Should Co2 tanks be cleaned?

[drhookmec]

What do you think?
Should Co2 tanks be cleaned before refilling?
Now of course we don't do this your LHBS does or is so post to.

I have read something some where thet they are so post to be flushed out
every so often .
Anyone heard of this?

 

[andysim]

How do they get dirty on the inside?

 

[drhookmec]

Guess it would be sort if like an air compressor tank getting water/condensation
build up on the bottom of the tank.
I know my air compressor tanks at work haft to be drained every week or so
or they will rust.

 

[Brickout]

If you have a steel tank and any liquid (beer) get's sucked back into the tank it can cause it to rust on the inside. Any place that does hydrostatic cylinder testing can and will clean the tank when it is tested.

 

[drhookmec]

If you have a steel tank and any liquid (beer) get's sucked back into the tank it can cause it to rust on the inside. Any place that does hydrostatic cylinder testing can and will clean the tank when it is tested.

Remember liquid can get in the tank from temperature change as well
If you put a co2 tank in the fridge for a week then pull it out
to warm up to room temp this can cause condensation on
the inside of the tank witch of course will settle to the bottom and possible cause rust.

 

[Special Hops]

If you have a steel tank and any liquid (beer) get's sucked back into the tank it can cause it to rust on the inside. Any place that does hydrostatic cylinder testing can and will clean the tank when it is tested.

How would beer get I to the tank. The pressure on the tank much greater then the keg.

 

[hillhousesawdustco]

In a lot of places (here in NW Montana for one) CO2 tanks get swapped out by a distributor rather than refilled. All the tanks go back to have their seals, etc checked out, and you get another tank that was checked out prior to filling. I believe this is mostly for the benefit of the welding and fabrication industries, but I can't find anybody around here that will simply refill my 5 or 15 pound tanks with a siphon or whatnot. It is kind of a pain but at least I'm getting constantly refurbished tanks at every fillup.

 

[andysim]

Is rusty beer a bad thing?

Can rust get in the beer?

Can rust clog the the tank up?

I have steel tanks. (refurbed O2 tank)

My tanks are refilled, not exchanged. I have an odd and old tank.

 

[conpewter]

how does water vapor get into the tank if it is filled with CO2? Never cleaned any of mine, but I've always traded, never filled.

 

[Brickout]

Is rusty beer a bad thing?

Unless you like you beer to have an iron taste...yeah.

I had a whole keg of beer ruined because one of my tanks imparted an iron taste into the beer. I sent the tank out and sure enough there was a tiny bit of rust on the inside. Since then I've put these inline filters on my co2 line to prevent it from happening again.

 

[drhookmec]

Unless you like you beer to have an iron taste...yeah.

I had a whole keg of beer ruined because one of my tanks imparted an iron taste into the beer. I sent the tank out and sure enough there was a tiny bit of rust on the inside. Since then I've put these inline filters on my co2 line to prevent it from happening again.

I was wondering if some else has experienced this.

This is exactly what I've been experiencing with my last 3 beers
and it took 3 different beers to narrow it down to the Co2 tank.

I will be putting one of those inline filters on my Co2 tank.

Thanks for posting brickout..
Cheers