In such an exciting game as paintball, constant refilling of cylinders is required - the main source of energy for the marker. It is on the strength of the gas (compressed air) that the paintball cylinder is filled with that the speed at which the ball will fly out of the barrel depends. Have you ever wondered how paintball tanks are refilled? Perhaps you have never asked such a question in your life, or maybe you don’t really need this information, however, if you are on this page, it’s probably not just amateur interest that brought you here.
Especially for those who think, then once to see how paintball cylinders are filled with gas is quite enough to do such a manipulation yourself - you are mistaken. You may have understood the basic principle of how a paintball tank should be filled, but without certain knowledge (and practice as well), it is not recommended to do this.
Learning... how to properly fill a paintball tank.
We won't bore you with the details of what's made of high strength composites or aluminium; that there are both disposable and reusable cylinders, that the latest paintball tanks are larger in size, and one of their refills can be enough for several hundred shots. Let's focus on the main thing. So that with each subsequent refueling of a paintball cylinder there will be no questions about how to fill a paintball cylinder in accordance with elementary safety rules, remember a brief guide to action that will help you do such manipulations yourself or give you the opportunity to control the work of a specialist who does this professionally.
- Screw one end of the gas station onto a large receiver tank, and the other end onto a “small” paintball tank. It is very important that the paintball tank is below the receiver and in a position with the back raised.
- Check if the valve to the cylinder being filled is open.
- Open the special valve of the receiver cylinder to fill the container with air.
As a rule, the refueling process lasts no more than 2-3 minutes. You can check how full the cylinder is by reading the pressure gauge on it.
And finally - take care of paintball cylinders. Do not hesitate if you notice deformations of the seals on the cylinders, ruptures or wear - change them immediately to avoid unpleasant, and possibly even dangerous situations. As in any weapon, in a paintball marker all the constituent elements and mechanisms must work smoothly and clearly.
Novice players often ask us the same questions. Therefore, we decided to release a series of videos for beginners in paintball with answers to the most popular questions. We also recommend subscribing to our channel, where there are many useful videos (SUBSCRIBE).
Paintball video for beginners part 1
Paintball video for beginners part 2
Below is also an abridged text version of the responses.
1. Will the accuracy increase if I put an even longer barrel?
No, it will not increase, the length of the barrel NO WAY does not affect accuracy. More information on technical specifications paintball barrels can be read in this.
2. Is there a difference between rifled and smooth bore?
Some manufacturers make rifled barrels with longitudinal or spiral rifling. The main idea in the manufacture of such barrels is to reduce the contact of the ball with the walls of the barrel. When using such trunks, air consumption increases. And there is a difficulty in manufacturing, since it is quite difficult to make the cut on the barrel correctly (the same depth throughout the barrel). In the production of barrels with spiral cut, the goal is to slightly twist the ball, but there is little sense in this.
3. Do compensators and mufflers have an effect?
No. Basically just add ambience.
4. What is the difference between air and CO2?
CO2 is stored as a liquid and has a lower pressure but higher coefficient of expansion than air. In this regard, the main problem with the use of CO2 is its instability and increased sensitivity to weather conditions. The second problem is that because of the causticity of the gas, the pads and other elastic parts of the marker wear out much faster. Also, most electronic markers DO NOT WORK with CO2.
5. If you screw a higher pressure tank onto the marker, will the marker shoot further?
The winter ball has thicker walls due to the fact that it becomes more fragile in the cold. A summer ball in winter will most likely just split when fired.
9. Can I play paintball with an airsoft mask and vice versa?
The airsoft mask is designed specifically for airsoft, where the muzzle energy is about 1-3 joules. In paintball, it is about 12.5 joules. There is a high probability of damage to the airsoft mask by the ball. You can play airsoft.
10. How often should the marker be taken apart?
Ideally, lubricate and clean after each game. In fact, at least once every 3-4 games, if the marker did not prick.
