scuba tank fills

[brushog65]

Hey everyone, I know this has been discussed about a million times but I am new to PCP. I'm looking for information on scuba tanks. As far as what size to use, where is the best place to find one. I know the size of the tank will affect how many fills you get out of one. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Oldblades]

I'm new myself and just went through this reasearch and purchase. I dont plan on any high pressure rifles so a scuba tank is perfect.
80cfm is going to be the most common, and thus the best value. Did a bunch of searching and finally called my dive shop. They had new tanks, certified and first fill free for 149.95. You can probably find  one for 1/2 of that on places like Craiglist, but they most likely need to be Hydro's and inspected. Figure about 50.00 on that.
But I wanted to open a relationship with the local shop, and once they knew that I was into air rifles, they have no problem running the fill to 3200#. So I'm happy the way that went.
Next, I strongly recommend spending the extra money on a microbore hose. The small amount of bleed off (or lack of) is amazing.

All that said, I have a new FDPCP and waitung on a Crosman Challenger (Both .177). The FDPCP is 1500 max and the Challenger is 2000#. The number of fills should be well over 100 beween the 2.

[starlingassassin]

Hey everyone, I know this has been discussed about a million times but I am new to PCP. I'm looking for information on scuba tanks. As far as what size to use, where is the best place to find one. I know the size of the tank will affect how many fills you get out of one. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

size,type and pressure will determine the number of fills.


if you're running a lower pressure pcp (1500-2000psi) a large 3000psi scuba tank would work fine and give a halfway decent amount of fills,
but would be big and very heavy.

but if you're running a higher pressure pcp (3000psi) then a large (88cuft) scba 4500psi tank would suit you better
(and they are much smaller and lighter with many more fills than scuba)


i myself prefer the large 88cuft 4500psi great white tank from joe brancato  ( www.airtanksforsale.com )

but he has smaller sizes also,
and like others have said in past threads,
if you try to piece together a fill tank of the same quality of what he offers,youll end up paying more than his prices.

so it boils down to what gun youll be using,
how much youre going to shoot it,
and where you can get it filled.

alot of people get fills from a dive shop,as did i at first,
but i got sick of driving the 80mi round trip to get it filled,
and then having to pay for the fill on top of the gas money i had already spent.

so i got the firehouse adapter for my tank,
and i get my fills at my local fire station,and they fill for free 

[SmokeTest]

If you can afford to spend a little more, an SCBA setup can be had pretty easily for under $300. I paid $80 for my tank on eBay (only two years usable life left, though), and $175 for the fill adapter from mac1airguns. If I did it again I'd build the fill adapter myself and save a load of cash, and get a new tank.

While the difference between a 3200 PSI SCUBA tank and a 4500 PSI SCBA tank might not sound like much, the difference in usable air is staggering.

If you're filling to 2000 PSI, a best case scenario for the SCUBA tank, then you've got 1200 PSI of usable air before you can no longer fully fill your gun. At 4500 PSI, then you have 2500 PSI of usable air, more than twice the SCUBA tank. And if your gun is a 3000 PSI fill, then depending on your fill you might only be talking about 400 PSI, compared to 1900 from the SCBA.

If you can swing the SCBA setup, I think that's absolutely the right call.

[brushog65]

If you can afford to spend a little more, an SCBA setup can be had pretty easily for under $300. I paid $80 for my tank on eBay (only two years usable life left, though), and $175 for the fill adapter from mac1airguns. If I did it again I'd build the fill adapter myself and save a load of cash, and get a new tank.

While the difference between a 3200 PSI SCUBA tank and a 4500 PSI SCBA tank might not sound like much, the difference in usable air is staggering.

If you're filling to 2000 PSI, a best case scenario for the SCUBA tank, then you've got 1200 PSI of usable air before you can no longer fully fill your gun. At 4500 PSI, then you have 2500 PSI of usable air, more than twice the SCUBA tank. And if your gun is a 3000 PSI fill, then depending on your fill you might only be talking about 400 PSI, compared to 1900 from the SCBA.

