There are a couple problems with refilling the sodastream cylinders (note; I use both cylinders and tanks to refer to pressurized gas containers, usually tanks for big ones but not always). First, sodastream uses a proprietary connector, so you have to get an adapter. And even then most places that can , will not fill them because of the adapter and because you don’t actually own the cylinder, they belong to sodastream. You can get around this by buying a modified paintball cylinder or a small food use cylinder with standard paintball connections (and an adaptor on your sodastream charger). Places that refill these for paintball will fill them. But, when you have it filled you need to make sure it is food grade CO2. Almost all CO2 sold is food grade, but most places where you can get fills are refilling paint ball tanks so you need to check. Third, you can only get them filled for 5 years (or less), before it has to be hydrotested for safety. To be filled, by law all pressurized gas cylinders have to hydrotested every so often. For these cylinders, it is usually 5 years. This will cost more than the cylinder in most cases. Perhaps considerably more.
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It is a better idea to get a larger cylinder of CO2, the type used for providing CO2 for beverages at restaurants. These can be rented from almost any industrial gas supplier or welding shop. Better yet buy one It will rapidly pay for itself. You can also find them for sale online new or you can often find people selling them used on craigslist and other such venues. You want a beverage CO2 cyinder. Most of these will be marked for a local gas supply compamy. The reason is that you don’t get your tanks filled anymore, not even if you get one new You exchange them for an equal size tank. If you own the tank, you exchange it for the cost of the gas. If renting, you pay rent plus cost of gas. I bought a 20 pound tank off OfferUp that was labeled for my usual welding gas supplier. I took it there and got one full of food grade CO2 for something like $30. So less than 1 pound for $15 or 20 pounds for $30. And because you exchange the tank, you don’t have to hassle with hydrotesting. The gas supplier does it. The economics are obvious.
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It is a better idea to get a larger cylinder of CO2, the type used for providing CO2 for beverages at restaurants. These can be rented from almost any industrial gas supplier or welding shop. Better yet buy one It will rapidly pay for itself. You can also find them for sale online new or you can often find people selling them used on craigslist and other such venues. You want a beverage CO2 cylinder. Most of these will be marked for a local gas supply compamy. The reason is that you don’t get your tanks filled anymore, not even if you get one new You exchange them for an equal size tank. If you own the tank, you exchange it for the cost of the gas. If renting, you pay rent plus cost of gas. I bought a 20 pound tank off OfferUp that was labeled for my usual welding gas supplier. I took it there and got one full of food grade CO2 for something like $30. So less than 1 pound for $15 or 20 pounds for $30. And because you exchange the tank, you don’t have to hassle with hydrotesting. The gas supplier does it. The economics are obvious.
A hose with the correct adapters to hook up your tank to a sodastream will run $30-60 off amazon or other online vendors. I strongly recommend using teflon tape on all gas connection threading as well as checking for gas leaks on connections with soapy water. I also suggest only turning on the gas when you are carbonating and off the rest of the time. The gas will be at about 800psi (at room temp) until the tank is almost empty because it is actually a liquid in the tank and boils off when pressure is released and stops boiling at about 800psi. Pressure only drops when all the liquid is gone and is is the last of the gas. This is true for all CO2 tanks, including the sodastream cylinders, they all have the same pressure at the same temperature, just different volumes. When empty, take it back and exchange for a full one. And carbonate with the same quality and food safety as the sodastream chargers, but for fraction of the price.
There are a couple problems with refilling the sodastream cylinders (note; I use both cylinders and tanks to refer to pressurized gas container, usually tanks for big one but not always). First, they use a proprietary connector, so you have to get an adapter. And even then most places that can , will not fill them because of the adapter and because you don’t actually own the cylinder, they belong to sodastream. You can get around this by using a modified paintball cylinder or a small food use cylinder with standard paintball connections (and an adaptor on your sodastream charger). Places that refill these for paintball will fill them. But, when you have it filled you need to make sure it is food grade CO2. Almost all CO2 sold is food grade, but most places where you can get fills are refilling paint ball tanks so you need to check. Third, you can only get them filled for 5 years (or less), before it has to be hydrotested for safety. To be filled, by law all pressurized gas cylinders have to hydrotested every so often. For these cylinders, it is usually 5 years. This will cost more than the cylinder in most cases. Perhaps considerably more.
