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An air gunner walks into a BAR ...

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pewpewfever

pewpewfever

Member
Dec 28, 2018
182
6
TX, United States
... and says I’ll drink straight from the double tap!

But seriously, folks, I have a question about scuba tanks. I use my current tank to charge cylinders for Steyr LP10s, which are limited to 200 BAR. The manual advises that my tank should not be capable of charging above 200 BAR. Right now, it’s clearly not capable of doing that, but I’m not sure if it was capable of more when freshly charged. It’s literally been years since the last charge. I’m told it will need to be inspected next time I have it charged.

Meanwhile I’m contemplating an FX Impact in .30 cal and I see it takes up to 250 BAR if I’m not mistaken. I’m trying to figure out if I would need a new scuba tank and, if so, what to get. What can you tell me, and what kind of info do you need about my current tank to tell me what I need to know?

Thanks


 
I have an Impact and only fill to 200 Bar though 250 is max. My regulator is set to about 130 - 140 bar, so filling to 200 still gives me quite a few good shots.

My tanks are regulated at 3000 PSI, so I either shoot tethered or get fewer shots per fill than others. I made that decision for strictly financial reasons. I already had one tank when I bought the Impact. My Marauder is a 3000 PSI fill only, so when I bought the tank it ensured I could not over fill. I bought a second tank and regulator for the tank for $75 for the tank and 100,000 bing points I'd been saving for two years. 5250 bing points buy $5 Amazon gift certificates.

Anyway, now that I have a compressor (as of yesterday) refilling the tanks isn't an issue. I can still shoot full powered shots, I just don't get as many per fill. Works for me, but may be totally wrong for you. Your call. And you really can't walk into this type of bar - 
 
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Can you please tell me a little bit more about the Yong Zheng air compressor? It has a pressure gauge. Does that gauge reflect the current pressure of the tank or cylinder being charged? The auto shutoff is at 300 BAR. Can it be adjusted to 250 or 200 BAR? I see a warning not to use it in humid environments, but I live in a notoriously humid location (North Texas). Is there a particular humidity threshold? What is the consequence of operation in a humid environment? Is it feasible to operate it indoors in an air conditioned (dehumidified) location?
 
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Yong Heng has long threads in the tanks and compressor area. No reason to go over it all here, but lets just say it is a two stage system without much filtration. You'll need to add filtration. I just bought one for $161 on eBay (fluke, most go for about $240). Basically replaces a hand pump to fill up to 4500 psi. designed for short runs, so filling a 80cf tank might be a challenge for the little pump. Mine are 90ci paintball tanks. So far, good track record, but not perfect. Have a look over in the Air tanks, pumps and compressors thread.
 
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I was a N.A.U.I. scuba instructor, one of my duties at the dive shop was to inspect scuba tanks.

Your tank is most likely aluminum, with a "burst disk" rated at around 4K. The problem with aluminum tanks was their propensity to deteriorate over time, and sometimes develop micro cracks in the neck, where the valve screws in. If this exists, the bottle will fail with fairly interesting results to anyone nearby. If you have a steel tank, the more recent tanks have a max fill of around 230 to 250 Bar. If they are chrome steel you can usually get by with a 230 Bar fill.

Every five years all tanks need a "Hydro" inspection wherein they are filled over their max fill rating to see if they crack under stress well beyond their rated fill. This is an important safety measure and it's worth the money to have the tank inspected if you intend to keep using it.

The best advice is to get rid of the tank you have, especially if it's aluminum and several years old. The carbon fiber tanks are the only way to go, provided...provided you have somewhere to get it filled to the 4500 psi you desire! That's not available everywhere.

If you are an individual of means, buy your own compressor. If you are an average Joe...then the Chinese have what is basically a motorized hand pump for as little as $200, but they are labor intensive. If you can manage $500 there are a couple of other, better, options available. They will be slow, but won't require you going to great lengths to keep them from overheating.

Welcome to the pcp world of interesting equipment, and individuals!


 
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Firefighters are going to 6500 psi tanks now and they are getting rid of the 4500 psi ones. If you have a place to get a SCBA tank filled, then try to pick one up. I got one 3 weeks ago for a $50 donation to the VFD and it’s good until 2024. Also, I have a scuba shop nearby that can fill to 4500 psi or the VFD could do it for me, but all scuba shops don’t have the 4500 capability. Start networking with your friends to see if there’s any contact with VFD’s. Best wishes!
 
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You might take the time to look @ the new portable compressors. Cost about the same as a scuba without all the inspections and. Other todo"s associated.

Set to the fill you need. The lower the easier on the compressor! Just a thought.
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Yes, we (or at least I) tend to fill these tanks and rifles to their limit which is probably not necessary or best. How many shots do we actually need at one time? The rifles are regulated and does it make sense to fill for 100 shots when you could save the gun and the compressor and reduce the pressures some? Something I plan on considering (and doing) 
 
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