If you can swing the SCBA setup, I think that's absolutely the right call.

Is it possible to build your own fill valve?

[Oldblades]

starlinassassin hit on a bigun' in my case in 'where you can get it filled'. Might pay to call around and find the maximum fill pressure available in your area. The best I could do was 4000# here without driving 50 miles one way.

[Yarp]

If you can afford to spend a little more, an SCBA setup can be had pretty easily for under $300. I paid $80 for my tank on eBay (only two years usable life left, though), and $175 for the fill adapter from mac1airguns. If I did it again I'd build the fill adapter myself and save a load of cash, and get a new tank.

While the difference between a 3200 PSI SCUBA tank and a 4500 PSI SCBA tank might not sound like much, the difference in usable air is staggering.

If you're filling to 2000 PSI, a best case scenario for the SCUBA tank, then you've got 1200 PSI of usable air before you can no longer fully fill your gun. At 4500 PSI, then you have 2500 PSI of usable air, more than twice the SCUBA tank. And if your gun is a 3000 PSI fill, then depending on your fill you might only be talking about 400 PSI, compared to 1900 from the SCBA.

If you can swing the SCBA setup, I think that's absolutely the right call.

Is it possible to build your own fill valve?

Second that.

[starlingassassin]

starlinassassin hit on a bigun' in my case in 'where you can get it filled'. Might pay to call around and find the maximum fill pressure available in your area. The best I could do was 4000# here without driving 50 miles one way.

finding out that my local fire station could fill me was a huge relief,

all i had to get extra was the firehouse adapter for my tank,
so their fill equipment could hook up to it.

its so nice to only have to travel a mile and a half and then get the fill for free,
i take them some homemade doughnuts once in a while as a thank you

[Oldblades]

I thought of the local FD, but it is volunteer.
The only way to get a fill would be to wait for a call and then say "Excuse me, would you mind turning those red lights and siren off on those big trucks for a few minutes and fill my tank up so that I can shoot my air rifle?"

[LDP]

My local FD is also volunteer but i know a guy there and they have meetings on thursday nights so he says just come down on thursdays and we will get you filled. I would assume they all have a day during the week they have meetings so maybe you can work out a deal to get filled then.

[avator]

My local FD can only fill my 3300psi 100cf scuba tank to about 2800. All they want is a small yearly donation. They are also volunteer and I have to catch them when I can. I can also drive 40 miles to the dive shop and get it completely filled and inspected (when needed) for $5. $24 for both inspections and a fill. We were out driving today in an area we've never been, I saw a sign for a paintball park. I called them when we got back and asked about filling my tank. The guy said they sure can but, he was on the way to the dentist and didn't remember what his price was for that size tank since he normally fills ninja tanks. I'm waiting for his call back. They are 8 miles from me.

[brushog65]

I have a local dive shop not 5 min. From my house. I have not contacted them yet, but it was my understanding that they would only fill bottles if you were a certified diver. I also have a few fire stations close. Maybe I will get lucky.

[Yarp]

The dive shop I use is mostly filling and servicing tanks for contractors, paintballers and airgunners.

[avator]

I have a local dive shop not 5 min. From my house. I have not contacted them yet, but it was my understanding that they would only fill bottles if you were a certified diver. I also have a few fire stations close. Maybe I will get lucky.

George at SeaDivers who fills and certified my tank, put a large sticker on it that says "Not For Scuba Diving" this allows me to get it filled without being a certified diver.

[SmokeTest]

I have a local dive shop not 5 min. From my house. I have not contacted them yet, but it was my understanding that they would only fill bottles if you were a certified diver. I also have a few fire stations close. Maybe I will get lucky.

Believe it or not, that's not actually regulated. Shops are free to fill any tanks they want, and rent SCUBA equipment to anybody they want. It's to protect themselves from liability that they require certification. Don't want to get sued if they rent gear to somebody who doesn't know how to dive that then gets themselves hurt or killed.

