Does Tractor Supply Refill CO2 Tanks (The Truth!)

Do you know if Tractor Supply refills CO2 tanks? this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

CO2 or carbon dioxide is arguably the most widely used gas in the whole world.

It’s used in paintball guns, BB guns, airsoft guns, home beer brewing, in home soda fountains, various drink carbonators, hydroponic growing, as a shielding gas for MIG welding, and so on.

Depending on what you need it for, you are very likely buying tanks of various sizes of this gas.

And they can cost quite a lot, depending on your consumption.

That’s why it is always a good idea to consider refilling your CO2, as the refill always costs much less than a new tank.

So, does Tractor Supply refill CO2 tanks? No, Tractor Supply do not refill CO2 tanks. While they do carry small CO2 cartridges, mostly used for airsoft and similar BB or dart guns in 12 and 25 grams capacity, they do not even carry larger CO2 tanks.

After all, you are paying just for the gas and refilling service, and the price of the tank itself is not included.

One of the places you might consider for refilling your CO2 tanks is the Tractor Supply store near you, so here is everything you need to know about that.

Table of Contents

Does Tractor Supply Fill CO2 Tanks?

The short answer is also an undesirable one. No, Tractor Supply does not fill CO2 tanks.

Tractor Supply is a well-stocked shop you should check out when you need a wide variety of things, especially shop supplies.

But if you are in need of a refill of your CO2 tanks, you are out of luck if you visit them.

Though if you are in need of C25 tanks, the 75% argon and 25% Carbon dioxide mixture, for welding, you should know that they do carry them in several sizes.

The filling is not available for C25 shielding gas, but at least they do have something if you are in a bit of a hurry.

Why Refill CO2 Tanks?

When you are buying a CO2 tank you are not paying just gas, but also the tank it comes in.

And the price of that container makes a sizable chunk of the overall price sticker.

The gas itself is just a fraction of the cost, so you can make quite substantial savings by refilling the tanks instead of purchasing new ones whenever you are out of the gas.

Even if you only need the 20 or 25 oz tanks, you can save a lot on them, and also solve the problems of what to do with the empty tanks.

Read also: Does Canadian Tire Fill CO2 Tanks?

Does Tractor Supply Inspect CO2 Tanks?

As they are not filling them, they are neither offering the service of hydrostatic testing and functionality inspection of the tanks.

Because of this, you are better off at some other place if your CO2 tanks are nearing the expiration date and need to be recertified.

Recertifying your CO2 tanks should be quite high on the list of your priorities.

While the gas itself is rather harmless in most circumstances, it is still under quite a lot of pressure in the tank.

This is especially true when it comes to larger tanks, of 10, 15, 20, or more pounds.

And whenever some container is under pressure, it is important to keep it in excellent condition, just good doesn’t make the cut.

Thus having your tanks hydrostatically tested and inspected at the proper intervals is very important if you are refilling their content.

This holds for the flammable gases, but also for the inert ones.

Can a CO2 Tank Expire?

Just like with any other pressurized gas container, when it comes to CO2 tanks the regulations of the Department of Transportation apply.

In other words, the CO2 tank has an expiration date and thus it can expire.

While the expiration date is not stamped on the tanks, the manufacturing date is, and the expiration date is 5 years from that one.

It is always stamped on the tank itself in format MMLYY.

Where MM is a number between 01 and 12, representing the month of production, L stands for a letter of DOT authorized independent inspector, and YY stands for the year of production and can have a range between 00 and 99.

But the more important question is what happens when it does expire and what you should do then?

First and foremost, you will not be able to refill it, the places that do this type of service will simply refuse it, along with the majority of places that offer swap deals for CO2 tanks and other gases.

While you may sell it at some places, if you plan to continue using an expired tank you will have to recertify it.

There are many independent DOT authorized places where you can get your tanks hydrostatically tested and recertified.

When you do it, they will be stamped with a code in the same format as the manufacturing date.

Where To Refill CO2 Tanks?

Because Tractor Supply is not a viable source of CO2 tanks refills, y have to turn to an alternative service or shop.

Depending on the size of your tank and its intended use, you have several potential choices.

Some of the potential alternatives are:

Fleet Farm
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Home Brew Supply
Airgas
Various paintball supply stores
Welding supply stores, such as Oxygen Supply Company
Hydroponic shops

Though one thing you should always have in mind, not all places fill all of the sizes of the tanks.

For example, Dick’s doesn’t fill tanks larger than 24 ounces, while Airgas doesn’t fill smaller than 5 pounds.

Another potential solution for you, especially if you have easily accessible refills for larger tanks, is a purchase of a CO2 refill station.

While they do cost in the $50 to $100 range at Walmart, they pay themself in the long run.

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