11. The marker does not shoot or does it shoot poorly?
Change the battery first if it's an electronic marker. Then check if the marker is clean, remove and lubricate the bolt group. Check the condition of the main gaskets.
12. The marker poisons, what could be the problem?
In order to find out what the problem is, you first need to determine where exactly your marker is poisoning. Based on this, it is already possible to understand which assembly or gasket needs to be replaced. If you yourself cannot figure out what exactly is to be replaced, then you must at least determine the place where the marker is poisoning from. It will be easier for a technician to help you.
13. What kind of batteries is better to use for a marker?
Duracell, Energizer, Paintball Energy.
14. What is the difference between a budget and expensive marker?
The price of a marker depends on the accuracy and efficiency of all its mechanisms, material consumption and manufacturability. Roughly speaking, an expensive marker shoots much better.
15. What kind of scope / bipod / rail / handguard to buy for?
Any upgrade is put by a person according to his PERSONAL preferences and vision of the game. Just think about what you need and whether you need it at all.
16. What is the difference between tactical and sports markers?
Appearance, firing modes, the ability to install additional equipment (lights, face, optics).
17. Can WD-40 be used when servicing the marker?
The marker uses fairly high pressure. A flammable liquid plus high pressure equals an explosion. Yes, and WD-40 pads kill very quickly. So only in last resort and at your own risk.
18. Can the marker be washed with water?
Yes, but undesirable, as corrosion can begin due to water. Washing electronic markers with water is strictly not recommended.
19. Do all masks sweat?
Any thermal (two-layer) lens will sweat an order of magnitude less than a single-layer one. Fogging of the lens is aggravated by constant exertion (excessive sweating), alcohol consumption, cold or damp weather. Expensive masks are expensive because they have the best possible ventilation, which also allows the mask not to fog up for a long time.
Yes, but be careful not to get water between the two layers of the lens. Otherwise, the lens will be damaged.
21. Is it possible to fill the cylinder with a car compressor?
No, because the pressure that a car compressor can fill is 50 times lower than required.
22. Harness or unload?
In sports paintball, this question is not raised, because it is prohibited. If you carry any other equipment besides tubes, it will be advisable to purchase it due to the huge number of pockets and pouches. If you do not burden yourself with carrying special stages, then you can stop your choice on harness.
Cylinders are used to fill markers with compressed gas. Most often they are made of aluminum, although Kevlar containers are considered lighter and more reliable. When filling cylinders, its volume should be taken into account and safety rules should be observed.
How can you fill a paintball tank?
For pumping cylinders, 2 main options for compressed gas are used:
- Air. It fills cylinders simply and safely. In addition, air is always available and cannot cause any harm to the marker.
- Carbon dioxide. Less available gas. The process of refilling the marker is much more difficult for them. In addition, with constant use, carbon dioxide cools the paintball gun. Rubber gaskets are more affected, which become more brittle when the temperature drops. The main advantage of carbon dioxide is a much greater yield of shots than from air.
Recently, a company tried to introduce propane as a fuel for markers. The result turned out to be quite surprising - more than 50,000 shots can be fired from one cylinder without refueling. However, propane is not widely used, as it can only be used in special markers that have a low rate of fire.
Where to fill up a paintball tank?
For refueling game markers, cylinders-receivers, which are also called shipping tanks, are usually used. They are available with different volume and maximum pressure specifications. It is not worth buying immediately cylinders designed for a maximum of 350 atmospheres, since problems with blowing in can occur, especially in small towns.
Refueling of a transport cylinder is carried out by means of the compressor. Therefore, the main task is to find a place where there is the same compressor. Of course you can buy it. However, such an acquisition may only be feasible if a paintball club is opened in a city with a population of at least 500,000 inhabitants. Otherwise, the compressor will pay off for a very long time.
