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Filling with paintball tanks

Hello, I'm a novice to PCP air rifles and need some help. I'm tired of hand pumping and electric HPA pumps are now affordable. If I get a Tippman 48/3000 HPA tank how do I use that to fill the tank on my Seneca Eagle Claw? What hose/valve setup do I need? Our EC has a quick connect fitting on the end of the tank, if that is relevant. 

I'm also considering a Diana Stormrider MK2 .22 in synthetic for my wife since it is much lighter than our Seneca rifle. Pyramid Air offers a $130 service to install a fancy regulator, is this worthwhile? The 4.6 lb weight and $250 price for the Diana is tempting, but it becomes much less tempting at nearly $400. Also I have seen the Stormrider 2 available elsewhere for less dollars, but I specifically like Pyramid because they offer a test firing option. Is Diana a quality brand that I can trust to not leak or have other QC issues if I order from another vendor? 
 
Lots of issues here with the 48/3000 paintball tank. 

First the stock reg only puts out 750 to 800 psi so no good for pcp filling. 

Second the 48 ci 3000 psi would not completely fill your pcp tank once if the guns fill pressure is 3000 psi

You need a REG on the fill tank that puts out 3000 psi and a 4500 probably 88 or 90 ci to get any usable fills
 
unless your trying to make a gun 'special' you dont need a regulator... theres a sweet spot in just aboit every gun as far as where to fill to and how many shots will stay consistent ... its a matter of expanding that sweetspot with a regulator .. more or less ..... as far as the paintball tank, they make a pcp fill valve setup with a bleeder that taps off the top ... imo unless the tank is 4500 rated tho your better off getting a used tank on ebay if your filling yourself ...
 
The paintball tanks are usually regulated to lower pressures that are not suitable for filling PCP guns. Best to get a 4500psi tank "fill station" that is made to fill PCP guns.

Something along the lines of this would werq although you can get it without the tank. A larger tank would be better but a $300 Yong Heng compressor would be even better.

http://airtanksplus.com/product/ninja-ez-pcp-fill-system-90ci-4500-carbon-fiber-hpa-tank/

The Diana guns you are considering are made in China so will likely need some werq to make them shoot right. The Crosman guns are OK but I think some if not all of their spring guns are made in China.

Regulated guns are good if they have a good sized tube or tank so you get a decent shot count. They also usually make the gun more tunable which is plus.

To go without a reg you must fill your gun to the pressure it likes, with the pellet you are shooting, and then just stop shooting when the POI drops.
 
What is the suggestion for someone that wants a small tank to refill their PCP? Do I need a CF 4500 PSI tank? The Seneca has a huge 460cc tank and the Diana has a 100cc tank, if that is relevant. Perhaps we will just have to fill them with the compressor directly, I don't want to drag a scuba tank around. The air compressors I am shopping for seem to have a 20-ish minute run time and spec a one liter tank as the largest recommended size. 
 
Unless you need the 12V option I would highly suggest a different compressor as those waterless/oiless compressors only have a lifespan of around 20 hours before a rebuild is required.. The Yong Heng will last for years if not abused to much.

Myself I have a small 90ci Ninja tank and a large 97cu ft Great White tank and fill them with a Yong Heng. Started out with a hand pump then got the small 4500psi Ninja tank that the paintball shop would only fill to 3600psi when I got my Impact I needed more so got the Yong Heng compressor and later the large tank so I would not run out of air at the range anymore. The things we must do to keep the addiction happy. ;^)
 
Unless you need the 12V option I would highly suggest a different compressor as those waterless/oiless compressors only have a lifespan of around 20 hours before a rebuild is required.. The Yong Heng will last for years if not abused to much.