If you explain that you're not going to be use the tank to dive, the dive shop will probably fill it. Chances are they've heard about airguns before.

[Gunut]

I have a local dive shop not 5 min. From my house. I have not contacted them yet, but it was my understanding that they would only fill bottles if you were a certified diver. I also have a few fire stations close. Maybe I will get lucky.

Believe it or not, that's not actually regulated. Shops are free to fill any tanks they want, and rent SCUBA equipment to anybody they want. It's to protect themselves from liability that they require certification. Don't want to get sued if they rent gear to somebody who doesn't know how to dive that then gets themselves hurt or killed.

If you explain that you're not going to be use the tank to dive, the dive shop will probably fill it. Chances are they've heard about airguns before.

Yep, my shop puts a big red sticker on my tanks that says "Cylinder Is dedicated to above water use only, No SCUBA certificate is required"

[avator]

Greg from Rose Hill War Zone called me back yesterday... nice guy. He said he had heard of PCP but has never seen or fired one. He said he will fill my tank anytime I needed it for $8. That's awesome for me because he's about 10 miles down the road. We talked a long time and it turns out he was interested in some of the things that my workplace scraps out. He wants to use the stuff for props in future war courses. We also talked about the possibility of adding an airgun range to his paintball park.  I told him I would bring my FD-PCP guns when I came to fill my tank. He was very excited about this. Who knows what this may develop into but, I'm sure it will be win win for everyone.

[starlingassassin]

Greg from Rose Hill War Zone called me back yesterday... nice guy. He said he had heard of PCP but has never seen or fired one. He said he will fill my tank anytime I needed it for $8. That's awesome for me because he's about 10 miles down the road. We talked a long time and it turns out he was interested in some of the things that my workplace scraps out. He wants to use the stuff for props in future war courses. We also talked about the possibility of adding an airgun range to his paintball park.  I told him I would bring my FD-PCP guns when I came to fill my tank. He was very excited about this. Who knows what this may develop into but, I'm sure it will be win win for everyone.

 


thats awesome!!

i predict that,

once he fires a few shots,
plans for an air rifle range will be brewing in his head

the power of the darkside is too strong lol

[SmokeTest]

Greg from Rose Hill War Zone called me back yesterday... nice guy. He said he had heard of PCP but has never seen or fired one. He said he will fill my tank anytime I needed it for $8. That's awesome for me because he's about 10 miles down the road. We talked a long time and it turns out he was interested in some of the things that my workplace scraps out. He wants to use the stuff for props in future war courses. We also talked about the possibility of adding an airgun range to his paintball park.  I told him I would bring my FD-PCP guns when I came to fill my tank. He was very excited about this. Who knows what this may develop into but, I'm sure it will be win win for everyone.

Now that is awesome! Also, I grew up like 20 miles from you! Lived in Evergreen for about 20 years. Didn't get out to Luverne much, but my friends and I spent a ton of time in Andalusia, Opp and Enterprise.

[avator]

Greg from Rose Hill War Zone called me back yesterday... nice guy. He said he had heard of PCP but has never seen or fired one. He said he will fill my tank anytime I needed it for $8. That's awesome for me because he's about 10 miles down the road. We talked a long time and it turns out he was interested in some of the things that my workplace scraps out. He wants to use the stuff for props in future war courses. We also talked about the possibility of adding an airgun range to his paintball park.  I told him I would bring my FD-PCP guns when I came to fill my tank. He was very excited about this. Who knows what this may develop into but, I'm sure it will be win win for everyone.

Now that is awesome! Also, I grew up like 20 miles from you! Lived in Evergreen for about 20 years. Didn't get out to Luverne much, but my friends and I spent a ton of time in Andalusia, Opp and Enterprise.

Now this is funny because I lived about 7 years in the Kent, Renton and Auburn areas back in the late 90's early 2000's