Utah Xtreme Paintball in the Salt Lake area was about $5 last time I filled my 90 CU tank to 4000 psi. Their compressor wasn't quite up to full, so I took what they had. Great bunch over there.
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How much are you paying to refill your tank?
- Thread starter renn
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@ClearedHot
No it's in Massachusetts. I agree with you, as I was in the same boat. What really made me upset was the fact that I triple checked with the PB shop about the fills PRIOR to making a decision on a larger 97 cubic foot tank. They said absolutely no problem -- total crap. Nevertheless, there are 3 potential dive shops in the North East so that makes me feel good about the purchase. It sure is nice to not have to pump : )
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I am new to using a tank, and I never even looked past scuba shops, but after you had mentioned a paintball shop, I figured I give my local guys a call. They use a tank with 4500 psi, to fill your tank to 4500 psi. Apparently it takes only 5 minutes to do so. That to me, didn't sound right. 5 minutes???
Anyhow, I felt like doing a little bit more research on the subject. I found out that when you fill the tank too fast, the air gets hot. When the air gets too hot, it will of course expand. When the air cools down again, your tank will not show 4500 psi anymore. You might end up loosing 10% or so of fill pressure. Remember, this is only when filling the tank really fast, causing the air to get really hot.
I am sure you guys already know this, but there might be another noob like me out there, that might find this information important. : )
Kmd
p.s. DISCLAIMER: I just googled this stuff and I might be wrong. If I am, please correct me. : )
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You are correct. Filling a SCBA tank will generate heat in the tank. If your tank is empty (0 psi) and you fill it in five minutes it will get very hot and you will lose at least 10%, but, we mostly just top off our tanks from about 3k psi to 4.5k psi so not nearly as much heat is generated. My compressor will top off a 95 cu. ft. tank from 3k to 4.5k in about 9 minutes and you can barely feel the heat and the pressure loss is less than 100psi when it cools.
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My 90 cubic inch tank takes about 15 seconds once they attach it to the compressor tanks. If you are talking about an 80 cubic foot tank, I can understand 5 minutes, but the small tank doesn't need the time. I get enough fills from the small tank to keep me happy for quite a while, so haven't considered the larger tank yet. Maybe if I really shoot a lot, but for now the small tank meets my needs.
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Where do you go to in Lexington to get your tanks filled? I live 20 miles south. Local fire department takes care of my tanks for free but I "donate" a $20 case of Gatorade every time I get them topped off. I also use SCBA tanks only since that's what they use and don't want to add difficulty to them with other valve types that waste less air since they do it for free.
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I leased a 6k nitrogen bottle for 70 year 100 for fill. Walked out at 170.00 total. It will fill my great white 9 times. For my amount of hunting this is working great. Nothing to maintenance, I have just filled my great white for third time in 10 months. I feel like I shoot a fair amount. My gun is
used weakly. This method is working well for me.
used weakly. This method is working well for me.
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OTG Paintball in Central NH charges a buck per 1000psi so I give them a five to fill the CF 300bar tank. Nice folks to deal with.
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I've got a paintball shop who will charge me $6 for a 4500 PSI fill or a dive shop that will charge $20.
Is the (supposedly) better quality air from the dive shop worth the extra cash?
Is the (supposedly) better quality air from the dive shop worth the extra cash?
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For me it is. Most paintball shops do not have filters on there compressors to that the moisture out you don not want moisture in your air tube or bottle. You spend big money on a PCP gun you don't want to get corrosion in you gun.
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I wholeheartedly concur with Bruce. Not only will dive shops provide moisture-free air; they go a step further and provide breathable air, which is an FDA standard. What this means is that not only will your air be moisture-free; it will be microscopic particulate-free as well. This keeps abrasive particulates from entering your gun system. Moisture and abrasives are anathema to proper airgun operation, to state the obvious.
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Being that I work at a dive shop, I thought I might chime in here.
Our banked air system is hyper-filtered (4 times), and at full pressure, runs at 4000 psi. In order to attain a fill of 4500 psi, the tank is first filled off the banked system, and then is boosted (using a booster) from 4000 (provided the banks are full) to 4500 psi.
The booster takes a while to set up, and it is an expensive piece of equipment. I just checked into getting new o-rings for ours, and for giggles I asked what it would cost to replace it. I was told $4500.00. The banked system filters are replaced on a monthly basis during the busy season, and they aren't cheap. The whips get a lot of wear-and-tear, so things like bleed valve knobs are replaced frequently. Every 200 hours the oil in the compressor is changed, and they charge more for compressor oil than the Mobil-1 synthetic oil I use in my cars.