Myself I have a small 90ci Ninja tank and a large 97cu ft Great White tank and fill them with a Yong Heng. Started out with a hand pump then got the small 4500psi Ninja tank that the paintball shop would only fill to 3600psi when I got my Impact I needed more so got the Yong Heng compressor and later the large tank so I would not run out of air at the range anymore. The things we must do to keep the addiction happy. ;^)

Thank you for sharing! How many fills on the Impact could you get out of the Ninja tank? Our Seneca has a fairly large tank and is an air hog, so it may stay reserved for handling predators (we have a flock of chickens and alpacas) and the Diana might be our "fun" rifle. I also have a Daisy 901 on order for dealing with rats. I also plan on only using lead free ammo with the Diana if we do get one. 

I may concede and get the Yong Heng compressor, it just looks very intimidating. Any tips to using it? Does it work well when used outside? 
 
The paintball tanks are usually regulated to lower pressures that are not suitable for filling PCP guns. Best to get a 4500psi tank "fill station" that is made to fill PCP guns.

Something along the lines of this would werq although you can get it without the tank. A larger tank would be better but a $300 Yong Heng compressor would be even better.

http://airtanksplus.com/product/ninja-ez-pcp-fill-system-90ci-4500-carbon-fiber-hpa-tank/

The Diana guns you are considering are made in China so will likely need some werq to make them shoot right. The Crosman guns are OK but I think some if not all of their spring guns are made in China.

Regulated guns are good if they have a good sized tube or tank so you get a decent shot count. They also usually make the gun more tunable which is plus.

To go without a reg you must fill your gun to the pressure it likes, with the pellet you are shooting, and then just stop shooting when the POI drops.

I am leaning towards a PCP since my wife has bad shoulders and doesn't want to cock anything, especially a springer. The Diana is appealing due to the low price and very low weight at 4.6 lbs. My wife is a bit mad at me since the Seneca is so heavy she doesn't like using it, but we need something to deal with coyotes and other predators should they show up. Are there any other PCP's in the Diana price range that are very light? I have noticed many items are not in stock, anywhere. 

Figuring out ideal pressure and ammo weight was fun, but tiring for the Seneca. I did it all with a hand pump. I'll enjoy doing it more with a future PCP when I get an electric HPA pump, so I might pass on the regulator. Thanks for that tip. 
 
Hard to beat the price on the Diana guns you are considering. I can't help you there and if you are handy in the least they will be fine. I think I only get one or two complete fills on my impact with the Ninja tank but when the pressure gets down to 3600 I just tether it and shoot and shoot and...

As far as tips for using the Yong Heng you have come to the right place. ;^) I have two and have been running one or the other for three years now with only minor problems for the most part.



Edited and Current 3/21

Here is my standard post to all things Yong Heng hope it is helpful.

The Yong Heng "Simple" version least expensive does not have a water separator you need one.

The "Auto Stop" version shuts off near 3000psi probly not a good thing for most people.

So you likely want the "Hardcover" or "Set Pressure" versions your choice on the 110V or 220V.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32824234795.html?spm=a2g0o.store_home.productList_13760454.subject_2

Never start them under pressure. I should have put this in here sooner.

Give them a dedicated 15amp outlet 20 would be better. They draw a bit of juice on start up especially the brand new ones. Don’t Use an extension cord unless it is short and has an honest 15+ amp rating. Preferably 12ga wire so you will not have problems.

Keep them cool and filled with oil. ISO 46 may no longer be recommended although I used it for a year without failure. I am currently using the Husky Brand Synthetic or synthetic blend oil, found at Home Depot, for two years now without a problem. Top it off to the red circle in the sight glass.

Don't push your air fill past the compressor’s spec which is 4350psi. A little less is usually better than the max, and the Yong Heng should last for years unless you get a bad one.

I did my first oil change at about an hour, it was extremely dark colored. I went far longer, between changes, after that.

I have two YH compressors bought the second as a backup for the first as I, fergot to turn on the coolant pump several times and, overheated it until it smoked. It did not like it but it continued to run just fine. Still I did not trust it after that. I added a switched outlet, to the system, so it turns the pump on before the compressor will power up to keep me from doing that from now on.

