Running a HPA marker on CO2

[emisnug]

Hi guys, going 'balling tomorrow (I need my fix over the holidays!) - however then rather nice poeple there just gave me a bell and it turns out that they are gonna be running on CO2 tomorrow (having run out of scuba tanks). What would happen if I ran my marker on CO2? The warning in the manual states that I might cause irrepairable damage to the regulator die to high rates of fire. But seeing as I'm not particularly good and can't get above 10BPS, does this matter?

Just a quick question/talking point - I'm still going to be safe and use a rental Tippmann running on CO2, but I'm just interested - would it really screw up the internals of my marker?

Cheers

 

[..A.Kaye..]

Pretty sure it wouldnt do your marker any good, most electonic (speedball markers) run off HPA not CO2, so its best to stay away from CO2, will create alot of problems.

 

[frenchy2475]

I would stay well away from co2 in a hpa gun. It would most probably screw up the solenoid.

 

[emisnug]

Cheers guys, backs up my manual I can imagine the soleniod freezing as the CO2 comes out. Clears my mind a lot

 

[Tom Allen]

Modern solenoids DO NOT like co2

 

[Gadget]

Liquid CO2 through an electro solenoid would be very bad, definitely go for the rental option!

 

[russyj]

When CO2 is stored at paintball pressures it's in a partial liquid form. At high rates of fire the CO2 does not have time to fully vaporise before getting through the reg. This causes a problem because vaporisation is a massively endothermic process, so if liquid CO2 reaches the 'noid and expands there the solenoid will drop well below operating temperature, at best causing the seals to shrink and causing leaks and at worst causing thermal fatigue to the parts and irreperable damage.

Used to have expansion chambers instead of HP regs on CO2 markers. For the record I wouldn't want to run an air-based marker on CO2, if you HAD to though you could stick a couple of extra expansion chambers/HP regs, a TONNE of hose, or re-arrange the drop-forward so the tank was sat vertical instead of horizontal.

Russ