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View Full Version : CO2 OBA on the cheap



Cody
05-15-2007, 06:43 PM
So I decided I'd like to have OBA, but I didn't want to mess with a compressor.

My buddy gave me a 20# bottle in trade for a muffler I had laying around.

bought this

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/double/742HP.shtml

and went down to a hose supply store (Evco) and bought the 25' coiled 1/4" hose and the chuck for it. (like this only mine was cheaper and looks nicer)

http://cgi.ebay.com/25-Flexible-Coil-Flex-Air-Compressor-Coiled-Hose_W0QQitemZ320031285524QQihZ011QQcategoryZ42247 QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Works fantabulous.

Total 50 bucks.

You can buy the tanks for 50-100 bucks depending on size and quality.


I'm going to get this too
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/cages/03E01-101.shtml


Even if you have to buy a new tank you could build a 20# OBA co2 setup for 150 bucks and save 300 compared to what Powertank sells them for.



Love,

Cody

Cue-Ball
05-15-2007, 07:00 PM
Very true,

I got a sweet deal from a good friend of mine on a 20# tank and then being a vendor over on Pirate I reached out to Ultimate-Air and they hooked me up with a fixed 150psi regulator and a 25' coiled hose like yours with couplings for the hose and all that.

Now I just need to hit the local fire extinguisher store in town and pick up a mount.

For now I will just drill through the floor and mount it there in the back by the hatch, once I do a roll cage I will get more creative.

gsh
05-15-2007, 10:07 PM
Those beverage regulators usually have a soft material diaphram. They work fine for the flow rates dispensing beverages. For higher flow rates for airing up the associated temp drop can harden the diaphram and frost up the regulator works reducing the flow to almost nil.

I tested the regulator from my keg and saw it for myself. That caused me to get one of the fixed psi regulators like cue-ball mentioned. No problem frosting up the guts of those regulators. The cost is about the same for the fixed psi regulators as some two guage beverage regulators.

I also attached a tee and a 1/4" npt adjustable air regulator to make it kinder pressure to some air tools. Didn't stop there. Couldn't help myself. Got 4 locking tire chucks, coiled hoses, some tees, guage, modified a HD blowgun and ended up with a 4 tire air down/up adapter.

Matt
05-15-2007, 10:21 PM
Formatt Fab has the best deals that I've seen. He also uses the beverage reg and has sold a ton, no problems from what I hear.

New toys on the heep are always cool, congrats.

Jim311
05-16-2007, 08:37 AM
Those beverage regulators usually have a soft material diaphram. They work fine for the flow rates dispensing beverages. For higher flow rates for airing up the associated temp drop can harden the diaphram and frost up the regulator works reducing the flow to almost nil.

I tested the regulator from my keg and saw it for myself. That caused me to get one of the fixed psi regulators like cue-ball mentioned. No problem frosting up the guts of those regulators. The cost is about the same for the fixed psi regulators as some two guage beverage regulators.

I also attached a tee and a 1/4" npt adjustable air regulator to make it kinder pressure to some air tools. Didn't stop there. Couldn't help myself. Got 4 locking tire chucks, coiled hoses, some tees, guage, modified a HD blowgun and ended up with a 4 tire air down/up adapter.


Yeah, I've heard the beverage regs can freeze up. So I just bought a regulator from "The Source" on Tellico4x4.com for like 35 bucks. 150 PSI fixed output. Runs my air tools and airs up tires fast. Considering I have less than 100 bucks in the whole setup I can't complain

:smt064

DCHZJ
05-16-2007, 09:08 AM
Nice cheap OBA. Think i might just copy these as well.
Engine powered OBA is nice, but not alway an option, and the cost can be high and for some there just might not be any room.

This is a nice cheap alternative, to the usual Air Tank vendors out there.

MoonWorks
05-16-2007, 10:31 AM
You can also run nitrogen and not have to worry about your regulator freezing up. It's also a dry gas so you don't have to worry about oiling your tools constantly.

Check Book WJ
06-25-2007, 06:21 PM
You can also run nitrogen and not have to worry about your regulator freezing up. It's also a dry gas so you don't have to worry about oiling your tools constantly.

True, but one LARGE advantage of compressed CO2 is the volume of gas that you get out of a 20# bottle due to it being in a liquid state under pressure at room temperature vs compressed air/nitorgen which is still in a gaseous state. I'm still impressed at the amount of use I get out of my 10# CO2 tank on a fresh refill, and I've worked with dry nitorgen gas plenty of times for my line of work.

John

Mtn WJ
06-26-2007, 12:15 AM
Formatt Fab has the best deals that I've seen. He also uses the beverage reg and has sold a ton, no problems from what I hear.

New toys on the heep are always cool, congrats.



I have the Formatt Fab set up too. Had it for close to 3 years and it still works great. I bought the mount bracket with mine and bolted inside the rear of my Jeep.

Nice job on the DIY set up. It helps a lot when you get the tank in a trade. Otherwise your 50 would be over 150.

chadjans
06-26-2007, 11:01 PM
I have the 150 female.

http://www.williamsballoons.com/html/carbon_dioxide.html

jsteves
06-27-2007, 01:08 AM
My dad has the Formatt with the bev. regulator. It works great most of the time, but because we have 8 35's to fill after most runs we have managed to get it to the point it has almost no flow...but 8 35's from 10-12 psi to 26-30 is a lot of air, I doubt most people need to push that much CO2 in a short period of time.