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iSi Cream Dispenser - 'Bigger' & Cheaper Alternative To N20 Chargers?

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01 / Original postiSi Cream Dispenser - 'Bigger' & Cheaper Alternative To N20 Chargers?PaullyP · 13 Feb 2006 02 / This pagePosts 1–6Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #6Doug Freyburger · 14 Feb 2006

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General fitness, health and nutrition
Published
13 February 2006
Last activity
14 February 2006
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PaullyP
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  1. Original post
    PaullyP
    Archived post
    #1

    I own a couple of espresso cafes in my city and business is good and
    turnover is brisk.

    We have always used a great amount of whipped cream - on drinks and
    served with deserts. I started out using the conventional disposable
    cannisters of whipped cream, and found them expensive on a per serving
    basis.

    So, always on he lookout for cost-cutting measures, opted to buy a set
    of iSi cream dispensers - a very good investment ... as they produce a
    thicker higher quality cream product, and also allow for addition of
    flavouring to my base cream mix ... very nice!

    The downside of these cream dispensers, is that I seem to go through a
    high volume of N20 (notrous oxide) bullets/charges./cartridges ...
    which are used to add a pressure base to the dispenser, turning liquid
    cream (which is added to the dispenser) into a 'whipped' final form
    (which comes out of the dispenser's nozzle).

    However, while a cheaper option than the disposable whipped cream
    cannisters, the number of N20 bullets/charges./cartridges that I go
    through is alarmingly high.

    And that is where I decided to look for a bigger and cheaper N20 supply
    alternative.

    I visited an industrial gas operation that imports tanks of N20 used
    for the midical market - 5 feet high, and can store some 26 kg of N20
    product - quite the volume alternative compared to a single N20
    bullet/charge/cartridge that holds a mere 8 grammes of N20 product.

    I need no license or permit to buy the product, and the cost per tank
    comes in at USD$175, and a rental of USD$25/month for the 5 foot
    clylinder - i.e. I am buying the N20 but not the cylinder, I have to
    rent it. Still seems a fair deal ... especially since one single N20
    bullet/charge/cartridge will cost me close to USD$1 including freight,
    etc...

    Doing some arithmetic .... from 1 large cylinder @ 26kg (26,000
    grammes) I should be able to get 3,250 small N20
    bullet/charge/cartridge servings of gas (26,000 / 8 grammes) .... quite
    the saving on a dollar to dollar basis. And even allowing for some
    additional wasteage from using the larger cylinder, loss of
    pressurisation, etc.... the economies of scale are still very prevalent
    in my mind.

    So ... how to get the N20 from the large cylinder into the cream
    dispenser?

    Well, took one of my dispensers to their factory and they can supply me
    with a regulator and the hosing/pipes needed to connect the big N20
    cylinder to my dispenser ... simply turn the 'tap' on the cylinder and
    the N20 should flow directly into the cannister.

    Now this is where it gets a little grey ...

    How do I gauge how much N20 to put into my dispenser?

    Well, my dispenser has a volume of 1litre, and I add two small N20
    bullets/charges/cartridges for a 'full load' of liquid cream base ...
    so I need 16 grammes of N20.

    While I can't possible measure how much N20 I am exactly filling into
    every individual cream dispenser, surely there must be a pressure
    release mechanism in the dispenser that releases some N20 gas when the
    pressure in the dispenser goes above the optimum limit?

    I am hoping so.

    I already emailed the manufacturer of my dispensers (iSi) asking about
    the pressure release function - NOT stating that I intend to use a
    large cylinder to re-charge my dispensers ... and will post their reply
    along with my test results once I get my large cylinder and hose
    mechanism sorted out.

    I just thought I might invite some comments about my idea and perhaps
    shed a little light on other potential (more economical) gas-refilling
    options out there.

    Thanks for your time everyone! :-)

    Regards,

    PaullyP

    Report
  2. Doug Freyburger
    Archived post
    #2
    PaullyP said:


    I own a couple of espresso cafes in my city and business is good and
    turnover is brisk.

    We have always used a great amount of whipped cream - on drinks and
    served with deserts. I started out using the conventional disposable
    cannisters of whipped cream, and found them expensive on a per serving
    basis.

    So, always on he lookout for cost-cutting measures, opted to buy a set
    of iSi cream dispensers - a very good investment ... as they produce a
    thicker higher quality cream product, and also allow for addition of
    flavouring to my base cream mix ... very nice!

    It also allows you to reduce or eliminate the sugar from the
    whipped cream. A nice service to your low carb customers
    and your high carb customers might not notice and will
    likely have sugar added elsewhere.

    Quoted message said:

    And that is where I decided to look for a bigger and cheaper N20 supply
    alternative.

    I visited an industrial gas operation that imports tanks of N20 used
    for the midical market - 5 feet high, and can store some 26 kg of N20
    product - quite the volume alternative compared to a single N20
    bullet/charge/cartridge that holds a mere 8 grammes of N20 product.
    ...
    How do I gauge how much N20 to put into my dispenser?

    Is there any chance you can tour a factory that cans whipped cream?
    They will have solved your problem somehow.

    Alternately the company that made the cream whipper unit that
    uses wip-it canisters may have a model that uses large tanks or
    has a conversion kit. If they don't offer to help them develop one
    to market to other coffee shop owners if they'll help you develop
    a conversion kit for you. You could end up with a patent and an
    additional stream of income from it if you're clever with machines.

    My best guess is you're looking for the type of pressure
    regulator used in scuba gear.

    Report
  3. Marengo
    Archived post
    #3

    Doug Freyburger wrote:
    ||| I visited an industrial gas operation that imports tanks of N20 used
    ||| for the midical market - 5 feet high, and can store some 26 kg of
    ||| N20 product

    Geez, how much whipped cream do you use in a month?!Are you counting the
    6.6g of carbs/cup of cream along with considering the dense calories?

    Report
  4. Tara
    Archived post
    #4

    He's an espresso cafe owner. I don;t think he's planning on chowing through
    all the whipped cream himself 🙂

    Tara

    "Marengo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:bocIf.88616$4l5.72843@dukeread05...

    Quoted message said:

    Doug Freyburger wrote:
    ||| I visited an industrial gas operation that imports tanks of N20 used
    ||| for the midical market - 5 feet high, and can store some 26 kg of
    ||| N20 product

    Geez, how much whipped cream do you use in a month?!Are you counting the
    6.6g of carbs/cup of cream along with considering the dense calories?

    Report
  5. PaullyP
    Archived post
    #5

    I am planning to use as 'lite' a cream as possible - fatwise.

    Judging by the amount of fat contained within the standard disposable
    cream cannisters, achieving a more diet-friendly alternative should be
    straightforward.

    As regatrds chowing down all the whipped cream myself ... while I might
    have enjoyed heavenly doses at first, you couldn't pay me to have
    another serving of the stuff now! lol

    Report
  6. Doug Freyburger
    Archived post
    #6
    PaullyP said:


    I am planning to use as 'lite' a cream as possible - fatwise.

    You posted this to a low carb group not a low fat group. Folks
    here wish you'd use heavy cream not half-n-half because in
    general fat isn't an issue for us but carbs are. The amount of
    fat in the little puffs of whipped cream we have aren't a
    problem but ending up with real sugar mixed into the cream
    might be.

    You you can possibly offer heavy and lite cream, you'll be able
    to appeal to your low carb customers with one and your low
    fat customers with the other.

    Report

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