The second one, my back up unit, died in about two months bad QC from the factory. Cost me $12 for a new second stage piston and an hours’ time to replace it. Then to add insult to injury I fergot to put oil in, the latest unit after I put it back together, and ran it for a couple of minutes without any. So I filled it with oil and it fired up and somehow still werqs fine. The #1 unit that I was worried about, cuz I overheated it so many times, just kept on filling my guns and tanks till I got #2 repaired and retired it.

I do not fill past 4200psi as when I do, all too often, I blow a burst disc. This may not happen on the first or second fill but soon thereafter it will.

The temperature sensor only measures head temperature so running it much over 20-30 minutes can overheat the motor and other parts even if ice is used in the coolant. Ice or a container of it, in the coolant, is a good idea especially if you are like me and do not use the full five gallons of water as suggested in the manual.

Keep your water supply level with the compressor to be kind to the pump and assure a good supply of coolant goes through the compressor.

I recently started using this Red Line water treatment after I noticed algae growth in my 2.5 gallon water bucket every few months. It seems to have stopped or significantly slowed the algae growth. I will know more in a few months.

https://www.autozone.com/antifreeze-radiator-additives-and-windshield-wash-fluid/coolant-water-wetter-additive/red-line-water-wetter-super-coolant-12oz/486218_0_0

Keep your moisture filters, guns and tanks being filled above the compressor to help keep the moisture out.

Purge the system of moisture, using the screw valves on both sides of the compressor, for a couple of seconds every five minutes while in use.

Change out your small YH filter every twenty minutes and set the old one out to dry and reuse later.

Add a better filter if needed to be sure more moisture and any oil smell is removed from the system. Many of us use this Tuxing three media filter although, if you feel the need, you can change media types at any time.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32891898253.html

A smaller one will probly do for some.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000960926898.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.2a034c4dL0nrJU

Possibly a filter similar to this if humidity is high in your area and your desiccant filters have to be replaced often.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30MPa-High-Pressure-Air-Filter-Oil-Water-Separator-For-Air-Pump-Air-Tank/402600939671?hash=item5dbce2d097:g:pRoAAOSwy41f00pY

Bleed the pressure before you turn the unit off and let it run a few seconds to get the better part of the moisture out of the system. I have found that I blow less burst discs if I bleed before shutting down so I do this religiously.

Let the coolant pump run for a few minutes after shutdown to cool things off.



Info on the radiator install.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/yet-another-yong-heng-mod/?referrer=1

Here is a video on how to fill a SCBA tank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=157&v=_grx5p_R8D4&feature=emb_title


 
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Hard to beat the price on the Diana guns you are considering. I can't help you there and if you are handy in the least they will be fine. I think I only get one or two complete fills on my impact with the Ninja tank but when the pressure gets down to 3600 I just tether it and shoot and shoot and...

As far as tips for using the Yong Heng you have come to the right place. ;^) I have two and have been running one or the other for three years now with only minor problems for the most part.



Edited and Current 3/21

Here is my standard post to all things Yong Heng hope it is helpful.

The Yong Heng "Simple" version least expensive does not have a water separator you need one.

The "Auto Stop" version shuts off near 3000psi probly not a good thing for most people.

So you likely want the "Hardcover" or "Set Pressure" versions your choice on the 110V or 220V.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32824234795.html?spm=a2g0o.store_home.productList_13760454.subject_2

Never start them under pressure. I should have put this in here sooner.

Give them a dedicated 15amp outlet 20 would be better. They draw a bit of juice on start up especially the brand new ones. Don’t Use an extension cord unless it is short and has an honest 15+ amp rating. Preferably 12ga wire so you will not have problems.

Keep them cool and filled with oil. ISO 46 may no longer be recommended although I used it for a year without failure. I am currently using the Husky Brand Synthetic or synthetic blend oil, found at Home Depot, for two years now without a problem. Top it off to the red circle in the sight glass.

Don't push your air fill past the compressor’s spec which is 4350psi. A little less is usually better than the max, and the Yong Heng should last for years unless you get a bad one.

I did my first oil change at about an hour, it was extremely dark colored. I went far longer, between changes, after that.

