How to use a fill station
by
Steve Mitchell
A fill station usually consists of a two ball valves and a hose, which
goes to a CA tank adapter.
main
valve
___ ball valves (#1&2)
| / /
| ==||=+=||= <-- blow off end
| | | ##
/ \ \______________________|| <--CA adaptor with
/ \ hose || pin depress screw
Cylinder / \
marked | |
"Siphon" | |
or | |
"Tip | |
Tube" | |
\---------/
To use this setup you might follow these steps:
(But before proceeding, order pamphlets "G-6.3" (Carbon Dioxide
Cylinder Filling and Handling Procedures For Beverage Plants, NSDA TD01)
and "P-1" (Safe Handling of Compressed Gasses in Containers) from the Compressed
Gas Association. I assume no responsibility for any injury, death, or any
damage to equipment resulting from the use or misuse of the following information.)
-
Make sure both ball valves are closed.
-
Make sure your CA adaptor's pin depress is all the way out. (such that
it will not open the CA bottle's pin valve when the CA bottle is screwed
on).
-
Inspect the O-Ring on your CA bottle before attaching the bottle to the
CA adaptor. Replace if necessary. Attach the bottle to the CA adaptor by
screwing it in as you would screw the bottle into a gun.
-
Screw in the CA adaptor's pin depress. You should hear and feel the fill
station's hose charge with some of the left over air in your CA tank.
-
Slowly open ball valve #2 (the valve farthest from the bulk cylinder's
main valve).
-
If you have a couple of ounces of air left in your CA tank you will be
able to cool the tank while you drain it. You can encourage this by rapidly
rotating the CA tank upside down, then rightside up, etc., while opening
valve #2 completely. Drain your bottle completely. Do not attempt to fill
a partially full bottle!
-
If the tank is not nice and chilled, you're going to need to chill it through
the following steps.
-
Close ball valve #2.
-
Open the bulk cylinder's main valve if not already open.
-
Open ball valve #1 for 3 or 4 seconds then close it. This will put a few
ounces of air into the CA tank. Be careful with small tanks like 3.5oz
as these can fill very fast. For small tanks only keep valve #1 open for
a 2 seconds or so.
-
Go to step 5 above.
-
Now you should hang your CA bottle (by the still attached CA adaptor) on
your digital fish scale (available from Wall Mart for about $20.) Zero
out the scale by turning it off and back on, while the bottle is hanging
from it.
-
Open the bulk cylinder's main valve, if not already open.
-
Turn on ball valve #1 completely. Watch the scale and close valve #1 when
the scale reads 1 to .5 ounces under the bottle's capacity. That is, only
fill your 7 ounce bottles to about 6 ounces. Do not over fill your bottles.
-
Close the bulk cylinder's main valve.
-
Unscrew the CA adaptor pin depress until it is completely disengaged.
-
Open valve #2 to drain the compressed CO2 still in the hose.
-
Unscrew your newly filled tank from the CA adaptor.
I got my CO2 cylinder from the local motor parts/wielding supply. $120
for 50 lbs. Refills cost about $20. You might need to explain to the sales
droid what a "siphon bottle" is. Don't buy one unless it has "siphon" or
"tip tube" clearly stamped or painting on the side. A non-siphon bottle
will not work for you.
I got my fill station from Paintball Mania. It cost about $80. If you're
really clever you can probably get one cheaper than this.
I got my scale from WalMart for about $20.
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