Table of Contents
An air compressor is one of a small number of versatile tools that can offer you a variety of uses in return for your single purchase. In addition to standard uses such as filling your car tires with air, spray painting, and effectively powering nailers, an air compressor can also be used to empty and to fill a CO2 tank.
When using a CO2 tank, you would usually return the tank to the store to be filled; this would result in a fixed cost for each visit, of course. Purchasing an air compressor, however, will mean that once you have purchased the product, there would be no additional costs to fill your CO2 tank, additionally reducing traveling times and costs.
Air Compressor Co2 Tank Refill Guide
Preparing Your Air Compressor
To use your air compressor to refill your CO2 tank, you will first need the correct attachment, namely a CO2 fitting. Fix the CO2 fitting to the fitting at the end of the air compressor hose, and then ensure that the alternate end of the fitting is screwed into the CO2 tank. Ensure that this is secure and tight. The next step is unscrewing the bleed-off valve, which is positioned at the top of the fitting, allowing any residual air to escape.
Filling the CO2 Tank
Once the air from the CO2 tank has escaped, close the bleed valve to ensure that the new air does not escape. The amount of air which your CO2 tank will need depends on the size of the tank overall. A good guide to consider is that for a CO2 tank with an 8-ounce capacity, 16 seconds of air will be required, therefore doubling the tank capacity to find the number of seconds of air needed.
Turn on the air compressor, checking your stopwatch to inject the correct amount of air into your CO2 tank. You need to avoid overfilling your CO2 tank with air, as overfilling could result in the CO2 tank can become damaged. Furthermore, an overfill may result in the CO2 tank exploding under pressure, which could result in injuring anyone around it.
Completing the Process
Once you have turned off the air compressor, open-up the bleed valve briefly for a second or two to expel any build-up. Gently unscrew the air compressor hose from the CO2 tank, completing the process. You will be able to complete this process every time you need to refill the CO2 tank, although ensure that the CO2 tank is completely emptied each time.
It is important to remember that a CO2 tank is a sensitive item and so you should handle it carefully, refraining from dropping or damaging the item. Also, ensure that any flammable materials are stored separately from the CO2 tank.
