I suspect that it is a CO2 tank for soda machines.
The red tubing says "Anheuser Busch" something.
It has a CGA-580 adapter (for inert gas).
The gotcha is that the regulator does NOT fit the CGA-580 adaptor. Not sure why that could happen. The regulator's opening for the tube that goes into the tank, is LH threaded.
So... Not sure what I can do with it... Would be nice to have a home soda machine (we do not drink sweet beverages, but would be great to have carbonated water). Alternatively, would be great to use it for some sort of gas for MIG.
Any ideas what this thing is and can it be used for welding gases?
Your tank *may* not be high pressure. CO2's vapor pressure is around
800 psi and can be used with an 1800 (+-?) psi tank. The argon, C25 tanks are 3000 (+-?) psi. Whatever the real tank numbers are, CO2 can be stored in "lighter" tanks than argon, etc.
A good idea. If it is owned by Busch, Coke, etc, they won't fill it, soyou are wasting time. If all is good, they may exchange it for the bottle you want. I have gone from argon to C02 to Mig mix and not had to buy another tank.
Yes..it works very well for a portable tank for a small wirefeed MIG machine, with the Original CO2 contents.
Gunner, who MIGs almost exclusivly with CO2
"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment is to gullshit in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration, knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure but enriches it."
It's the wrong fitting for straight CO2, they usually use the CGA320 that requires a washer in the fitting. GCA580 is for Argon, Nitrogen, Helium, and probably the CO2/Argon blends.
Even in the military, the tanks are supposed to have a sticker telling what the contents are supposed to be... You can make big trouble hooking up a bottle of AR where you wanted O2, or vice versa.
Note the US GOVT - NON-SHAT markings on the bottle. At least the first time you exchange it into the retail tank pool, have the receipt from the auction handy just in case someone asks.
After it has been hydro tested by a 'civilian' test station and run through the cylinder exchange system, the next person who receives the cylinder as the full exchange shouldn't have any problems.
Even if the tank and regulator were in the same auction lot, the two pieces may not be related at all. Someone thought they looked better as a set, so they put them together.
Taverns can use straight CO2 for American beers or simplicity of operations. For the import beers (or picky people that want the head just right, big and foamy) they have to make a 50/50 blend of CO2 and N2 "Beer Gas" on site. The N2 can come from cylinders or a compressor and molecular sieve N2 Generator system.
You do NOT have to get rid of the regulator - the cylinder fitting can be easily replaced, and the gas dealers carry an assortment. This is how you end up with spares, I have several.
The trick is to look up the exact model number of the regulator on the maker's site and see exactly what gases and pressures it's rated for, and the pressure limits. If it can be used, change the inlet spud to fit the tank and use it.
(Save the old fitting in the Welding Stuff box - you never know...)
Remember that use with Oxygen requires proper and thorough internal cleaning of the regulator, and lubricate only with approved substances
- even if the regulator is rated for use in Oxygen service, you bought it used and have no idea of it's provenance - the last induhvidual who used it might have run oil through it. If you want to run Oxygen with it, get it cleaned - or update your will.
When pure Oxygen under cylinder pressures hits any petroleum oil in a confined space, much excitement can happen - the extremely nasty you-don't-want-to-be-anywhere-near-there bad kind of excitement.
Gods no..keep the regulator. While most welding gases are dispensed to the end of your gun in CFM..cubic feet per minute..you can easily calculate what psi is cfm, or simply ask over on the welding newsgroups.
The various fittings can be easily swapped out for the proper ones for generally less than a $20USD
My two Mig bottles are the 25lbs CO2 tanks that I suspect were once property of a Pepular soft drink manufacturer. I had a bill of sale from the previous possessor..and once I had them hydroed ($45 each including a fill), they were good to go. In fact..after a year of some fairly rigourous welding..Im still going strong on the first 25lb tank.
Gunner
"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment is to gullshit in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration, knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure but enriches it."
We have had this discussion before where you say 800psi! Why do you keep posting this BS. CO2 pressure is a function of its temperature.
"The pressure will be 1072 PSI at 88°F, 650 PSI at 50°F, 300 PSI at 0°F and
100 PSI at -57°F. The CO2 pressure in the cylinder will always be above 1050 PSI when the CO2 temperature is above 88°F and the cylinder is full. And it may go even higher with the temperature. CO2 cylinders have a service pressure of 1800 PSI and a test pressure of 3000 PSI".
Let a full CO2 cylinder (or even a ¼ full cylinder) sit in the sun for a little while and wait for a few minutes for the burst disk to rupture and release the CO2.
Oh, for Christ's sake, the precise pressure of CO2 was incidental to the discussion. The discussion was: "I have a tank with CO2 in it, can I use it for welding?". Whatever the friggin' temperature is, you cannot have an 1800 psi CO2 tank refilled with C25.
I said "vapor pressure", everybody knows that means temperature dependent. The default condition (i.e., if not specified otherwise) is room temperature and at room temperature the CO2 vapor pressure is
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