I inherited my dad's FWB CO2 handgun. His CO2 tank was empty. I took the tank to Airgas and exchanged it. The certification on his tank was expired and they charged me 41 dollars to re-certify THAT tank and gave me an exchange for another 17 dollars. I couldn't fill the cylinders for this gun. They would take a bit of gas and give me 40 shots or so, but they wouldn't take the 53 gram charge that's called for. I opened the valve on the tank they gave me and warm gas streams out. There's no way that this tank is filled with liquid CO2. Do tanks come two ways ?
Are there 'liquid' CO2 and 'gas' CO2 cylinders (tanks)?
- Thread starter thebeav
- Start date
CO2 is like propane a gas at atmospheric pressure but becomes a liquid when compressed (some 70bar+~1000psi+)
Unless you have some sort of compressor you are hard pressed with filling the small canisters to the same level as a factory.
If you turn the big tank upside down then liquid CO2 will enter the small tanks but it takes (a long!) time for it to trickle fill.
Unless you have some sort of compressor you are hard pressed with filling the small canisters to the same level as a factory.
If you turn the big tank upside down then liquid CO2 will enter the small tanks but it takes (a long!) time for it to trickle fill.
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That's interesting. From what I've read 53 grams is supposed to go into these little cylinders pretty quickly, and I have a little bleed-off attachment for an over-fill.....I supposed to freez the small cylinder before I fill it. It wouldn't stay that cold for too long.
Copied from Airgun Academy.....
Filling the tanks
Once the adaptor is fitted to the bulk tank it’s time to fill the pistol’s 2 reservoirs. The FWB manual tells you to put the removable reservoirs in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool them to accept a full fill. I did this, then screwed each reservoir to the fill adaptor and opened the bulk tank valve. It takes only a couple seconds to fill each reservoir, and when they are filled you turn off the valve on the tank and just unscrew the reservoir. An exhaust port in the adaptor bleeds the residual gas that’s trapped and the reservoir comes off easily.
CAUTION: It is possible to overfill a reservoir. You must weigh the empty reservoir before filling. Use the degassing tool to empty it completely. Then weigh the reservoir after filling to make sure you only added 53 grams or less of CO2 liquid. If more was added, use the degassing tool to release down to 53 grams.
Copied from Airgun Academy.....
Filling the tanks
Once the adaptor is fitted to the bulk tank it’s time to fill the pistol’s 2 reservoirs. The FWB manual tells you to put the removable reservoirs in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool them to accept a full fill. I did this, then screwed each reservoir to the fill adaptor and opened the bulk tank valve. It takes only a couple seconds to fill each reservoir, and when they are filled you turn off the valve on the tank and just unscrew the reservoir. An exhaust port in the adaptor bleeds the residual gas that’s trapped and the reservoir comes off easily.
CAUTION: It is possible to overfill a reservoir. You must weigh the empty reservoir before filling. Use the degassing tool to empty it completely. Then weigh the reservoir after filling to make sure you only added 53 grams or less of CO2 liquid. If more was added, use the degassing tool to release down to 53 grams.
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Some tanks, the one you are filling from, need to be upside down as said to get the liquid out. Others have a siphon tube inside so are fine as they are. It is also best if there is a temperature difference between the tanks. The fill tank being warmer than the to be filled tank or gun. They fill quickly. You can let the gas flow in a gun and shoot it a couple of times to cool it down for a better fill. I used to put my small tanks in the freezer for twenty minutes before I filled them. This helped a a lot in getting close to a full fill. Small tanks should be weighed after a fill to check on how much gas really got into them and to see they are not over filled.
Google filling from Co2 tanks to learn more.
Google filling from Co2 tanks to learn more.
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I freeze the small cylinder, invert the large tank, but I can't get more than a gram to go into the cylinder. I've got 3 small cylinders and they all act the same way.....A few shots. I'm thinking that CO2 comes in liquid or gas form.
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That's what I was thinking also bio, but this tank was just exchanged. The first time I filled a cylinder, I got 13 grams into it. It got me about 50 shots. I just attempted to fill one today, and I could only get a gram into it. While the large tank was inverted, I opened the valve. Warm air (co2) came out. So started to think they traded me an empty tank. It was sealed with a plastic shrink cap. That settled that, according to Airgas, after speaking on the phone with them a short time ago. I thought perhaps they gave me a siphon tank, so I tried a fill with the tank standing. No good.
I just got off the phone again with Airgas. They are going to order me a siphon tank and make an exchange. It may be a couple of weeks, I'll check back in then. Just one of those days when nothing is easy......
I just got off the phone again with Airgas. They are going to order me a siphon tank and make an exchange. It may be a couple of weeks, I'll check back in then. Just one of those days when nothing is easy......
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Thanks Bio.....I hope the solution is that simple (an empty tank).
Yea, two weeks is no fun. It's just that time of year to be shooting in the basement.
The weekend is supposed to be decent. I'll be down at my cabin and I can do some PCP or springer rifles, or even powder burners......It'll have to tide me over.
Yea, two weeks is no fun. It's just that time of year to be shooting in the basement.
The weekend is supposed to be decent. I'll be down at my cabin and I can do some PCP or springer rifles, or even powder burners......It'll have to tide me over.
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Weighing tanks is common in Co2 usage to know if it is full empty or in between. I use an inexpensive fish weight digital scale.
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YES there are 2 different tank configurations ....
SIPHON types which have a dip tube and deliver LIQUID Co2 from an upright position.
GAS types which release the Gas vapor of the liquid Co2 as it converts from liquid to gas in the upper area of bottle when in an upright position.
SIPHON types which have a dip tube and deliver LIQUID Co2 from an upright position.
GAS types which release the Gas vapor of the liquid Co2 as it converts from liquid to gas in the upper area of bottle when in an upright position.
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Commonly, CO2 tanks are marked to indicate the presence of a siphon or dip tube.
Stamped on shoulder along with manufactur certs.
Adhesive label applied.
Painted ring around tank inlet in contrasting color.
Stamped on shoulder along with manufactur certs.
Adhesive label applied.
Painted ring around tank inlet in contrasting color.
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Thanks guys.....I'll update when I get the new tank.....
In the mean time, I honestly believe they sold me an empty tank.......You know, it's a son-of -a-gun when you're trying to learn a new system. If it had been my second refill, or third or fourth, I could have pegged it right away. Somehow, my dad and I had never discussed this gun, and after he passed away it's my job to learn it,.
In the mean time, I honestly believe they sold me an empty tank.......You know, it's a son-of -a-gun when you're trying to learn a new system. If it had been my second refill, or third or fourth, I could have pegged it right away. Somehow, my dad and I had never discussed this gun, and after he passed away it's my job to learn it,.
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Well, I got that siphon tank today. I haven't tried it out yet. One of the guys at Airgas told me that there was a change in the valves on tanks a few years ago. He said if you had an old tank (old style valve), it was possible to invert the tank and get liquid out. With the new 'safety' feature an inverted tank no longer spews liquid. That makes sense, as that's exactly where I was. So, I should be set with the siphon tank. I'll post back when I try it.
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