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Best options for filling an 88 cf tank?

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ShootingNewB

ShootingNewB

Member
Nov 16, 2018
392
137
UTAH, United States
Gents, 

I have been filling my 88 cubic foot air tank at the local fire department for some time now however due to timing with accidents and the legal "liability" issues they keep throwing at me, it's getting harder and harder to get my tank filled.



I'm looking into maybe getting a good compressor. There seem to be a lot out there now. Suggestions of what you have used are welcomed and appreciated!
 
Gents, 

I have been filling my 88 cubic foot air tank at the local fire department for some time now however due to timing with accidents and the legal "liability" issues they keep throwing at me, it's getting harder and harder to get my tank filled.



I'm looking into maybe getting a good compressor. There seem to be a lot out there now. Suggestions of what you have used are welcomed and appreciated!
Click to expand...



I think your best bet is to search the compressor forum. Similar questions have been posed many times over. You’re going to receive all sorts of information from various members with differing experiences, budgets, and opinions. Maybe start by sifting through some of these threads https://www.airgunnation.com/find/ 

Considering that you’re in Utah maybe look at what Utah Airguns or Airgun Depot has to offer. Compressors are heavy and expensive to ship. If you can pick up one or cut down on the shipping distance it may help cut cost. Reading what other members have posted about their experiences and the quality of various compressors they own or have owned is an extremely helpful resource that can help save you money in the long run. Also consider maintenance. How easy is it to work on the compressor you’re looking at? How readily available are spare parts? Then consider weighing these factors against your mechanical aptitude. 
 
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had both of the omega compressors junky get the coltri daystate mines the 110-30amp and it rocks 3200 to 4500 in 14 minuts tops
 
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The best one is the Alkin Mariner. It's not cheap, but it will fill up your 88cf tank in about 5 minutes. It runs at 1000rmp, or idling speed, so it doesn't build up any heat; it provides breathing-quality air; and if you run it once a week, it won't need to be rebuilt for about 300 years. Plus Alkin has the best customer service of any compressor company you will ever find. 

https://utahairguns.com/alkin-w31-mariner-3-7-compressor-vertical-pre-order/

Get the manual version, not the auto shut off, and get it in 220v.

You can thank me later ;)
 
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We all have different ideas on what we think is best for a compressor. Why not spend $300 if you can make it work or go to $3500 if that is what you want to do. To me, it is about how much your Airguns cost. I personally tried going to the dive shop, finally decided to get my own compressor. Looked at the Alkin, thought too expensive and it is a larger machine. Does not matter whether horizontal or vertical, they are big. Settled on the Coltri. Mine worked great for about 9 months. First the pump went, under warranty, then the electric motor, under warranty. It disappeared being shipped back to me. Fully refunded, sold a gun, and I now have an Alkin.

My comparison between the two. Loved the Coltri. Small, pretty dang quiet, filled my great white no problem. I do miss the Coltri. Now the Alkin. What a machine. It is a beast. Yes it is bigger, I do have the vertical one. Love the wheels on it. It is louder than the Coltri, but what a machine. It is twice as fast as the Coltri, very easy to service and just flat ass works.

I have two Impacts, with scopes and accessories they are easily $3500 rifles each. This does not include the FX’s bought and sold. I shoot at least once a week. I do run the compressor a 1/2 hr each week. I do change the oil, not by the hour meter, but by the time recommended, 6 months. The Alkin is way more machine than I need, but I have great confidence in it and with the shop on the east coast parts etc are readily available. With all that said, I wish for me the Coltri would have held up. I did like that machine, the Alkin is definitely better.

With all that said, just a $500 PCP, shooting occasionally, and you want a compressor. I see nothing wrong with something that is cost comparable to the gun. Yes it will need work, but yes it will work also.

Have fun shooting!




 
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+1 on the Alkin. Mine is a 2004 model with now 45 hours on it. Still runs like a top. I am the second owner, bought it in 2019 with 32 hours on it. I tip off my tanks once a week if that, and the reason for that is I shoot tethered to my tank so I don’t waste a lot of air from topping off the gun and bleeding. I shoot if not everyday for 3 hours a day, I shoot every other day. 


Having a couple of tanks and shooting tethered minimizes excessive use on a compressor. Not that the Alkin can’t handle being used all the time, but that’s the reason I’ve only put approx 12 hours on it in 3 years of ownership
 
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Do you mean "fill" or top off? I always wonder when guys ask about "filling" what the purpose of EMPTYING a tank is? If you're talking about topping off a tank & don't want to spend a fortune, a Yong Heng will do the job efficiently if you follow the "rules" (See Biohazardman's YH posts). It's an inexpensive way to be air independent & learn about what compressors can & can't do. Even though they're rated @ 4500psi it's a good practice to not push them above 4200-4300psi with the Yong Heng. If you truly want a compressor to fill tanks from 0-4500 on a regular basis than you're probably looking at a much pricier rig. For topping off tanks or filling guns directly the YH serves its intended purpose IF you treat it kindly. Other's mileage may vary. 
 
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I spent over $2000.00 on compressors they are both broke down in the garage sitting across from my new Alkin Mariner W31V. Over kill? Ya buddy! These are commercial diver grade compressors, 6 hours of continuous run time, it tops of my 60 minute tank (1000-1200 psi) in 5-6 minutes, empty to full 21 minutes. as stated, these things are a beast. But here is what sold me. Reliability. After some failure with my old units I always worried they would again and they did. Now I can't wait to fill my tank. Experience is expensive unless you learn from others.

