Brass Check Valve: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-Check-Valve-co2-diffuser-Aquarium-fish-tank-/260555165329?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3caa4c4e91

CO² resistant tubing: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-Co2-Diffuser-Tubing-FREE-Ship-INV-/270223681318?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3eea962726

All in all, the complete setup will set you back around $400.

I'm too lazy go around buying little bits and pieces, wish people sold complete kits (unlike overpriced commercial kits)

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