Co2 From Fire Extinguisher.

[littleimp]

Just wondering if anyone has every used a 2/5kg fire extinguisher for co2 use. If so what fittings did they have to use to adapt?

 

[steelhealr]

I"m not an expert on this, but, being a scuba diver, I can tell you I wouldn't do it. That CO2 is meant for fires and, as such, was not compressed with thoughts of tropical underwater plants. You don't know for sure what is compressed in the CO2 tank....oil, etc. Not worth the risk IMO if it was my tank. SH

 

[littleimp]

Thing is some of the online fosh shops suggest you get your 2 & 5kg tanks filled at fire extinguisher or welding service centres

 

[modernhamlet]

Thing is some of the online fosh shops suggest you get your 2 & 5kg tanks filled at fire extinguisher or welding service centres

Fire extinguisher service centers can refill your co2, but I don't think a standard fire extinguisher has the same exit hardware to hook up a regulator, solenoid, etc...

Just pick up a standard used co2 tank, like the rest of us do. They aren't too expensive, relative to all the other costs of a planted tank. They look something like this:

 

[littleimp]

Do all regulators fit onto these or just refillable ones? Are they the same thread fitting?

 

[emo]

I would probably never have thought about this, so i'm interested in hearing if it works or not.
It may be worth e-mailing a supplier of fire fighting equipment, i.e. Chubb to ask the exact contents of their cannisters.

There is a little bit of information here

 

[zig]

As far as i know these will work, you just use a standard regulator, you remove the thing on top which i think is called a trumpet (dont ask me why) fit your regulator, then remove the pin from the handle on the fire extinguisher and use a zip tie to keep the handle down, obviously for our needs the regulator would need a suitable needle valve as well, but im nearly sure that fire extinguishers just have standard co2 fittings.

 

[modernhamlet]

As far as i know these will work, you just use a standard regulator, you remove the thing on top which i think is called a trumpet (dont ask me why) fit your regulator, then remove the pin from the handle on the fire extinguisher and use a zip tie to keep the handle down, obviously for our needs the regulator would need a suitable needle valve as well, but im nearly sure that fire extinguishers just have standard co2 fittings.

Really?

Given how much cheaper and lighter fire extinguishers are than the standard canisters, I would have thought they would be more commonly used. Thanks for correcting me, zig...

 

[littleimp]

I've managed to get hold of one of these from a welding supply shop. 2kg.

I'm now goiing have to take pot luck on a co2 system that the regulator will fit. Unfortunately their are no fish shops near me that sell co2 systems.

What system am I more likely to get that will fit one of these standard 2kg tanks, proably the same fitting as the one pictured earlier.

 

[zig]

As far as i know these will work, you just use a standard regulator, you remove the thing on top which i think is called a trumpet (dont ask me why) fit your regulator, then remove the pin from the handle on the fire extinguisher and use a zip tie to keep the handle down, obviously for our needs the regulator would need a suitable needle valve as well, but im nearly sure that fire extinguishers just have standard co2 fittings.

Really?

Given how much cheaper and lighter fire extinguishers are than the standard canisters, I would have thought they would be more commonly used. Thanks for correcting me, zig...

I have never done this so i am not absolutely sure, but i have read about people doing this for planted tanks but only in the UK, the fittings in the US may be different for fire extinguishers, the same way an American standard regulator will not fit a European industry standard co2 cylinder.

Come to think of it i dont think ive read of any Americans doing this, the exact reason i dont know.

I've managed to get hold of one of these from a welding supply shop. 2kg.

I'm now goiing have to take pot luck on a co2 system that the regulator will fit. Unfortunately their are no fish shops near me that sell co2 systems.

What system am I more likely to get that will fit one of these standard 2kg tanks, proably the same fitting as the one pictured earlier.

I would have thought the best place to ask if a standard co2 regulator will fit was a welding supply shop.

 

[donkey]

Hi there
i have never used a fire extinguisher for co2 . but i do use a pub/club co2 bottle and that works great .i got all my fittings for this on ebay .i know a bloke that runs a pub and he just gets it filled for me for £6:50 and thats a 18 pound bottle

i was just thinking that i read on another forum that if you get your bottle filled at a welding supply shop that it also has a mix of co2 and argon gas in there with it .might not be to good for your fish .the CO2 that i have in the pub bottle is what is called food grade and its fine for the fish . i also seem to think that the co2 you get from a fire extinguisher is not pure co2 but has some other gas mixed with it as well .you might want to check this out before you get it all put together

 

[Walt]

....welding supply shop that it also has a mix of co2 and argon gas in there with it .

Not quite true...
Yes, they do make mixes of co2/argon, like for say MIG welding..
But they also fill tanks with just co2....

ya just have to make sure you are asking for the right thing..

That said, i get my co2 filled at a fire extinguish place down the road...
Its a CO2 tank though... nothing to do with a fire extingusher cept the name of the place.....

Im not sure if a fire extingusher tank can be swapped with a co2 tank.
Are they both the same thickness tank?
Same valve?
Many questions.... course ill bet a fire extingusher place could answer em B)

 

[littleimp]

Recieved my tank today, all ship shape & bristol fashion!!! Deltec gauges, aquamedic solenoid & azoo diffusers on the way

Even better news for me is I found a refill centre thats within a reasonable distance to me. If anyone needs a refill in the Ipswich area (25mins for me) contact Firepower on 01473 257627.

They can refill any cylinder on the spot, takes about 5mins.

£10 for my 2kg's worth

 

[littleimp]

As CO2 is a big subject at the moment I thought I'd post my research to help you people out their.

As already mentioned I have now got my co2 cylinder as picture in previous post. This was on ebay @ £19.99 reconditioned & filled + £7post. The guy is selling them regularly apparently.

It's a british standard 2kg model with the british standard .860 thread. This is used on any refillable co2 cylinder in the UK only. (except jbl ones as it seems they use their own thread size to cash in on refills me thinks!!)


If you buy CO2 set with a disposable cylinder the regulator will not fit on a refillable bottle as these use a smaller thread. However you can buy an adaptor to convert it over at online welding suppliers.

If you buy a seperate regulator this will be the standard size & fit onto your standard cylinder, most commonly used in the welding, pub & vending machine business.

A good brand name & cheap source for these is here. http/www.ultimateaquatics.co.uk/acatalog..._Equipment.html

Deltec regulator £53 !!
Aquamedic solenoid £36 !!

The tubing to link these together is 4/6mm same as airline) but is specific for this purpose so it does not leak the CO2, JBL is a good source for this.
Their are many different bubble counters & reactors/diffusers to look at but recommded models are either JBL & Azoo.

I hope this helps out some, took me ages to find out some of this info but it has allowed me to have a top spec co2 kit with a big discount on the price of a 2kg refillable kit version!!

p.s. You can get an upright valve also to replace the fire extinguisher handle also if you wish to go this route, however these have to be fittted professionally, at a refill for instance!!!!!!

http/www.firesafetywarehouse.co.uk/co2sc...roducts_id=2005

 

[zig]

^^^thanks for the tips, so basically this does work with the fire extinguisher.

I cant find any co2 proof airhosing online any ideas where i could find some?