GTA

All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => PCP/CO2/HPA Air Gun Gates "The Darkside" => Topic started by: Shaq on June 05, 2021, 02:36:00 PM

Title: Switch to co2?
Post by: Shaq on June 05, 2021, 02:36:00 PM
I have a carbon tank pcp that I’d like to try on co2.  Can I simply fill the air tank with bulk co2 and run it?
Title: Re: Switch to co2?
Post by: Greg_E on June 05, 2021, 02:39:16 PM
Not sure how carbon fiber will like the cold.
Title: Re: Switch to co2?
Post by: Shaq on June 05, 2021, 02:46:22 PM
I also wondered about cold when I was doing some air dumps out of my bigger tanks and they got cold as heck.  I don’t know how cold the co2 will get though. 
Title: Re: Switch to co2?
Post by: Ribbonstone on June 05, 2021, 02:50:01 PM

I’ve broken the rules with co2 on many PCP’s...but I’ve not broken all the rules and tired all the PCP’s.

Won’t try co2 (in it’s partly liquid state) through an air regulator.  Even though I have no direct experience doing that, seems like a real bad idea.

Have not used co2 in a fiber bottle.  Know the inside of the fiber bottle is Al.  Know co2 is a pretty inert gas compared to air.  Still can’t make myself do it.

Some o-rings (dependent on what they used) can swell up a whole lot with co2 and that can cause a problem by itself.

NOTHING made to run on higher pressure air has worked great on co2.  It’s not just the pressure difference, it’s also the valve dwell.  Even at the same pressure, co2 is a thick/heavy/don’t want to flow fast gas.
Title: Re: Switch to co2?
Post by: Shaq on June 05, 2021, 03:07:27 PM
I understand that it’s not ideal for performance.  Mostly just curious how well it does run and for how long.  I can see it being helpful maybe somehow.  I also already have bulk co2 sitting here. 
Title: Re: Switch to co2?
Post by: Greg_E on June 05, 2021, 05:08:53 PM
Co2 in aluminum is fine, as long as you don't have water with it. Co2 in water forms an acid that will slowly eat the tank, but it takes a good amount of time. Most of the old seltzer water makers were aluminum and it took years to eat through.

The cold on the CF resin is my big issue, it can't be good for it to swing that far that fast.