Aluminum CO2 tank

37 chief · Feb 19, 2022

I have a CO2 tank I want to use for a portable air tank. Sometimes when I am mowing, I get a leak in one of my tires. If I get this tank filled with CO2, and a regulator. Is there any reason I can't use it to blow the radiator and fill a few tires, or use a impact wrench if needed? The tank is a little over 2 ft tall. Is CO2 just air? I have this tank doing nothing, I thought I should give it a job.

SVcummins · Feb 19, 2022

You wont have much for blowing radiators or running an impact but probably work for filling tires . Why not just pump it full with the air compressor

caterpillar guy · Feb 19, 2022

CO2 is Carbon Dioxide not air. It is the result of exhaling air from breathing. Just pressurize it with an air compressor and save a lot of cost. Get the fitting for the tank and plumb a valve and hose to it for release as needed. Depending on the size of the tank will determine how much you can do with it.

504 · Feb 19, 2022

Find the newest date on it and add 5 years,that is the last dated it can be filled without a retest. Retest is around $25.00 and the fill,around $30.00. CO2 is liquid, but is is vapor coming out of an upright tank. It works fine for everything you listed. The psi is low for a tank,max is 1800# full,oxygen is around 2200#. Just keep the tank upright.

Russ from MN · Feb 19, 2022

Would't that be kind of expensive to blow out radiators and inflate tires? A friend uses co2 to make charged water for drinking, he buys dry ice and crushes it and fills his co2 tanks, making his own co2, says it's a lot cheaper. I would just fill the tank with your air compressor and try using it that way, or maybe get a 12 volt compressor and carry with you, we keep one in each vehicle. CO2 develops about 860 psi so that's a good tank!

Patsdeere · Feb 19, 2022

I got one of those too. It will help a sluggish tire, but I wouldn't air one up from flat if paying to have it filled. It will run a blow nozzle, impact maybe, just depends on the regulator you have attached.

I decided that to avoid these problems I simply bought a small compressor and an air tank setup and mounted it on my truck. Works slick for the little I need.

used red MN · Feb 19, 2022

..CO2 is Carbon Dioxide not air. It is the result of exhaling air from breathing.. Makes it sound like that is exclusively were you find it. In addition it is actually a manufactured gas. If you enjoy a barley pop in the draft form CO2 was probably used to pressure and preserve the original carbonization of the beer. Also when you get a soda pop from the machine where you push your cup against the little lever CO2 is putting the fizz or bubbles in the mix. Also when MIG ..wire.. welding was first used CO2 was the main shielding gas used. They have since discovered Argon or a mix of it with CO2 is better, other gases or mixes are used depending on the weld materials. For the OP as far as using it for those purposes, for one blowing out a radiator seems like that would be an expensive exercise. Rechargeable tools like impacts have also made that practice obsolete, still may have some need for it when spark free tools are needed in the environment at a remote location.

Janicholson · Feb 19, 2022

CO2 tanks are designed for co2 gas filling as 68% of the volume of the tank as measured by the weight of that water in liquid co2.
The tanks can handle close to 3000psi if not damaged. So filling with air is no issue. CO2 is just not a best choice as its pressure is temperature dependent, and can reach 3000psi at higher temps. Just use air. Jim

wore out · Feb 19, 2022

Advantage to CO2 is that it is stored in the tank compressed into a liquid and "flashes" to gas at lower pressure so you can fill a LOT more tires or blow a LOT more dust out of a radiator with a full tank of a given size vs. 150 0r 180 psi compressed air.

In other words, LOTS more CF in a tank of a given size, important if space to carry it is at a premium, not so much if you have room for a MUCH larger compressed air tank.

Jim.ME · Feb 19, 2022

As a portable air tank, a 2 foot tall (before necking down) by 8 inch diameter tank is only about 5 gallons. If that is about the size of your tank, it won't go far with an impact wrench or blowing anything out if you are filling it with your shop compressor. It will help on a tire, so use it if you have it, and save buying a portable tank. I believe going through the refilling process with CO2 will cost you more than the value gained.

This post was edited by Jim.ME on 02/19/2022 at 01:45 pm.

Blackhole49 · Feb 20, 2022

It will work. As wore out said: lots of CF if filled with co2. When I worked for a pool co. 50 years ago, we used co2 in that size tank to blow out pool lines in the winter (the owners FIL owned a carbonic co. and he got the tanks filled for peanuts). Be aware, the gas coming out of the tank will be extremely cold.

4520BW · Feb 20, 2022

I would see if you can exchange the tank and get nitrogen instead. I have a small tank of N for testing A/C lines but have used it to air uo a tire. I bought a Milwaukee 18v air compressor that easy to carry along.

Aluminum CO2 tank

37 chief

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SVcummins

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caterpillar guy

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504

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Russ from MN

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Patsdeere

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used red MN

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Janicholson

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wore out

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Jim.ME

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Blackhole49

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4520BW

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