I have two YH compressors bought the second as a backup for the first as I, fergot to turn on the coolant pump several times and, overheated it until it smoked. It did not like it but it continued to run just fine. Still I did not trust it after that. I added a switched outlet, to the system, so it turns the pump on before the compressor will power up to keep me from doing that from now on.

The second one, my back up unit, died in about two months bad QC from the factory. Cost me $12 for a new second stage piston and an hours’ time to replace it. Then to add insult to injury I fergot to put oil in, the latest unit after I put it back together, and ran it for a couple of minutes without any. So I filled it with oil and it fired up and somehow still werqs fine. The #1 unit that I was worried about, cuz I overheated it so many times, just kept on filling my guns and tanks till I got #2 repaired and retired it.

I do not fill past 4200psi as when I do, all too often, I blow a burst disc. This may not happen on the first or second fill but soon thereafter it will.

The temperature sensor only measures head temperature so running it much over 20-30 minutes can overheat the motor and other parts even if ice is used in the coolant. Ice or a container of it, in the coolant, is a good idea especially if you are like me and do not use the full five gallons of water as suggested in the manual.

Keep your water supply level with the compressor to be kind to the pump and assure a good supply of coolant goes through the compressor.

I recently started using this Red Line water treatment after I noticed algae growth in my 2.5 gallon water bucket every few months. It seems to have stopped or significantly slowed the algae growth. I will know more in a few months.

https://www.autozone.com/antifreeze-radiator-additives-and-windshield-wash-fluid/coolant-water-wetter-additive/red-line-water-wetter-super-coolant-12oz/486218_0_0

Keep your moisture filters, guns and tanks being filled above the compressor to help keep the moisture out.

Purge the system of moisture, using the screw valves on both sides of the compressor, for a couple of seconds every five minutes while in use.

Change out your small YH filter every twenty minutes and set the old one out to dry and reuse later.

Add a better filter if needed to be sure more moisture and any oil smell is removed from the system. Many of us use this Tuxing three media filter although, if you feel the need, you can change media types at any time.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32891898253.html

A smaller one will probly do for some.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000960926898.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.2a034c4dL0nrJU

Possibly a filter similar to this if humidity is high in your area and your desiccant filters have to be replaced often.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30MPa-High-Pressure-Air-Filter-Oil-Water-Separator-For-Air-Pump-Air-Tank/402600939671?hash=item5dbce2d097:g:pRoAAOSwy41f00pY

Bleed the pressure before you turn the unit off and let it run a few seconds to get the better part of the moisture out of the system. I have found that I blow less burst discs if I bleed before shutting down so I do this religiously.

Let the coolant pump run for a few minutes after shutdown to cool things off.



Info on the radiator install.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/yet-another-yong-heng-mod/?referrer=1

Here is a video on how to fill a SCBA tank.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=157&v=_grx5p_R8D4&feature=emb_title




Can you direct me to the hose/valve setup you use to charge/tether to the rifle from the ninja tank? This is getting expensive 😅I do have some spare totes I could rig up for water cooling the compressor, but I can't have a permanent setup like you have. Our house is small with no garage or basement for that kind of thing. Some day we may get scuba certified, so in the long term I may do it. I have a feeling if I want to tether the ninja tank to either our seneca or the diana then both will need a regulator since they aren't rated for that kind of pressure. That puts the Diana at nearly $400 from Pyramid (with them doing the work), but I assume it would be a pretty competent rifle at that point. Does the Diana require some kind of quick connect fill probe to work with the quick disconnect on the compressor? 
 
Can you direct me to the hose/valve setup you use to charge/tether to the rifle from the ninja tank?

These are the Fill Whops and fittings you will need. You may be able to do better on the prices but you can at least see what is available. Depends on the gun and tank fitting which ones you will need.

https://airtanksplus.com/product-category/pcp-airgun-fittings/

https://airtanksplus.com/product/microbore-fill-whip-hose-extension-for-pcp/

The Yong Heng comes with the fill whip and foster included

I do have some spare totes I could rig up for water cooling the compressor, but I can't have a permanent setup like you have.

