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RE: CO2 using fire extinguishers



I have read all of the FAQ's, but have not seen this addressed specifically.  
I want to use a CO2 fire extinguisher as a tank for a CO2 injection system 
that I am setting up.  Does anyone know if the CO2 used in fire extinguishers 
is of sufficient purity to be used for aquatic purposes?

Thanks in advance

Jamie Howton

There is a great problem in using fire extinguishers, the CO2 itself is OK, but the 
extreme pressures are not. Fire extinguishers have the highest pressures of CO2,
and getting regulators to suit is going to be a real problem. Working for a company
that works with bottled gas of all sorts, I can say that buying a regulator (if one 
exists (it probably does)) will cost you many body parts, to get one with a very 
low pressure output. (0-200psi)

Renting a cylinder is much cheaper, and beer regulators for industrial CO2 is quite 
cheep. Beer or beverage regulators are made by the millions and used everywhere,
so availability is not really a problem.

One thing I cannot understand is why some CO2 regulators have two pressure 
gauges, CO2 is a liquid in the bottle and so the input pressure gauge will read the 
same pressure untill the bottle is completely empty, at which time it will fall to 0. 
You will know this anyway, as no gas will escape when you open the valve.

So only buy a regulator with a gauge on the output side of the regulator as a 
gauge on the input side is a waste of time. (and money)

A needle valve after the regulator is also a good idea, and will provide a fine 
adjustment control on your CO2 flow rate. ( a flow meter is generally a 
waste of time as the flow rates needed for a tank are too low) If you are dosing
a pond on the other hand, a flow meter can be quite handy.

I have just built two CO2 systems for ponds with hydrolic CO2 mixers and find
that having flow meters with needle valves provides a good indication of the 
quantity of CO2 being used.

The large pond BTW are about half olympic size to give an idea of the amount/
flow rate of CO2 required. 

Tanks only require the needle valve to be just cracked open.

Marque Crozman   ANGFA  - NSW

Death is merely a transition of matter....................................to doesn't matter.
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