As stated earlier, the air is absolutely moisture free in our system. Our air quality is checked and certified, which costs the shop money.
While running the compressor, we bleed the system of water and oil from 3 separate bleed valves. This byproduct must be sent to a recycle center, which charges our shop for disposal.
When I "hot-fill" 3000psi tanks, I typically take them up to 3400 psi. Generally, the tanks start at around 1500'ish psi. When the tanks cool to room temperature, they typically settle out at around 3000 psi. Of course this depends upon the ambient temperature.
I can see how on the face of things a fill can be expensive, but I assure you, filling tanks does not generate much if any income for our shop. We do it more for convenience to our customers, those taking classes from our shop, and in the hopes that while filling their tanks they will purchase other items.
Hope this explains a little about the costs and why fills can be expensive. If I didn't work at the shop and get free fills, I would be upset too. Just be happy that you don't have BCA's to fill (Avalanche airbag). The standard charge across the board is $20.00.
Our banked air system is hyper-filtered (4 times), and at full pressure, runs at 4000 psi. In order to attain a fill of 4500 psi, the tank is first filled off the banked system, and then is boosted (using a booster) from 4000 (provided the banks are full) to 4500 psi.
The booster takes a while to set up, and it is an expensive piece of equipment. I just checked into getting new o-rings for ours, and for giggles I asked what it would cost to replace it. I was told $4500.00. The banked system filters are replaced on a monthly basis during the busy season, and they aren't cheap. The whips get a lot of wear-and-tear, so things like bleed valve knobs are replaced frequently. Every 200 hours the oil in the compressor is changed, and they charge more for compressor oil than the Mobil-1 synthetic oil I use in my cars.
As stated earlier, the air is absolutely moisture free in our system. Our air quality is checked and certified, which costs the shop money.
While running the compressor, we bleed the system of water and oil from 3 separate bleed valves. This byproduct must be sent to a recycle center, which charges our shop for disposal.
When I "hot-fill" 3000psi tanks, I typically take them up to 3400 psi. Generally, the tanks start at around 1500'ish psi. When the tanks cool to room temperature, they typically settle out at around 3000 psi. Of course this depends upon the ambient temperature.
I can see how on the face of things a fill can be expensive, but I assure you, filling tanks does not generate much if any income for our shop. We do it more for convenience to our customers, those taking classes from our shop, and in the hopes that while filling their tanks they will purchase other items.
Hope this explains a little about the costs and why fills can be expensive. If I didn't work at the shop and get free fills, I would be upset too. Just be happy that you don't have BCA's to fill (Avalanche airbag). The standard charge across the board is $20.00.
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5 bucks filled my 90ci to 4500psi. at SCBA Safety Check, Inc. (www.scbasafety.com) location was relatively close to me so I took a drive today to check them out. Very knowledgeable staff.
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I guess I'm lucky our fire department only chargers 3 to $5 they have to be certified tanks
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Zoey, thanks for that comprehensive and detailed exegesis; it was very insightful. I've often wondered about that stuff, as I'm both an avid SCUBA diver and air gun enthusiast. I live in San Diego (Imperial Beach, actually), the Mecca of dive shops in California. Recently, it has become increasingly difficult to get my 4,500 psi tank filled at dive shops. Invariably, when I went to pick it up (usually the next day), it would be filled to only 4,000 psi. I got so tired of this that I bought an Omega Air Charger (with a Diablo Dry Air System) to fill my Omega 75 cu-ft 4,500 psi carbon fiber tank to fill my air guns. (I still use dive shops for my SCUBA tanks.) Can you give me some insight into this dynamic. Is it because the shops just don't want to take the time to top off the 4,500 psi tank, or is there some sort of liability issue involved with the high pressure tanks? Thanks 
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Marcella: That's a tough one to answer because every compressor system is different. Ours was custom built for us, as I'm sure many shops are. If I had to guess, I would say that they filled your tank to the maximum that their system allowed. That is unless of course they were previously able to fill to 4500 psi. If that's the case...then I'm not sure. Without a booster, I can't imagine that any shop would be able to completely fill one. Have you asked them? Maybe there is a simple/reasonable explanation?