You don't need the cooling system I just did it cuz I was bored. Just use the five gallon bucket of water the manual says to use. You can use a smaller bucket if you add some ice to keep it cooler. I used to just use half gallon jugs of ice tossed in with my 2.5 gallon reservoir. It werqed fine although more water gets you more run time.

You can also rig up a cart with wheels and put the compressor and everything related on it so it can be moved around

I have a feeling if I want to tether the ninja tank to either our seneca or the diana then both will need a regulator since they aren't rated for that kind of pressure.

I only tether once my fill tank pressure is down to the usable pressure of the gun I want to tether to so no regulator or special anything is needed to do so.

Does the Diana require some kind of quick connect fill probe to work with the quick disconnect on the compressor? 

I don't know what kind of fill probe the Diana uses.





 
Space us. Even a 88 or 90 ci 4500 psi Carbon fiber thank with a Ninj 3000 psi output reg will get you maybe 2 fills on the Seneca. Question is how much shooting will you do? 

If very little AND you have dive shops or paintball pro shops near you that WILL fill a SCBA. ( not scuba) to 4500 psi I would checkout 45 to 60 minute SCBA tanks 

If shooting a lot A compressor (like a Yong Heng ) will be better in the long run



Ps I have 5 paintball fields and a gun shop so very very familiar with paintball tanks and their limitations 
 
I live on the Northeastern most edge of the US, so not much out here, but I think there is a dive shop within an hour.

I finally found the perfect PCP for my wife, a Diana Bandit in .177" with regulator converted into a right hand bolt carbine with long barrel and stock/grip from the Chaser: https://airgunarcheryfun.ca/diana-bandit-pcp-pistol-rifle-synthetic/

The vendor was out of short .177" barrels and black stocks, so it will be goofy realtree pattern for a while. A compressor is on the back burner for a bit and the bandit fills up in 12-15 pumps anyway.

Are the 12v compressors really that bad? I really like the 12v functionality for filling the rifles outside rather than having to walk back to the house to fill. My tractor can be parked right next to my "range" (old broken woodstove with target in front). 

Any advice on ammo type/weight? The Bandit is rated at 725 fps, but no mention on ammo weight. 
 
If you need to wait on a compressor for a while a 45 minute or 60 minute SCBA tank might be the ticket. 

First step is to call the dive ship and confirm they will fill that size tank to 4500 psi. Many will not. So confirm that First. If they do check with local fire dept if they might sell you a tank with a few years left on it. If not comb ebay and such for one. Total life spN of any SCBA tank is 15 years total from MFG date. They need to be rehydroed every 5 years. Even if a tank was mfged in 2008 and was rehyderoed in 2019 it only has 2 years left ..

Also are SURE it has a DOT approval 

. Not just TC. If TC only it can't be legally filled by a business in the US
 
If you need to wait on a compressor for a while a 45 minute or 60 minute SCBA tank might be the ticket. 

First step is to call the dive ship and confirm they will fill that size tank to 4500 psi. Many will not. So confirm that First. If they do check with local fire dept if they might sell you a tank with a few years left on it. If not comb ebay and such for one. Total life spN of any SCBA tank is 15 years total from MFG date. They need to be rehydroed every 5 years. Even if a tank was mfged in 2008 and was rehyderoed in 2019 it only has 2 years left ..

Also are SURE it has a DOT approval 

. Not just TC. If TC only it can't be legally filled by a business in the US

Looking around on the internet most 45 minute 4500 psi tanks built in 2010 or later price within $100 of a YH HPA compressor. We will see how much she shoots the Diana. I will definitely shoot the Eagle Claw more often with a compressor, that rifle takes 50-ish pumps if I keep shooting till the red. I can get one 7 shot magazine at peak accuracy for 35-40 pumps, but I have to take a break before shooting to get the heart rate back down 😂I saw a video where a guy pumped up his bandit, for a staggering 30 shot string, with just twelve pumps on a hand pump. Amazing. I figure that 12v capable pump would hold up pretty well under those kind of conditions! If it weren't such a hike from the house to where I shoot the YH compressor would make more sense.