Which cascade fill system to buy?

[wahoowad]

I have a 4500 psi Great White tank that is 97 cf and a 3500 psi steel 120 cf tank. I can get the 3500 psi tank filled quite easily but a long drive out of town to get the 4500 psi tank filled.

I try to use the 3500 psi as much as possible, but it doesn't take long to get below 3000 psi and then I'm having to cascade fill by switching between the 2 tanks. Is it worth getting a dedicated cascade fill hose assembly? Any suggestions on options to get one?

 

[L.Leon]

I have a Stikman, which was pricey but works great. And when I had a problem with it, it was replaced in less than a week, no questions asked. Have been using mine two years now. I cascade a 66 and 45 min. SCBA. 

 

[jking]

If your going to continue to use the 120cuft which is a lot of air, I'd keep it in service as you have been and just add the fittings/hoses to make it a cascade system since it is so big. Keep using it is as your primary to fill your guns and then without bleeding off the entire system switch it to your 4500# system and top off your gun. Depending on your gun you might be able to use the 3500# tank down to 2700-2800 and then get it refilled. Although not a lot of fills it'll add to your overall capacity of air.

Jking

 

[wahoowad]

I was on the Stikman website but I must be dense as I looked at stuff labeled as 'cascade' fill and nothing looked like it connected 2 tanks to one out.

 

[joewr]

Mac 1 mini cascade works great

 

[Franklink]

I did a little write up of mine a few weeks ago. 

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/home-cascade-system/

 

[wahoowad]

I’m trying to make sure I understand the benefit of having a cascaded hose system... I am cascading now by using both tanks to get my fill, I just don’t have a combined hose system. The benefit of the hose system seems to be primarily convenience in that you don’t have to (a) switch your fill port from the lower pressure tank to higher pressure tank, and (b) save a little air that escapes from the lower pressure hose when you release the pressure. 

If true then am I actually saving any air by going to a cascade hose system? I feel like having a longer cascaded hose system that has to be vented once at the end of the process is going to waste more air than venting each individual hose at the end of each stage of the non-combined 2 step fill process.

 

[Franklink]

Yes, primarily convenience. 

As far as comparisons between which wastes more air......who knows. Comparison being, connect to low tank, fill, bleed, disconnect, then connect to high pressure tank, fill, bleed, disconnect vs just connecting to the system, fill from low, fill from high, bleed, disconnect. 

One aspect to also consider is the tiny amount of wear/erosion that happens to the shoulder of the male foster every time it gets pressurised. Those little balls inside the female foster eventually make little tiny divets. I've watched the male fosters on guns and fill probes over the last few years. Some have worn very quickly and others more slowly, depending on hardness of the metal, but ALL have worn/eroded. So, connecting to the cascade system, is half as many times that foster is connected, pressurised, and then disconnected. Everything wears out, what can we do to slow the process is something I like to think about. 

 

[Bigragu]

airtanksplus.com has a great set up. Gene is an awesome guy to work with, too.