# Can you fill old butane bottles with CO2



## Vaevictus (30 May 2010)

Hi,

I have an empty butane canister used for my oven in my garage. Bit of a beast, holds 12.5 kg butane.

Assuming the valve will fit a regular aquarium regulator, could this tank be filled with CO2?

Are there safety reasons, differences in construction etc that would mean a LFS would refuse to fill it with CO2?

If I could, this would be great as you only pay 10EURO deposit for the butane bottles here 

Vae


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## Mark Evans (30 May 2010)

I believe butane is liquid form in bottles so the 'output' part of the bottle maybe completely different. we use gas co2 instead of the liquid version of co2


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## Vaevictus (30 May 2010)

co2 becomes liquid under high pressure...just like butane.

If butane is unsuitable propane tanks would also be another option...


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## Mark Evans (30 May 2010)

Vaevictus said:
			
		

> propane tanks would also be another option...



propane is liquid form too.

there's 2 forms of co2...liquid and gas


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## bigmatt (30 May 2010)

I'd have thought that the two big deals are pressure and connections.  I'm not sure what pressure butane is stored under compared to co2.  If the bottles will take the pressure then i'd have thought it's just a matter of connections.  I know some CO2 suppliers can be a bit picky about the containers they fill but if you find a friendly one it might be a goer.
Cheers
Matt


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## stevec (30 May 2010)

all the connections are different to stop exactly what your trying to do all types of cylinders will hold co2 but I doubt very much if youll get just any cylinder refilled not legally anyhow... the cylinders are colour coded as in an emergency situation It means the chemical hazards of the gas can be quickly identified which reduces the likelihood of
a major incident occurring


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## Mark Evans (30 May 2010)

anyhow it wouldn't work

propane connector is way different to co2....male to female, instead of female to male connections oxygen and acetylene are similar to propane, only different diameter. 

the whole thing is dangerous and know one would even touch the idea.

just get a BOC account and hire one.


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## Vaevictus (30 May 2010)

saintly said:
			
		

> anyhow it wouldn't work
> 
> propane connector is way different to co2....male to female, instead of female to male connections oxygen and acetylene are similar to propane, only different diameter.
> 
> ...



BOC charge too much. I've just bought a 2kg CO2 cylinder from germany for 50EUR inc. del, (getting it tomorrow!) but had this idea whilst replacing the butane on my oven today.

thanks for the replies so far, looks like it's a no go based on regulations. I am in belgium and if I was gonna have a problem with safety regs and rules it would be here. The place is nuts for rules 

It's funny isnt it, you can get 12.5 kg of compressed gas for 35EUR and 10EUR of that is for the cylinder deposit; yet the same quantity of CO2 would cost 6-7 times that. C'est la vie.

Vae


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## Mark Evans (30 May 2010)

Vaevictus said:
			
		

> BOC charge too much. I've just bought a 2kg CO2 cylinder from germany for 50EUR inc. del,



mmmm....that's pricey mate.

I can get through my BOC account a 36KG bottle to rent for about Â£67.00 full. then to refill Â£22.00 inc handling fee. thats Â£89.00 for a full 36KG


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## scifficus (1 Jun 2010)

*You can't use a bottle of propane for CO2*. The bottle of propan has a resistance of 50 bar maximum, the liquid propan at 20 degree celsius has 2,2 bar and at 50 degree celsius has 22 bar. The liquefied CO2 at 20 degree celsius has 48 bar and at 50 degree celsius has 65 bar. The cilinder for CO2 rezist to 250 bar and it have a safety valve who burst at 190 bar, for safety reason. So if you can fill the propane bottle will cause a major disaster with high posibilities of injuries or even death.


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## Vaevictus (1 Jun 2010)

Great reply, thanks.


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