So, the main places for refueling cylinders:
- Organizations involved in the sale of nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, etc. Compressed air and nitrogen are completely identical in their characteristics, so you can refuel between any of your choice. Refueling paintball cylinders here is very simple - you come with cylinders, fill them up and go with papers to pay.
- Local departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. They always have a compressor available, they will only agree to provide a service if they have documents confirming the quality of the cylinder.
- Factories, industrial enterprises, airfields, that is, any organization that uses high-pressure equipment. Separately, it will be necessary to stipulate a fee for air injection, and it is not at all a fact that the enterprise wants to do this. But in any case, it's worth a try.
It should be noted that it is impractical to have only one filling place, since compressors often break down, and having one gas supplier can lead to long downtime.
Paintball stations
Filling stations are used to pump compressed gas from receiver cylinders into play areas. Their main disadvantage is that they often break down, and even those models that are made from expensive materials by the most reliable manufacturers. Therefore, you should always have a set of spare rubber bands ready. It is impossible to use parts from plumbing for repairs - only those that are designed to work with high pressure are suitable. To prevent breakdowns, the station must be periodically lubricated with VD-40 liquid.
The frequency of refilling paintball tanks depends on how often you shoot. Any refueling in paintball is made from a tank-receiver. There are 2 main types of gas in paintball: air and carbon dioxide. We do not take experiments with other gases for their total absence in use in paintball. Each gas has its pros and cons, which we will now consider.
Now the most popular filling gas for paintball cylinders is air. The mixture of nitrogen and oxygen that we breathe every day has become vital in paintball as well. Air is refueled in a compressed state - so more of it is placed in a paintball tank. The amount of compression used varies depending on the type of paintball tank and regulator. However, they can be divided into 2 most commonly used. Pressure 3000psi and 4500psi. To carry out filling of paintball cylinders with air into the cylinder-receiver, a special high-pressure compressor is required. Because paintball pressure gauges are marked with single numbers and often with a small x1000 signature in the center, beginners get the impression that the marker works at a pressure of only 3 atmospheres. However, the gauge reading is in psi and the standard pressure for a typical aluminum paintball tank is 3000psi or 204 atmospheres.
The process of preparing for refueling
So, despite the fact that you have played paintball more than once or twice, most likely you do not know how to accurately fill paintball cylinders. You've seen paintball club employees do it, it's quite possible that you understand the principle, but if you decide to do this operation yourself, it's better to know for sure.
To refuel a paintball cylinder from a cylinder - a receiver, you will need a filling station. The name is fundamental, the station itself is not very good. This is a small adapter that is screwed onto the cylinder - the receiver. The filling station for air looks like this:
On the opposite side of the receiver tank there is a second adapter, called a foster. Because Filling of paintball cylinders is carried out under high pressure, it is necessary to firmly connect the filling nipple of the cylinder to the filling station fosterer. Otherwise, when air is supplied from the cylinder - receiver, the refilled cylinder will at least bounce to the side. I won’t talk about the maximum, anything can happen. In order to properly fill paintball cylinders, you need to move the upper part of the fosterer towards the tank - receiver. Foster bracket retracted, frees bearings and allows cylinder filling nipple to be inserted into foster.
After that, we release the bracket and it shifts back into place, fixing the bearings and fixing the filling nipple of the cylinder in the filling station. This completes the process of preparing for refueling paintball cylinders.
Filling paintball tanks
Filling process
So. The gas station is closed. The filling nipple is fixed in the foster. You can start refueling. Carefully opening the valve of the cylinder-receiver, you will hear how the air passes from one cylinder to another. Although to be precise, there is a communication of vessels. The pressure of one cylinder equalizes with the pressure of the other. So we run small balloon. Considering that your cylinder does not always have a pressure tolerance equal to the tolerance of the cylinder - the receiver, which may have a higher pressure - you should monitor the pressure on the pressure gauge of the cylinder being filled and stop filling the paintball cylinder when the maximum allowed pressure is reached. Failure to do so may damage the cylinder itself and the regulator.
