Recommendations for a 60m/9L/100cu FT Tank

[mstang1988]

I have had my FX Impact MK2 for a few years at this point and looking to get a tank (I’ve been filling with my Yong Heng thus far). I’m looking for recommendations for a 60m/9L/100cu FT tank that I can fill from my Yong Heng or have filled at a dive shop (hoping I can find one). I’ll be going new as I’d like to get the full 15 years out of a tank and re-up the hydro along the way. Up until recently I haven’t had a need to go more than one FX tank worth in a day but that day has come.

I have looked a lot and searched the old data a lot. It doesn’t look like there is a 2023 thread on the subject for recommendations on tanks (that or my search skill aren’t strong). I have looked at OMEGA, Great White, Airmarksman, etc. It looks like all the tanks are generally good but is there a go to on a one-stop shop that has a good tank that includes good valves/filling equipment and is price competitive?

I also want suggestions on the latest recommmendations for drying the air before it goes into the thank. I have a “gold” trap. I don’t remember the exact make but I’ll try and add details later. Is that still the go to?

 

[rc4fun]

If you hope to get the tank filled commercially then you want a DOT approved. Other than that it's price and valve.
As far as drying:
https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/new-to-air-pumps.1301301/

 

[TN_Yankee]

I haven't bought new tanks, as the price isn't worth it to me, but that's just a personal decision. Consequently, I don't have a 'one-stop shop' to recommend. Just don't waste your money on a SCUBA tank (from the sounds of it, you're focused on an SCBA, which is good). You can find used SCBA that still have life left, even from Pyramyd on occasion. https://www.topgun-airguns.com/ sells quality fittings (that I use) and tanks, but I haven't really compared prices in a long time.

 

[Scott_R_FL]

I have looked at OMEGA, Great White, Airmarksman, etc.

As long as you stick to the brands you've mentioned you should be good. Tanks are all about the same but the valves, that's where they differ. I would highly recommend the Omega with the HP3 valve. I purchased the 6.8L Airmarksman a while ago but just recently replaced the valve with the HP3. I didn't like the size of the Airmarksman valve and the quick bleed valve had to be tightened way too much so it wouldn't leak. HP3 is low profile, nice large aluminum valve knob and bleed valve is no issue.

 

[kayaker]

mstang1988, if your doing a great white the price is going up $150 the end of December fyi

 

[AlanMcD]

I bought an Acecare 9L tank off their e-Bay store a few weeks ago and it seems great so far. I wanted a tank with a metric thread (18x1.5) as I had valves in that size.

They sell it as both a DOT and CE certified tank (the rest of the world uses CE certification), with the CE being cheaper by over $150. I went with the CE tank for a couple of reasons.

1) The tanks are almost certainly the same tank. The standards are so close that one tank would easily pass both standards. I don't know this for a fact, but it is a very logical conclusion. I believe the difference is in the label, and the costs of "obtaining" the certification - the physical tanks are the same.

2) In the US, one needs the tank to be DOT certified if you want to fill at a dive shop. If one fills on their own, this is not needed. Of course to keep filling a DOT tank after 5 years the tank has to be recertified via a hydro test.

3) We airgunners are very low stress users of these tanks. They are made for 15 years of constant full range pressure cycling, fast fill rates, and tough service in burning buildings. We use a small percentage of fill range (admittedly at the top end of the pressure range) much less often, tend to fill them quite slowly, and baby them, so our usage puts much less wear and tear on the tanks - especially on the fiber wrapping and epoxy coating. If we keep moisture out by filling only with appropriately dried air, then our tanks are living a charmed life of luxury.

4) In our usage, I think the most abusive thing we can do to our tanks is to hydro test them. This action leads to a full drain and significant overpressurization of the tank. If we are not having it filled at a shop, and know with certainty that we are not letting any moisture into the tank (and I have verified that in my fill set up), then one has to ask if this is really not only necessary, but even wise if it is not needed to get fills. Of course if we want to, we can always do a good visual inspection at any time (I've done this on other tanks I have to verify my fill set up is doing what I calculated it was doing).

I did think about it long and hard. I considered the DOT tank so that I could get it recertified if I ever wanted to get out of filling it myself, but in the end I decided that is highly unlikely - personal compressors are only going to get more capable, less expensive, and more common. So I kept the savings and went with a CE tank.

I can't speak to Acecare's valves as I did not get one. I am using a Saber Tactical valve with their adapter for the metric threads. But I do like their tank and rubber boots.