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co2 cylinders (81cm) - can I wedge it diagonally?

V

Vyncenze

Member
Joined
9 Mar 2011
Messages
97
Hi

I live near Andover Patio Centre who sell 81cm tall co2 cylinders on a rent-free basis for about £20. Really good deal, but the cylinders are apparently 81cm tall, which is too high for my cabinet. It "might" fit, if I was able to wedge the cylinder in on the diagonal at the back of the cabinet, resting corner to corner. Is that safe to do - obviously it will still be standing with the outlet at the top, but not quite vertically?

Does anyone have one of these cylinders (I think standard size for pub gas)? If so, can you tell me the other dimensions - I need to do some pythagoras on them... :p

Thanks

Joe
 
Joe, think about the CO2 bottle as having liquid in it and not a gas. This is true of a CO2 bottle, there is a space at the top of the bottle where at room temp the liquid becomes a gas but if the bottle tilts too far over the liquid will flow in to the reg. This can freeze the reg which can cause it to ice up and freeflow the gas causing a massive CO2 dump and possibly worse. Be really carefull with the tilt angle have fun kind regards Colin.
 
Msny thanks to both of you. The hole in the cabinet base is an idea I considered but it still wouldn't be talk enough. Might have to stick to smaller FEs, its just a shame as these cylinders are both convenient to me and a bargain.
 
Any other opinions on this? I have a similar issue to Vyncenze, both for my current tank and a new one about to be set up. For the existing one I ended up buying a d-d disposable set, which I'm not happy with, because the can is smaller than FEs/the jbl ones. Have subsequently been told by a couple of lfs that I'm being ridiculous not laying the bottle on it's side, it being pressurised gas etc, and have felt pretty stupid as a result. Reading this, I'm not so sure I was any more. The issue will impact heavily on the setup of my new tank as the only thing that will fit in the cabinet is one of the crappy nano sets.
 
Hmm, I guess google really is your friend. Found this:

http://forum.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-33401.html

and this

http://www.wcf.com/co2iron/faq.html

which says this:

Can I lay my CO2 tank on its side?

If you lay your CO2 tank on its side and it is more than half full, liquid state (under pressure) CO2 will run into the regulator. When the liquid reaches the part of the regulator where the pressure is reduced below the boiling point of CO2, the volume of that little bit of liquid CO2 will dramatically increase. I do not believe the regulator is either designed or built to allow for this dramatic increase in volume. Accordingly, you should play it safe and NOT operate a CO2 cylinder on its side.

Guess I'll be getting the router out.
 
The second link was a very interesting read.
 
foxfish said:
Perhaps you could fit the cylinder away from your tank, I dont now how much tubing you could use before losing any performance though?
Click to expand...

Nowhere to do that with a 2 year old running around I'm afraid. It's in the cupboard under the tank or not at all. Looks like I'm stuck with my poxy D-D kit (and therefore BBA) for the time being at least.
 
hotweldfire said:
foxfish said:
Perhaps you could fit the cylinder away from your tank, I dont now how much tubing you could use before losing any performance though?
Click to expand...

Nowhere to do that with a 2 year old running around I'm afraid. It's in the cupboard under the tank or not at all. Looks like I'm stuck with my poxy D-D kit (and therefore BBA) for the time being at least.
Click to expand...
I used to have a 20kg co2 bottle and i placed it outside the house, behind the front door :D
If you have a balcony you can put the bottle there, just wrap it with some cardboard if it gets direct sun.
i used the plain cheap transperent hose so it's easy to hide if it must go all across the house.
 
ive done the same as ibanezfrelon put a 99kg bottle under the stairs with cheep clear hose running from it to my cabinet then to a check valve and then i use co2 hose where it matters.
 
Guys, thanks for the suggestions. Thing is, don't know if you have young kids in the house, but a bunch of tubing snaking around is like a red rag to a bull. She's already torn off half the phone cable running up from the basement and is trying to tie sailor knots in it :clap: Clever girl.
 
haven't got any kids but im pretty sure even the in laws little monster would struggle to damage my pipe ill try and get some picks up for you tomorrow.its siliconed to the coving 7' odd from the ground. if i was bothered id put it behind the coving. then it would be pretty and kid proof.
 
don't know if you have young kids in the house, but a bunch of tubing snaking around is like a red rag to a bull
Click to expand...
Yipp, two... :D 1 and 3,5 yrs old destructors! :D
The tubings have to be kidproof.
 
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