I have the opportunity to purchase a 20# CO2 that's around 3/4 full from a bar that's going out of business. Owner said to make a reasonable offer. What should I say?
Tank only (no regulator) and not knowing whether it actually has 3/4 remaining, or when it was last tested or if it's steel or aluminum (Al can fetch more), I'd feel comfortable starting at $50, unless it's obviously trashed. Regulars over at the Home Bar forum (some who are and some who aren't regulars here) might have better input.
I'd guess $50 might be a reasonable offer if its last test hasn't expired. $25 if it has. @billandsuz would probably have a better idea of street value. Keep in mind can get a risk-free refurbished 20# steel tank for about $80. Regarding the 3/4 full claim... if you can weight it, that's easy to determine. If the bar owner doesn't have an appropriate scale, then he doesn't know that it's 3/4 full. A regulator gauge can't tell him that.
I think CO2 pricing varies quite a bit. Just in my small city the price for a trade in can change month to month. We have Airgas and Praxair, neither of which impress me me very much. So I'm not sure how much to pay. But $50 seems like a reasonable offer. Remember, it's not like the owner can wait around for a better offer and try to get $60. How many people are in the market? I am guessing that the regulator is trash. Maybe works fine, but likely beat up and zero resale value. Consider the regulator a bonus, but I would not pay anything for it. CO2 gas is cheap, the tank is the expensive part. When you trade in tanks, you pay a fraction of the cost for a tank with gas. I am trading in two 10 pound cylinders today, so I'll now the market rate in Ithaca, NY. Cheers
When I started kegging and needed a tank, I believe I paid $120 for my first 20# one from a local gas supplier, and now I swap it with them for a full one around $15-20 each time. Seems like $50 would be a reasonable offer, assuming you can take it and swap it out for a different tank each time to keep up with testing requirments.
5# refill from airgas is $24.00. Airgas told me they are retiring all the steel tanks for aluminum. Ask for an account. Our local supplier charges more for non-accounts. Cheers
I recently got two 5# tanks off Craigslist. Took them to my local supplier in Boone, NC to see whazzup. He said one had about 3-4# in it and the other was probably full. He didn't weigh them so I guess he believes he's done this enough to tell by the heft. IIRC, he said it'd cost about $25 for refills. The tanks are past the 5 years; they charge $25 for retesting.
Last tank refill about month ago, the gas supply place I usually go to were out of 5 lbr's, so I called other spots and prices seemed high. Can a hobby brewer get an account at a gas supply house? I only need maybe 3 max per year.