Fire extinguisher as co2 cylinder

[Hillbilly]

I have a co2 fire extinguisher filled with 'BOC beer gas' to gas my new kegs but stumbled upon an issue reading another forum, some say that it's better to remove the inner dip tube when using for homebrew set up. Anyone know if leaving it in would give any dramas?

[munkey]

I'm not 100% on this one, but i believe that stored co2 is a liquid, and a dip tube would draw off liquid co2 from the bottom of the bottle, this would cause dramas as its likely that the liquid co2 would get in your kegs and proceed to create a bomb.

again not 100% but i think the principle of the co2 fore extinguisher isn't to release co2 at a managed rate as in brewing etc, but to dump as much co2 as possible into the area.

[Dogger Dan]

Never had an issue.

To address Monkeys concerns, as you are running it through a two stage reg which is dropping the psi to about 10-15 from 9000, it will be a gas.

Dogger

[grabman]

Shouldn't be a problem Hillbilly!

AS Dogger says the reg will drop pressure down. IF you're worried though contact MythBusters, they're always looking for things to blow up!!!!

[Hillbilly]

Thanx guys, I have the same fear as Munkey, sure the regulator adjusts the pressure to the keg but more the problem of the tube sucking up any co2 fluid left at the bottom of the cylinder, Dogger u still left your tube in there and havent had any problems?

[Dogger Dan]

Yes, It has been fine.

My biggest concern ironicly is the beer flowing backwards into the reg and dinking it up so I put a one way valve in after the reg as well as an isolation valve

That being said, I have never had beer flow back into the line either

Dogger

[Browndog]

I went the FE route and was in the same situation Hillbilly, I was told that the liquid CO2 could damage the reg, so I turned my extinguisher upside down so the dip tube fed gas only, then removed the dip tube once the bottle emptied. But from Dogger's experience this does not seem to be a problem.

cheers

Browndog

[Loose Canon]

Just set up a system using a fire extinguisher and a mig welding reg. Was told at a homebrew shop it wasn't possible, all works well. i couldnt be happier.