Tank Selection

[CSSWormy11]

I'm going to be reading through the threads I can find discussing tanks, but I'm interested in everyone's opinions about different brands.  I'd like to find something reliable.  I ran across AirTanksForSale.com and feel like it's a company I can trust (despite the poorly built website).  Although, one of the threads didn't appear to think highly of them.  I love first hand information, so, please, bring it on...lol.

On a side note, I'm trying to find somewhere to fill tanks.  The two local shops said they'd fill tanks, but the moment I mentioned "Carbon Fiber", they said they couldn't fill them.  I need advice on how to speak lingo to these Dive Shops.  "Carbon Fiber" is clearly off limits since I'm sure that they can fill the tank regardless of what it is made out of...lol.  The other thing I noticed is that asking about the amount of time it would take to fill got me two different answers and I'd like to know if (and how) I should read into the responses.  The first shop said it would take about 30 - 45 minutes as they would have to let the tanks cool down between each time they filled a certain amount (they didn't say how much they would fill at a time).  They also quoted me $8.  The second shop acted surprised when I asked for a time expectation and instead stated that it would fill at a rate of 300 - 500 psi a minute.  He didn't quote me a price, but rather named off $5 after a slight hesitation which made me feel like he wasn't really concerned with making money off filling up my tank.

[dcorvino]

Hi  I am doing the same research my friend. I have a paint ball place near me that will fill a nija tank without any issues. Just need to select the right tank if I go that way. I just need to top off my sumatra for the range and the ninja tank seems light enough, but I am open to suggestions. Good luck with your search,

Dave

[wimpanzee]

My local paint ball shop sells a similar cf tank, a ninja 68ci paintball, and fills my 90ci AV cf tank for free.

[gonzav]

I just got a Tiger Shark full armored carbon fiber air tank (same tank exact tank package sold by Joe Brancato of Airtanksforsale.com) from Wild West Air Guns today and got it fill up by a paintball shop for $12. Dive shops do not deal with Carbon Fiber 4500 psi air tanks. Paint ball shops are equipped to fill up to 4500 psi but the shop I went to will only fill up to 4300 psi for safety purposes. Paint ball shops use a foster quick disconnect adapter for filling tanks.

[Rico14]

I don't know why your dive shop won't fill a carbon fiber tank. Did he give you a reason? Might be he doesn't like air gunners. My local shop fills mine with no problem. They have a fill card, $40 for 10 fills. The tanks get warm when they are filled and will lose a little pressure after they cool down. Some shops will just fill them and when you get home, you will have a little less pressure. Some shops will fill them and let the sit and cool, then top them off for you. Look for a paintball shop that can fill to 4500. Good luck

[William]

Any Dive shop with a compressor can usually fill any tank, carbon, Aluminum or steel as long as you have the correct adapter for their connection. One tank is no different than the other except for its Volume or pressure of max fill. Just ask the dive shop or paint ball shop what connection they use to fill with and get the adapter for your tank.

Most places charge $3 to $12 Max. Thats from a 68ci up to 100 CF tank. My Dive Shops close to me can generally get to at least 4000 PSI. Paint ball shops generally will be 4500 PSI.

Most of your carbon fiber tanks are made by one or two manufactures, they make the tanks for the sellers and stamp that sellers name on them! In other words, If i want to sell air tanks I just order me a few hundred or so of different sizes from Joe's Tank Manufacture built to my specs and they label them with my name. I don't think you have to worry to much about who's tank you buy but more so on who has the better price and accessories to satisfy for your needs. All HPA tanks have to be DOT certified and Hydro tested so one is just as safe as the other! Just get the best quality accessories you can afford! Shop around!

Just figure out where you are going to fill your tank and ask them what fittings you need to fill the tank you are buying, then get the fill connector from the tank supplier.

Also if it takes them 30 to 45 mins to fill a tank, I believe I would walk out, airless and go to another shop!

William

[gg51]

Well, I have been reading up on HPA stuff, saw all the comments about scuba shops not filling them, go to the local firehouse, etc.  The firehouse is closer, so went there first.  They said no can do.  Scuba shop is less than a mile the other way, so went there next, taking with a printout of one of PA's tanks.  During the week in September, place was empty, so I got to talk to the owner a bit.  I told him it was for airgun use, that I hoped to get 4500 fills.  He said no problem, he has heard the dive shop can't fill them from others, but them said there's a catch.  For walk in fills he can do 3500 psi, which is the pressure he keeps the giant air tank at.  If I want 4500, he has to run the compressor, which he does nightly to fill the scuba tanks supply, and usually I can pick up the next day.

So, pays to check.  The scuba shop here charges $8 for 3500, $12 for 4500, regardless of volume up to the 88 or so size

[CSSWormy11]

I appreciate all the responses.  I WENT to one of the two dive shops today and they said they had a compressor AND a cascade tank setup, but that the compressor and tanks' limit was 3450 psi.  He said that they may have to buy new compressors in a few years, because their compressors are quite old (and expensive at about $12K), but that the new 4500 psi compressors they'd be getting (looking to the future) would cost them $30K...OUCH!  For $280, I can buy an Aluminum Scuba Tank from them and it's free refills for life, but that, while he could fill me to the 3400 psi mark with a Carbon Fiber tank, he'd prefer not to (I imagine he wants those compressors to last).  It's $8 a fill if I buy my own tank off Amazon, but I'd be paying $125 for the 80 ft^3 Aluminum tank and I'd have to buy a $40 valve. 

They had some last night, but not right now.


This is the other tank option that appears to have everything ready to go.


This will be for a Benjamin Discovery right now, which I will probably get a second Scuba tank and use them for cascading like I read about in several other posts, so that I can extend the usefulness of a Carbon Fiber Tank. 

[Rico14]

Keep your eyes on the Yellow classifieds for a used Shoebox, then you won't have to depend on anyone for air.

[CSSWormy11]

Keep your eyes on the Yellow classifieds for a used Shoebox, then you won't have to depend on anyone for air.

That would be a NICE find...lol.

I think in another thread, someone mentioned to me that I should check out Ozark, AL...that's a LONG trip just for air.  I made some calls to Columbus, GA and found a shop that can do the 4500 psi.  Now, I just have to figure out how to fund all this...lol.  $20 a paycheck (out of sight, out of mind) might do the trick.