Air systems...

[Sean Diamond]

Hi. I haven't yet got a marker, but i'm considering getting one. I'm taking a while doing my homework. Should i get a CO2 or air system.
I've seen the PMI pure energy have quite a broad range. They look good, also the crossfire looks good. Are they? Can these systems take CO2 as well if they need to. What is a preset compared to an adjustable regulator and what benefits do they have. Finally i have seen people talking about having the tank rehydroed or something like that. What does that mean and do you have to do it to all tanks?
Thanx...

 

[Philip]

Right, first of all, i have heard that crossfires are pretty good, although they have no advantage over adjustable regs, they are cheaper. I also believe that you can fill air bottles with co2, but never do it the other way around....Or you may have shrapnel flying past your ears.

The pre-set tanks are mostly for people with lower end markers(spyder, tippmann) to go on to air.

...And im spent.

-Philip

 

[Sean Diamond]

Thanx for that. But i need definite answers on, what is rehydroing and can a air tank take CO2. Thanx for your replies...

 

[Philip]

Like i said, you can fill an air tank with co2.

-Philip

 

[KillerOnion]

OK, on to the facts. First, you CAN fill an air tank with co2, but you don't want to. You REALLY don't want to. The reason for this is that co2 goes into the bottle very, very cold and the chilling contracts the aluminum shell and pulls it away slightly from the fiber wrap hull outside it. This weakens the tank somewhat and makes it unsuitable for air after a while. You can continue to use it for co2 if you wish, but that negates the whole point of having it in the first place. Air/nitrogen is better than co2 in nearly every aspect: it produces much more consistent shots, does not subject the marker's seals and orings to cold temperatures which cause them to shrink and swell and wear out much faster, is cleaner, and has a much higher flow and recharge rate. Simply put, there is no reason to get co2 at all if an air system is within your means.

And as for screw in tanks, no they're not inferior at all to adjustable tanks for the majority of applications. They can reliably and effectively run any marker (Yes, now even guns that require low pressure input like the BM2K and Defiant can be run on a screw with low pressure output, a good example of which being the Crossfire 450psi output systems.). My team runs Angels off of screw in Nitroduck, Crossfire, PMI, and Centerflag systems with no problems whatsoever and outstanding consistency. They do, however, prove themselves to be advantageous for low end gun owners in that they are inexpensive and need no adjustment to run on such setups.

 

[nickp]

"Finally i have seen people talking about having the tank rehydroed "

I'll pick up the bit onion missed, although I am sure he we point out my mistakes (please onion.. it would help me)

The tanks need to be tested every couple of years, 3 to 5 not sure which (I am sure killer onion will tell us) to allow them to be used safely, and to be allowable on sites or at Tourneys, I think this is what they are talking about..

If you can afford it get air.... it so much better for your marker seals, and your marker consistency

 

[elrikos]

i'll pick up the final bit for ya.
the law (in the uk) for retesting (or hydrostatically testing) bottles is;

1) a full fibre wrap bottle will need testing every 3 years and has a life of 15 years (i.e. after 15 years it is totally dead, no more testing allowed).

2) a flat bottomed bottle (i.e. luxfer or for that matter the big scu ba tanks) need testing every 5 years (not sure how long their lifew is though.)

if your bottle is out of test you cannot get it filled. bottles can (and do!) fail hydrostatic testing. basically the test involves filling the bottle almost completely with water and pumping it to test pressure (4500ish for a 300psi bottle and 6700ish for a 4500psi bottle). the idea being that if the bottle will take that pressure then it will be safe to put it's working pressure into it day in day out.

if the bottle fails then you get a nice jiffy bag full of shards of fibre and aluminium bits from your blown up bottle!

hope that helps

rich