Soda Stream CO2

[Kintala]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have read that you can unscrew the end off, it appears to simply be screwed on, and fill it with dry ice and put the top back on.
I’ve not tried that yet, but don’t see why it wouldn't work

We fill ours with dry ice all the time because it’s readily available in places the bottles aren’t. YOU MUST DO IT CAREFULLY or you risk exploding the bottle. Here's a great YouTube tutorial on how to do it.

https://youtu.be/jX8N331qroI

Even though we’re back in the states we still use our Soda Stream constantly, although neither of us drinks sugar sodas. We only use it for carbonated water and then add fruit juice or limes. No question it saves on storage and plastic waste, especially since most countries we cruised in did not recycle.

[Triumph]

We've been using our sodastream for years. It's a huge trash saver on board, and a huge space and weight saver. If you are going out for two or three months, just bring three of the gas bottles. Bed bath and Beyond does the exchange for full ones for $13 (with the ubiquitous 20% off couple) . One bottle of the syrup makes the equivalent of 30-33 cans of coke.

We make on average one or two sodastream plastic bottles a day. I have one glass of coke for lunch and the rest for cocktails, rum and diet coke or rum and diet tonic. Seems that a bottle of gas lasts about three weeks.

True, the cost is no big savings if you are comparing the cost at home. But if you are buying soda in the islands for $1.25 a can, or $6 a six pack it seems like a savings.

We load the boat with beer & wine, our sodastream supplies, and of course we buy Rum in the islands. (no need to bring sand to the beach as they say)

There are ways to refill the gas bottles that you can read about online. Some cruisers as mentioned just buy a bigger supply bottle too.

I mention the soda stream on my website along with other cruising gadgets.
The Book of Sail – Cruising gadgets, knowledge, and ideas for the cruising sailor

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I was looking at Soda Stream. My thinking was that this would save a lot of space over cans of soda - does it?

But I also looked at the cost of the Soda Stream brand/type of CO2 bottles and based on the cost of this I may as well just have cases of soda. But I figured a bunch of smart cost effective cruisers will have figured out a good work around and if I asked I could find out without having to reinvent the soda stream wheel.

My husband has had a Soda Stream since we moved onto the boat in 2014. He loves it.

Maje

[Craig_B]

We have a sodastream and in my opinion it Sucks!
Makes visible bubbles but that's it. Cannot tell its sparkling water at all. Flat.

[BugzyCan]

Originally Posted by Craig_B

We have a sodastream and in my opinion it Sucks!
Makes visible bubbles but that's it. Cannot tell its sparkling water at all. Flat.

You are filling it wrong then. When I use mine, I hold the button down until it hisses 5 times. The result is carbonated water that is more bubbly that stuff you buy in a bottle at the store.

I am curious about the DIY option that says you have to shake the carbonation into the water. When I use my soda stream, it injects it into the water, no shaking needed, so why does the DIY option need to be shaken?

[ikanode]

[QUOTE=wsmurdoch;3206303] We take a 5 gal box of Diet Coke syrup bought at Sams Club to the Bahamas to dilute our rum. I drain the box with a 'bib tap valve'.

What's the shelf life on the boxes of Diet Coke syrup after opening?

[bcboomer]

If your Soda Stream isn't fizzy you must be doing something wrong. We can make sparkling water that is at least as fizzy as store bought club soda.

[pkirkll]

Yes I have one and yes I love it---- way less space than cases of soda water and i can adjust the amount of fizz i want--- i use it to make my electrolyte water using Redmonds Re-Lyte from Salt Lake City---- you can add lemon or lime juice (or whatever) the companion brand syrups are sickening--- use your own flavors....

[gram]

I recently got this 2.5lb tank w/mini regulator setup for aboard. I've also been using a similar DIY system at home with a 5lb tank w/large regulator for years.
From my experience at home (somewhere around 3x 2-liter bottles of fizzy water a week), the 5lb tank lasts about 18mo-2 years. It costs about $15 to fill at a local Fire and Safety spot. I don't do the tank exchange because I really like the aluminum tanks over the steel ones, and they typically only have steel ones to exchange.
The 2lb tank with mini-regulator has been great aboard so far. It stores well upright with the pots and pans, though I'm considering making a more purposeful mount for it to make sure it can't ever get knocked around. The (very unlikely) thought of the valve getting damaged and leaking CO2 is in the back of my mind and I'd like that thought to go away
I've found around 40-45psi with cold water creates excellent carbonation. Warmer water doesn't accept quite as much CO2. I keep 1x 2-liter of plain water chilling in the fridge while we drink the fizzy 2-liter, then I carbonate the cold bottle from the reefer, refill the now empty bottle and put it in the fridge to chill. I have a couple fruit syrups that I've added at times, but I find the bubbly water satisfies me quite well by itself. Of course cucumber or fresh fruit is always tasty if you've got them.
Plus there's no trash or recycling created!

Quick apprx. costs for a new 2lb system costs:
New everything (2lb Ali CO2 tank, mini-regulator, hose & quick disconnect, carb cap): $88
Refill: $7

[MILKMAN2580]

Get on eBay and buy a 20 lb co2 bottle and regulator and go on beer making site and get adapters to pressurize your reusable coke. Bottles. Make soda for .05 per use! Turn regulator to 45 psi shake 30 seconds bam soda!

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Kintala

We fill ours with dry ice all the time because it’s readily available in places the bottles aren’t. YOU MUST DO IT CAREFULLY or you risk exploding the bottle. Here's a great YouTube tutorial on how to do it.

https://youtu.be/jX8N331qroI

Even though we’re back in the states we still use our Soda Stream constantly, although neither of us drinks sugar sodas. We only use it for carbonated water and then add fruit juice or limes. No question it saves on storage and plastic waste, especially since most countries we cruised in did not recycle.

Haven’t watched the video, but how could you bust a tank? It’s like I propane, as long as there is any liquid the pressure is temperature dependent.
Unlike water ice, dry ice would expand slightly when it changes to a liquid due to temp change, but it would be a slight expansion, if you pack dry ice in the bottle, there would be some airspace and this air space should be more than enough to account for any thermal expansion.

[BigNut]

Regarding the shaking:
It simply speeds up the carbonation process by increasing the surface area of the water/gas interface.

Regarding level of carbonation.
Besides changing the pressure you use, another VERY important aspect to achieving higher carbonation is the temperature of the water. I try to get mine as close to freezing as I can without freezing.
Also, expel all the air from the top of the bottle before popping the carbonation head on by squeezing it.
Some folks carbonate twice: chill - carbonate - chill - carbonate

HTH

[Badsanta]

I had one years ago when they came with the big bottle. My problem was every where I look at most flavors were expired of nearly so. So I sold it. But I see them around more and with the internet of things it should be easer. To bad they cant sell real coke flavors. Great space saver.

[thezephyrboy]

We have a soda stream and it has been great.
Sometimes difficult to refill gas but now in French Polynesia it seems to be impossible because our gas bottles are USA thread and all they have here are Australian. I've been unable to find a source of dry ice.

[DeValency]

It works great.
- You can exchange the CO2 canister. Look at SodaStream website for places or you can have it delivered with returned label for the empty refund.
- Cost? The time to go and shop cans/bottles, carry over etc. also worth something.
- The most important is space saving, trash and waste

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I was looking at Soda Stream. My thinking was that this would save a lot of space over cans of soda - does it?

But I also looked at the cost of the Soda Stream brand/type of CO2 bottles and based on the cost of this I may as well just have cases of soda. But I figured a bunch of smart cost effective cruisers will have figured out a good work around and if I asked I could find out without having to reinvent the soda stream wheel.