Honestly, I'm the only one in the shop that will fill 4500psi tanks. The market for HP tank fills is pretty small, and frankly, the other guys just don't want to do it. It's a bit dangerous filling them as it really stresses the equipment to the maximum working pressures (downstream of the booster). I was told a story of one SCBA that was filled in our shop several years ago. Apparently, it was sitting on the floor and developed a severe leak (not sure where or why). I'm told the tank became a "floating projectile" in the back of the shop. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and nothing was damaged. I think this is what caused the other guys to avoid filling HP tanks.
As far as I know, there is no liability involved with filling them.
Thanks for the reply. I didn't think anyone was reading my chatter. On a side note, and not that you would, but I wouldn't fill my scuba tanks with the Omega. Blow-by oil vapors and condensation may end up in your breathing air, and as you can imagine, that could easily be a bad thing.
Honestly, I'm the only one in the shop that will fill 4500psi tanks. The market for HP tank fills is pretty small, and frankly, the other guys just don't want to do it. It's a bit dangerous filling them as it really stresses the equipment to the maximum working pressures (downstream of the booster). I was told a story of one SCBA that was filled in our shop several years ago. Apparently, it was sitting on the floor and developed a severe leak (not sure where or why). I'm told the tank became a "floating projectile" in the back of the shop. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and nothing was damaged. I think this is what caused the other guys to avoid filling HP tanks.
As far as I know, there is no liability involved with filling them.
Thanks for the reply. I didn't think anyone was reading my chatter. On a side note, and not that you would, but I wouldn't fill my scuba tanks with the Omega. Blow-by oil vapors and condensation may end up in your breathing air, and as you can imagine, that could easily be a bad thing.
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Thank you, Zoey; I was awaiting your reply . I always read other members' posts. I am truly interested in air gun technology. It doesn't bother me that dive shops do not fill my 4,500 psi tank to capacity. What irritated me was that I would always call in advance and explain exactly my situation. I would be assured that this was no problem to fill my tank to 4,500 psi. Invariably, when I went to pick up the tank, it would be under-filled.
I agree with you that my inability to find a dive shop to fit the bill is a combination of inadequate equipment, apathy, and liability. In fact, I was talking with Brad at AOA and he told me that there was a remarkable uptick in compressor sales here of late. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a function of this dynamic.
I can relate to the "floating projectile" thang. When I was in the Navy, we hit some rough seas and a fire extinguisher fell off the bulkhead and became a missile when the valve broke off! Luckily, no one was hurt and the thing quickly ran out of steam, as it were, because of the relatively low pressure. But that's nothing compared to the damage a ruptured 4,500 psi tank could do!
No, I would never fill my SCUBA tank with my Omega! I get the whole breathable air, thang. I bought the Omega Air Charger exclusively for my air guns. Thanks for your timely reply!
. I always read other members' posts. I am truly interested in air gun technology. It doesn't bother me that dive shops do not fill my 4,500 psi tank to capacity. What irritated me was that I would always call in advance and explain exactly my situation. I would be assured that this was no problem to fill my tank to 4,500 psi. Invariably, when I went to pick up the tank, it would be under-filled.I agree with you that my inability to find a dive shop to fit the bill is a combination of inadequate equipment, apathy, and liability. In fact, I was talking with Brad at AOA and he told me that there was a remarkable uptick in compressor sales here of late. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a function of this dynamic.
I can relate to the "floating projectile" thang. When I was in the Navy, we hit some rough seas and a fire extinguisher fell off the bulkhead and became a missile when the valve broke off! Luckily, no one was hurt and the thing quickly ran out of steam, as it were, because of the relatively low pressure. But that's nothing compared to the damage a ruptured 4,500 psi tank could do!
No, I would never fill my SCUBA tank with my Omega! I get the whole breathable air, thang. I bought the Omega Air Charger exclusively for my air guns. Thanks for your timely reply!
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NOTHING! I just bought an Omega Air Charger, and damn glad to get the dive shop monkey off my back . When I did get my Omega 75 cu-ft 4,500 psi carbon fiber tank filled at a local dive shop (I live in Imperial Beach, CA), I was charged $9, but it would fill it to only 4,000 psi.
. When I did get my Omega 75 cu-ft 4,500 psi carbon fiber tank filled at a local dive shop (I live in Imperial Beach, CA), I was charged $9, but it would fill it to only 4,000 psi.Upvote 0