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There are a couple problems with refilling the sodastream cylinders (note; I use both cylinders and tanks to refer to pressurized gas containers, usually tanks for big ones but not always). First, sodastream uses a proprietary connector, so you have to get an adapter. And even then most places that can , will not fill them because of the adapter and because you don’t actually own the cylinder, they belong to sodastream. You can get around this by buying a modified paintball cylinder or a small food use cylinder with standard paintball connections (and an adaptor on your sodastream charger). Places that refill these for paintball will fill them. But, when you have it filled you need to make sure it is food grade CO2. Almost all CO2 sold is food grade, but most places where you can get fills are refilling paint ball tanks so you need to check. Third, you can only get them filled for 5 years (or less), before it has to be hydrotested for safety. To be filled, by law all pressurized gas cylinders have to hydrotested every so often. For these cylinders, it is usually 5 years. This will cost more than the cylinder in most cases. Perhaps considerably more.
It is a better idea to get a larger cylinder of CO2, the type used for providing CO2 for beverages at restaurants. These can be rented from almost any industrial gas supplier or welding shop. Better yet buy one It will rapidly pay for itself. You can also find them for sale online new or you can often find people selling them used on craigslist and other such venues. You want a beverage CO2 cyinder. Most of these will be marked for a local gas supply compamy. The reason is that you don’t get your tanks filled anymore, not even if you get one new You exchange them for an equal size tank. If you own the tank, you exchange it for the cost of the gas. If renting, you pay rent plus cost of gas. I bought a 20 pound tank off OfferUp that was labeled for my usual welding gas supplier. I took it there and got one full of food grade CO2 for something like $30. So less than 1 pound for $15 or 20 pounds for $30. And because you exchange the tank, you don’t have to hassle with hydrotesting. The gas supplier does it. The economics are obvious.
A hose with the correct adapters to hook up your tank to a sodastream will run $30-60 off amazon or other online vendors. I strongly recommend using teflon tape on all gas connection threading as well as checking for gas leaks on connections with soapy water. I also suggest only turning on the gas when you are carbonating and off the rest of the time. The gas will be at about 800psi (at room temp) until the tank is almost empty because it is actually a liquid in the tank and boils off when pressure is released and stops boiling at about 800psi. Pressure only drops when all the liquid is gone and is is the last of the gas. This is true for all CO2 tanks, including the sodastream cylinders, they all have the same pressure at the same temperature, just different volumes. When empty, take it back and exchange for a full one. And carbonate with the same quality and food safety as the sodastream chargers, but for fraction of the price.
There are a couple problems with refilling the sodastream cylinders (note; I use both cylinders and tanks to refer to pressurized gas container, usually tanks for big one but not always). First, they use a proprietary connector, so you have to get an adapter. And even then most places that can , will not fill them because of the adapter and because you don’t actually own the cylinder, they belong to sodastream. You can get around this by using a modified paintball cylinder or a small food use cylinder with standard paintball connections (and an adaptor on your sodastream charger). Places that refill these for paintball will fill them. But, when you have it filled you need to make sure it is food grade CO2. Almost all CO2 sold is food grade, but most places where you can get fills are refilling paint ball tanks so you need to check. Third, you can only get them filled for 5 years (or less), before it has to be hydrotested for safety. To be filled, by law all pressurized gas cylinders have to hydrotested every so often. For these cylinders, it is usually 5 years. This will cost more than the cylinder in most cases. Perhaps considerably more.
It is a better idea to get a larger cylinder of CO2, the type used for providing CO2 for beverages at restaurants. These can be rented from almost any industrial gas supplier or welding shop. Better yet buy one It will rapidly pay for itself. You can also find them for sale online new or you can often find people selling them used on craigslist and other such venues. You want a beverage CO2 cyinder. Most of these will be marked for a local gas supply compamy. The reason is that you don’t get your tanks filled anymore, not even if you get one new You exchange them for an equal size tank. If you own the tank, you exchange it for the cost of the gas. If renting, you pay rent plus cost of gas. I bought a 20 pound tank off OfferUp that was labeled for my usual welding gas supplier. I took it there and got one full of food grade CO2 for something like $30. So less than 1 pound for $15 or 20 pounds for $30. And because you exchange the tank, you don’t have to hassle with hydrotesting. The gas supplier does it. The economics are obvious.
A hose with the correct adapters to hook up your tank to a sodastream will run $30-60 off amazon or other online vendors. I strongly recommend using teflon tape on all gas connection threading as well as checking for gas leaks on connections with soapy water. I also suggest only turning on the gas when you are carbonating and off the rest of the time. The gas will be at about 800psi (at room temp) until the tank is almost empty because it is actually a liquid in the tank and boils off when pressure is released and stops boiling at about 800psi. Pressure only drops when all the liquid is gone and is is the last of the gas. This is true for all CO2 tanks, including the sodastream cylinders, they all have the same pressure at the same temperature, just different volumes. When empty, take it back and exchange for a full one. And carbonate with the same quality and food safety as the sodastream chargers, but for fraction of the price.