Filling paintball tanks
Completion of refueling
We settled on stopping refilling a paintball tank when it reaches the maximum pressure allowed for your tank. In fact, refueling is completed and now you need to pick up your tank by disconnecting its filling nipple from the fuel station fosterer.
But it won't work right away. There is still pressurized air in the filling station system. It will not allow you to open the foster and take out the cylinder filling nipple. This pressure must be removed by bleeding off the excess air remaining in the gas station. The operation is quite simple. The gas station has a special button or lever (on older versions). We press it and a jet of air under pressure escapes from the opposite side of the gas station. Everything! Excess air is bled off, you can remove the cylinder nipple from the fosterer. By the reverse operation, we shift the fosterer and take out the filling nipple from the fosterer. The refilling of the paintball tank is complete.
Sincerely, A.J.
Paintball Club "2 SHARA"
Additional Information
Paintball Tanks - An article about types of paintball tanks, regulators and tolerances for paintball gas systems. Filling with carbon dioxide - refilling paintball tanks with carbon dioxide, the advantages and disadvantages of carbon dioxide.
Paintball is quite an active sport, where Consumables(balloons, air or gas) constantly require replenishment. If you need to fill the feeder with balls after each game, and in sports, and several times in one round, then the balloon is filled with air much less often. The rate of gas or air consumption directly depends on the intensity of the fire.
Today, in the clubs of our city, cylinders are filled with compressed air or carbon dioxide. Other variants of gases, if used, are only for the sake of experiment, without participation in public events.
A short course on refilling paintball tanks
In order to fill the cylinders with air, we need a receiver (station). Refueling should only be carried out by specialists who know the theory of refueling. It would seem, what could be difficult or dangerous? But difficulties and danger exist here, especially for those who do not understand the indicators on the pressure gauge.
The markings on the pressure gauge are made according to the psi standard. In the center is the number 1000, and in front of it is the multiplication symbol. This means that if the arrow points to the number 3, then this is not 3 atmospheres, but 200 (3000psi), which is the high pressure in the cylinder. Our club fills up to the point where the gauge needle points to 2.5 (2,500psi). This is enough to participate in 2 - 3 games.
Any filling station has a foster, which is needed to clamp the filling nipple. Be sure to fix the nipple and check the reliability. To do this, you need to remove the foster bracket, thereby releasing the bearings and start the cylinder nipple. After that, return the foster bracket to its previous position, which in turn will fix the bearings, and they will clamp the nipple.
The station is on an air tank, the nipple is well fixed in the fosterer, now you can fill an empty paintball marker tank. When you open the valve of the air cylinder, you will hear a hissing sound, this moves air from one vessel to another, under the influence of pressure. Carefully follow the pressure gauge needle and do not get distracted if you increase allowable rate, then you can ruin both the marker tank itself and the regulator.
After the desired value on the pressure gauge is reached, it is required to stop the air supply and disconnect the cylinder. If there are no problems with the first point, then there is one nuance with the second. Even though the air has been shut off, there are remnants of it in the gas station. While he is there, it is not possible to pull the foster bracket and remove the nipple. But this does not matter, a special hole with a valve for bleeding was invented to remove residues. The valve is opened by pressing a button or a lever, depending on the model of the station. After everything has been bled, you can easily and calmly move the foster bracket and disconnect the nipple. This completes the refilling of paintball cylinders, and you can safely enter the game.
Carbon dioxide in paintball clubs is used much less frequently than air, and there are objective reasons for this. It makes no sense to list everything, you can name a few of them, these are the requirements for the storage, operation and transportation of carbon dioxide cylinders. Although carbon dioxide has a good advantage over air, it is consumed in less quantity per shot.
Summarizing everything written above, it turns out that for refueling cylinders you need a filling station and some knowledge in refueling and safety techniques. Nothing without this.
