Playing paintball is a very exciting activity that can keep you busy for hours. You can shoot paintballs at your friends and have fun while colors fly around. But do you know how the rifle for paintball operates? It operates using pressurized air. This pressurized air obviously comes from an air compressor.
Now you must be thinking: How do I fill the paintball tank with an air compressor? This is the question that we are going to answer in this article today. This is very different from filling up tires so make sure you pay attention. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
Types of Paintball tanks available
There are 3 types of paintball tanks available on the market:
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HPA tanks
HPA or high-pressure compressed tanks come with oxygen which is stored in a highly pressurized form.
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Compressed carbon dioxide tanks
In these units, carbon dioxide is stored in the liquid form. However, it immediately turns into gas when it is released from the air compressor.
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Pure Nitrogen tanks
These units store compressed nitrogen which is a rare gas.
When it comes to productivity, HPA tanks are the best as they are not affected by extreme changes in temperature. Caron dioxide expands in heat so it affects the integrity of the tank. Similarly, it loses pressure when the temperature drops. However, compressed carbon dioxide air compressors are still more popular as they are very affordable.
Gun compressor
There is no specific air compressor manufactured solely for the purpose of filling up gun tanks. However, there are many units on the market that may be suitable for doing this job. This basically depends on the pressure limits of the air compressor. You need to find a unit that supplies the right volume and pressure of air to the paintball gun.
Steps to fill paintball tank with an air compressor
Now that you are clear about all the things related to air compressors and paintball gun tanks, we will now move on towards the actual process. Follow the following steps in order to complete this job quickly and easily.
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Determine PSI of tank
First of all, you have to check the PSI indicator of the paintball tank. This tells you how much pressure the tank needs in PSI. This value is usually around 4500 PSI. If you are working with a compressed carbon dioxide tank, you will have to refrigerate it first in order to stabilize the tank’s temperature and pressure. This will allow you to fill in the right amount.
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Attachment with fill nipple
Now look for the attachment that you have to connect to the air tank. This attachment should have an O-ring that will help prevent any air from escaping the tank once it has been attached to the air compressor. For this reason, the presence of the O-ring is extremely important so if you can’t find it, seek professional help.
Once you have found the O-ring, expose the central needle by pulling back on the attachment’s collar. Use the filling nipple to plug this into the tank. Jiggle the hose a little in order to ensure that the attachment is firmly in place.
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Fill up the tank
Now you can slowly turn on the air compressor after ensuring the proper connection of the power cable of the compressor. Make sure you check the gauge of both the compressor as well as the tank in order to ensure that air is being transferred properly.
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Hot fill check
A hot fill occurs when you try filling up the tank too quickly. This causes a sudden rise in the pressure of the tank that can be dangerous for the tank. It also affects the accuracy of the pressure gauge. A hot fill will show the pressure to be higher while the tank is filling but this pressure will immediately drop once the compressor is disconnected. This can only be prevented by filling up the tank very slowly.
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Release the air
Push on the compressor valve in order to remove any extra air from the unit. This helps prevent any damage to the fill nipple. Finally, carefully detach the hose and place it back safely into the unit.
Conclusion
Filling up a paintball tank with an air compressor is a very simple task. You can easily do it at home. However, make sure you take all safety precautions because you are dealing with pressurized air that can be harmful to you. We hope our guide helped you figure out the whole process. Still, got more questions? Send them to us and we would surely assist you with them. Have a great time playing paintball!
FAQ’s
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Is it possible to fill the paintball tank at home?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to fill up the paintball tank at home. All you need is the right equipment and you can easily achieve this task by following the steps mentioned above. However, make sure you follow all safety protocols when doing this on your own at home.
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How long will my paintball tank last?
Answer: High-pressure paintball tanks usually last for up to 3 to 5 years. This is subject to proper maintenance. They can last even longer if you take proper care of them. Make sure that you hydro-test them every 3-5 years for safety purposes. This will allow you to determine if your tank is close to its expiry.
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Can you fill HPA tanks with an air compressor?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to fill up HPA tanks using an air compressor. An HPA tank consists of a gas bottle along with a compressor. This compressor forces gas to create pressure. HPA tanks have the ability to be completely drained and then be refilled. This makes them much more portable than other tanks.
