The biggest perks of owning a soda maker are convenience and affordability. You can make fizzy drinks whenever you want and at a fraction of the cost compared to what you get in the market. However, some folks step out of their home, spend gas, and get the cylinder refilled, so they end up spending more money.
What if I said that you can safely refill the soda maker cylinder at home? Not only will it save your car’s fuel and time, but you can also quickly refill the cylinder and keep making fizzy drinks for your family.
This guide is all about how to refill a soda maker cylinder such as DrinkMate OmniFizz Sparkling Water by yourself. I’ve listed several steps with images to help you do it safely, quickly, and affordably.
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Precautions to Keep in Mind When Working with CO2
CO2 is around us and is not a hazardous gas. However, you should keep a few things in mind to stay safe while refilling the cylinders.
- Handle the CO2 tanks with extreme care. These cylinders are under high pressure and may explode if mishandled.
- CO2 can displace oxygen present in the room, so you should carry out the process of refilling the cylinder in a well-ventilated area or in the open.
- Be gentle with the CO2 tank’s knob, and make sure it does not leak when you refill the cylinder.
- Wearing a mask is a good idea to avoid inhaling the CO2 gas if it leaks out of the cylinder.
Things You Need to Refill the Soda Maker Cylinder
There isn’t a lot but just a few things you’ll need to refill the soda maker bottle with gas. I’m not listing the safety gear here, such as masks, goggles, and gloves, as every responsible citizen uses these accessories to keep safe.
- An adaptor compatible with your soda maker cylinder (recommended: Household Soda Refill Bottle CO2 Cylinder Cartridges)
- Precise weighing scale
- Allen wrench
- Donor CO2 tank
- Empty soda maker cylinder(s)
Steps to Refill a Soda Maker Cylinder: With Images
Gather all items in a well-ventilated place, and wear all protective gear such as masks, goggles, and gloves. Ask someone to be around you for some added help for attaching the adaptor and if you have multiple cylinders to refill.
Ready with everything? Follow all the steps listed below, and you can quickly refill the soda maker cylinder.
Step 1: Assemble the Adaptor
Every good-quality soda maker cylinder refilling adaptor has four components: the main metal body, rubber gaskets, a pressure-releasing valve, and a switch to control the flow of gas. Assemble the adaptor by following the instruction manual and ensure every component is in good shape.
Tighten the threaded pin screw properly using an Allen wrench. Rinse the adaptor once before you install it on the donor tank, as the water helps create a better seal.
Step 2: Install the Adaptor on the Donor Tank
Every commercial CO2 donor tank has an RPV (residual pressure valve). The valve connects with the adaptor and releases gas into the soda maker cylinder with high pressure.
Inspect the RPV and make sure there is no debris inside it. If required, clean it using a brush, and attach the adaptor to it securely. Put the plastic gasket into the adaptor and place it on the RPV. The side with threads should be towards the RPV.
Twist the adaptor several times, and you can install it on the donor cylinder. Now use a wrench or spanner to tighten the adaptor, and you are good to go. The adaptor assembled with the donor tank should look something like this.
Step 3: Use an Allen Wrench to Tighten the Threaded Pin Screw
Put the Allen wrench into the threaded pin screw, and tighten it properly. Be gentle and do not push the screw as it may open the RPV, and the gas may start leaking. Keep rotating the Allen wrench gently until the threaded pin screw stops rotating.
Step 4: Weigh the Soda Maker Cylinder
Every soda maker cylinder has a varying capacity, and it can only accommodate a certain gas volume. Weigh the gas cylinder, and determine the empty space to be refilled.
If you are not sure about the weight and capacity of the cylinder, refer to the instructions listed on its back. Weigh all cylinders that you want to refill, and note down the readings.
Step 5: Connect the Cylinder with the Adaptor
Put the cylinder’s receiving side inside the adaptor and twist the cylinder. You’ll be able to screw the cylinder. Keep twisting it until it stops. As you cannot use a wrench on the cylinder, so ensure it is tightly secured with the adaptor.
Slowly open the valve on the donor tank, and open it up to the half level. The pressure with which the gas refills into the cylinder depends on the density and capacity of the gas present in the donor cylinder.
Close the donor tank’s valve after a few seconds. My SodaStream cylinder refills fully within 25 seconds. Having a timer handy will be great to avoid overfilling the cylinder and avoid any accidents.
Step 6: Remove the Soda Maker Cylinder
After closing the donor tank’s valve, release the gas pressure. Twist the pressure-release valve on the adaptor, and wait for a few seconds.
People often call this technique bleeding the gas. Now twist the soda maker cylinder in the opposite direction you twisted it to screw to the adaptor. Place the cylinder on the weighing scale to ensure you’ve refilled it fully.
Step 7: Install the Cylinder with the Soda Maker
Install the cylinder on the soda maker, and clean up all the mess. You are now all set to make fizzy drinks using the soda maker. Next time when the cylinder runs out of gas, follow these steps again, and you can refill it quickly.
Tips to Refill the Soda Maker Cylinder
Refilling the soda maker cylinder is an easy process, but to achieve optimal refilling, you need a few tips that I’ve discussed below.
Freeze the Cylinder
Freezing the cylinder at least for an hour helps accommodate more gas into it. The gas expands at high temperatures and liquefies at lower temperatures.
Understand the Capacity of the Cylinder
Understanding how much gas the cylinder can accommodate is important to prevent any mishaps. Weigh the full cylinder, and weigh when it is empty. This way, you can figure out how much gas you can refill, which will save your gas and time.
If you are unsure about the capacity of the cylinder, you should contact the manufacturer or visit your nearest store to get the gas refilled.
Open the Pressure Valve Half
Soda maker cylinders are small and cannot accommodate a huge amount of gas. Open the pressure valve of the donor tank gently, and open it halfway only.
Other Methods to get the Soda Maker Cylinders Refilled
If you don’t have a CO2 donor tank handy, you might be looking for ways to get it refilled. When I was new to soda makers, I opted for the following ways to get my cylinders topped up.
In-store
There are several SodaStream stores across the United States. If you are fortunate enough to live around a SodaStream store, you can go there to get the cylinder refilled.
Order Online
You can order SodaStream cylinders from the official website. However, there’s a catch, you need to return the old cylinders within seven days, or else you’ll be charged for the new cylinders.
Buy from Amazon
Amazon also sells SodaStream cylinders, and you can order them to quickly make fizzy drinks.
Other Retailers
There are several retailers in the market that refill CO2 gas. You can visit a paintball store or contact any commercial gas vendor to get the cylinders refilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which gas is used in soda makers?
A: Carbon dioxide or CO2 is the gas used in soda makers. You can buy a donor gas tank or get the cylinder refilled from your nearest store.
Q: What to do with the empty soda maker cylinders?
A: You can refill the cylinders and keep using them over and over to make soda. Throwing away the cylinders is not a good idea unless they are damaged or punctured.
Q: How do you know how much gas is in the cylinder?
A: The easiest way to know how much gas is in your cylinder is by weighing it. Place the cylinder on a weighing scale and weigh it. Now deduct the weight of the cylinder from the total weight, and you’ll get the exact weight of the gas.
Final Thoughts
That’s everything you should know about how to refill soda maker cylinders at home. Refilling the cylinders is always a good idea as you can reuse the cylinders multiple times to enjoy making fizzy drinks at home.
Keep all safety precautions in mind, and perform the process in a well-ventilated area. Wear all the safety gear, read the instruction manual of the adaptor, and you can quickly refill the soda maker cylinders.