Why do we spend thousands on guns and then $300.00 for a compressor?

Dennis
 
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I filled my 70 something cf tank with a Yong Heng. 20 minutes pumping, 20 minutes off. Not the best option, but it works.
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YH happy customer here. Ran mine easily 40-50 hours, even filled my bottle from completely empty 4 times. Only takes a single 12-15 minute run to top off my bottles. Only issue has been a broken gauge that cost 12 bucks from amazon. I’m not even ordering spare parts, if it breaks I’ll just order a new one and take my time to fix the old one…..all for under 600 bucks for 2! 


I’ll put the money I saved from buying an Alkin towards another cool gun because I need another gun like I need another hole in my head. 😅
 
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Another +1 here on the Alkin W31. One big plus that has not been mentioned is the Alkin and other higher dollar compressors, they come with filter/driers. The last thing I want going into my Impact, Crown or Air Arms S510 is water vapor and oil. 

If you go with a YH or any other low end compressor consider a filter/drier like the ones Brancato sells, but it adds another almost $500 to your set up. 

Nobody works harder than you for your paycheck so you have to decide what your budget is. 

Like they say “ Buy once, cry once”.

Randy
 
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@2D1C / Dennis, Great point now that you put it into perspective.

@Gerry52, for sure I could use my YH for those top offs, but I've heard (and had) numerous issues with water getting into my rifles as a result and from my limited experience, costs WAY more than what it was worth to get 3-5 more fills off a partially empty tank.

Yeah, not needing to FILL the tanks as much as simply topping them off. I'm only getting about 10-13 fills past 200 bar from the fire station anyway, which is okay, but is very limiting for an afternoon of 'shootin with the boys'. I find I'm having to hit the fire dept at least twice a week which is getting a bit old since the closest place that will do it is almost 30 miles away.



Thanks to all who've responded here and provided good insight into the best route to go!

-Jimmy
 
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I never considered the fire dept to top off/Fill my tanks when I got into this hobby, and my FD is 3 miles away and the high school kid I hired to help me around my property is now the captain down there. I just felt that I would be taking up their time each time I showed up, and I didn’t want to abuse my relationship with any of the fire fighters down there. The one thing about living in the country and the lack of rain here in CA, I always wanted to be in good graces with the boys that save lives and property, lol. 


I do have a paintball shop 35 minutes from me and the top off fees from 3K to 4500 is only a $9 fee, but then again, that’s over an hour of my time on the road, and sometimes I had to go there twice a week. It got old really fast. 


I feel compressor ownership is like taking on any piece of equipment like a lawnmower or a car, in which you have to be diligent about maintenance if you expect it to last. You also have to ask yourself about your mechanical abilities in conducting repairs like a complete reseal and possibly piston rings. If you’re one that can do 75% of your own maintenance repairs on your automobile then yeah, a mid priced compressor might be a good start along with stocking up on parts. 


if you’re one to ask the gas station attendant to check your oil level for you, then maybe it’s best to invest in a robust piece of equipment like an Alkin. 


im not even going to consider the scenario of just outright buying another to replace the one that broke. I notice folks that mention that always say then they’ll have a second or third one for parts and a back up. Why not fix the first one in the first place? I know myself if I had that thinking- I’d be looking at 2-4 compressors at $300 each sitting on my garage floor, reminding me everyday that I should’ve just did the buy once cry once approach. I don’t want my garage to look like Sanford and Son’s place, lol, 


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I
 
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This thread contains excellent posts by Archerhmr, 2D1C, and Bigragu. I've posted this before and will state it again. In the long run it is cheaper to buy an Alkin than several unreliable hobby compressors. There is substantial extra cost for parts that economy compressors omit. Add up the cost for air filters,water separators, cooling fans, radiators, high pressure fittings, hoses, etc. These compressors with upgrades still require cool down stops when filling 6.8 to 9 liter tanks.

Resale value is an often overlooked component that a compressor buyer should factor into the equation. Cheap compressors fail within a year or two and have minimal to zero resale value. A well-maintained Alkin, Bauer, or Coltri can be resold for a substantial percentage of its original cost even after 10-20 years of service. The cry once dive compressor owner actually spends less money in the long term. The up front savings from buying cheap compressors is lost in the long term. Dive compressors are plug and play. Cheap compressors are plug and pray.

If a buyer can afford several $2,000 PCPs they can afford a quality compressor. My W31 Alkin is a pleasure use, It tops off a 6.8 liter tank in 6 minutes or a 9 liter tank in 8 minutes. The only service requirements are once a year oil changes and filter media repacks every other year. No time and expense traveling to a dive shop, no refill fees, no inspection and hydro fees, no downtime waiting weeks to months for repair parts from China, no frequent rebuilds, no shopping for another failure prone economy compressor every year or two, and no fingers crossed that it doesn't fail during each fill session.
 
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Another compressor to consider is he Airetex Mini Magnum, $2995. It is a Bauer junior ll clone. I just purchased one on Centercuts recommendation. He seems to be pretty happy with his in the 2 years he has had it. Bruce Dodson is a good guy to deal with. There have been reports on here about having a hard time trying to get a hold of him. I call early in the morning, and he has answered every time.



Bob
 
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