Looking for a Nitrogen Primer for the Layman

[Frankly]

Pardon me for starting a new thread but I did a search and when starting a post on an tangential related thread a msg popped up suggesting starting new rather than resurrecting an old thread. So... however things are done here.

I'm interested in finding a Nitrogen primer for a layperson without any engineering - plumbing - gas experience. From what I gather from various dribs and drabs I should consider using a rental Nitrogen tank from a welding supply as my air source as it is competitively priced and drier than regular air sources (ie what I might get from the local paintball field).

Online I've seen the "Nitrogen adapter kit" from Joe Brancoto or Atlanta Airguns for $189.

Locally our welding supply lists half a dozen flavors of Nitrogen fills but I have no idea which is best to order? Or how not to sound like a fool on the phone... what do I want?

Otherwise my impression is that I get a heavy steel tank dropped off in my driveway, it could be 200-lbs so maybe I need to strap it to a dolly and make room against the garage wall for it?

I'm not sure how to install the valve and hose but I imagine whomever I buy it from will have directions... just wrenches and nylon tape, right? And then once all is in place I'm using it exactly as I would HPA from traditional sources... I can fill my airgun tanks at home and maybe also use a guppy tank to take into the field?

But outside of this I haven't found a simple straight forward guide as every thread devolves into a fluid dynamics and physics discussion without explaining the basic best practice to do it right without an engineering background.

Also, roughly speaking, the cash outlay is something like $189 for the N2 kit plus approximately $100/year for the tank rental and $100 for a tank fill. Or did I miss something?

Any other practical tips, such as estimating my number of fills, helps too.

Thank you

[Doug Wall]

Hi Frank. I'm just north of you. High pressure gas can be very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing!! I looked into 6K nitrogen a couple of years ago. The weight was somewhere in the 300 lb. range, and the costs were somewhere in the range you quoted. Keep in mind that you'll only be able to use about half of the gas in the tank (until it gets down to your fill pressure. You might want to consider a regulated N2 adapter so that you don't risk overfilling your gun or tank. All in all, it's an expensive was to get gas. These days, the price on Chinese compressors is coming down, and if you add a water separator and desiccant, you're probably going to spend about the same.

[Taso1000]

Doug,

If you had a booster, like an Altaros or similar,  you could use the remaining nitrogen from 3000 psi down to about 100 psi. 

The booster has two circuits: one to operate the booster and one to feed the side that's being pressurized.  To conserve nitrogen a regular shop compressor can be used to operate the booster and the nitrogen only used to feed the pressurizing side.

I hope that makes sense.  I also looked into a nitrogen setup.   

Thanks,

Taso

[Doug Wall]

Doug,

If you had a booster, like an Altaros or similar,  you could use the remaining nitrogen from 3000 psi down to about 100 psi. 

The booster has two circuits: one to operate the booster and one to feed the side that's being pressurized.  To conserve nitrogen a regular shop compressor can be used to operate the booster and the nitrogen only used to feed the pressurizing side.

I hope that makes sense.  I also looked into a nitrogen setup.   

Thanks,

Taso

Absolutely! Those boosters aren't cheap. These days, with the cost of the compressors, and the associated drying accessories coming down, if you're willing to keep the equipment serviced, the cost gets pretty reasonable compared to the initial cost of the N2 setup plus the yearly rental fees.

[Taso1000]

Doug,

There was a booster in the classifieds about a year ago for around $500.  The new Shoebox compressors are that plus shipping now.  The Altaros is around $700 but I'm not sure.  They all can boost the last half of the nitrogen but you'll also need to regulate the nitrogen down to ~100 psi. 

They will all need moisture removal if fed with air.  That's the kicker.   

I've tried to make a low maintenance Shoebox system but it was not as cheap as I thought.  I'm almost there though.  Along the way I was very tempted to give up and go with nitrogen.

Nitrogen should have zero moisture.  But like you said it's not exactly super cheap.  Also like you mentioned, a fill station is a prudent investment/insurance to avoid any overcharging with the 6000 psi on tap.  There are those blue Ninja block looking fill stations.  I got one in a lot of hp items from ebay.

Just sharing my experiences and what I have learned from this forum.   

I hope that helps the OP.

Thanks,

Taso

[Frankly]

This is good info, what ever other threads I found doing searches were all rosebuds and cream ;-p This dose of reality makes me think that the common CF tank filled at the paintball field or fire station isn't so awful after all.