Official Thread - Alkin owners - check in!

[RCope]

I meant bottles not the tank. You mentioned 10 seconds to fill a bottle that installs on the gun.

I mentioned that. The HW44 and the Notos have small air reservoirs, so it literally just takes a few seconds to fill them from the tank. I don't have a higher capacity bottle rifle yet. I don't think anybody fills their gun reservoirs (bottle or tube) directly from the Alkin. The Alkin fills the tank to 4500psi then from tank to gun....

 

[Ca_Varminter]

Any Scuba compressor is not suited to fill a PCP's bottle or reservoir.
This is due to the HIGH Volume of HPA it pumps out!!!
So that is why you use a large HPA Tank to fill your PCP..i.e. SCUBA/SCBA tank
To fill your PCP multiple times before it needs to refilled by the compressor.

Or there another solution.. It still uses a large HPA tank... It is know as a Fill-Station..

The compressor is directly plumbed into the Tank. Then the tank is plumbed to a filling setup..
You still will do multiple PCP fills before you fire up the compressor to fill the Tank!

 

[Skydivingmiami]

I meant bottles not the tank. You mentioned 10 seconds to fill a bottle that installs on the gun.

I don't fill directly to my guns from my alkin not sure who may but I do not.

I fill my carbon tank and then fill my gun with the tank. 10 mins or less to top off a carbon tank from 3k to 4500 psi.

 

[Ezana4CE]

... The HW44 and the Notos have small air reservoirs, so it literally just takes a few seconds to fill them from the tank. I don't have a higher capacity bottle rifle yet. I don't think anybody fills their gun reservoirs (bottle or tube) directly from the Alkin.

What was asked below is essentially just that. It’s not the first time I’ve read someone mention doing so. Doesn’t make sense to me.

How did you keep from over filling your bottles?

I meant bottles not the tank. You mentioned 10 seconds to fill a bottle that installs on the gun.

These questions are vague, therefore ambiguous. It is difficult to determine exactly what @RFORESTR is asking. If the question is referring to filling a gun’s reservoir from a SCBA tank, once the fill whip is securely connected to the rifle, be sure that the bleed valve is securely closed and slowly crack the valve on the SCBA tank. Then watch the pressure gauge (manometer) on your rifle. Once you’re close to the desired pressure start closing the SCBA tank valve. Once it’s completely closed, open the bleed valve to relieve pressure in the fill whip. Finally disconnect your fill whip from the gun.

 

[Skydivingmiami]

I don't fill directly to my guns from my alkin not sure who may but I do not.

I fill my carbon tank and then fill my gun with the tank. 10 mins or less to top off a carbon tank from 3k to 4500 psi.

Where is the original post that says 10 secs to fill from alkin to gun? Because I don't remember posting anything like that.

I said 10 mins or less to top off a carbon bottle. Unless someone else posted that and I'm confused.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Skydivingmiami I think what's important is that people understand that the Alkin W31 Mariner is a heavy duty compressor built to provide breathing-quality high-pressure air for SCBA and SCUBA tanks, not airgun reservoirs. I read back a couple of pages and I can't see where this guy is getting a 10 second fill time from.

 

[rcs9250]

@Skydivingmiami I think what's important is that people understand that the Alkin W31 Mariner is a heavy duty compressor built to provide breathing-quality high-pressure air for SCBA and SCUBA tanks, not airgun reservoirs. I read back a couple of pages and I can't see where this guy is getting a 10 second fill time from.

No doubt on a tube or bottle gun. If you did it would take the compressor its normal amount of time to pressurize the first, then second stage, then pressurize the drier and then ten seconds to fill gun. So basically keep your finger on the ON OFF switch on machines with manual shut off. Best to buy an SCBA. There’s another $500 to $800 to tac on to the buy once cry once plan. Been there done that.

 

[Ca_Varminter]

Well to reiterate what I said in my post ABOVE..
Any Full sized HPA Compressor.. Made to refill SCUBA/SCBA ARE NOT SUITED TO FILL A PCP'S bottle or reservoir!!!!
This due to the High Volume of HPA Produced!!!!!!!
In the case of the W31... 3.5 cu ft/min!!!

 

[JamesD.]

I’m glad you guys like them.
I wish Alkin would have gone with me and my much lower asking price.
If anyone wants to sell one for 2500 let me know. Otherwise I can hand pump until I die.

 

[Skydivingmiami]

Talked one of my buddies on the forum to get an alkin.. he is loving his!
Got no complaints on mine. Connect tank and go! Won't ever go back to one of those cheap sub $500 compressors again

 

[Bigragu]

My Alkin is getting a workout these last couple of weeks, topping off two tanks every other day. Between a friends impact and another guys marauder I’m finishing up, plus revisiting my own marauder and starting up on my Epoch 30 cal, I’m blowing thru a lot of air.

There’s never a time I take my 2004 model year Alkin for granted. With 56 hours on it, it’s still chugging along like brand new. I’ll actually be babying that thing shortly, with service of a new filter and oil change

 

[Skydivingmiami]

My Alkin is getting a workout these last couple of weeks, topping off two tanks every other day. Between a friends impact and another guys marauder I’m finishing up, plus revisiting my own marauder and starting up on my Epoch 30 cal, I’m blowing thru a lot of air.

There’s never a time I take my 2004 model year Alkin for granted. With 56 hours on it, it’s still chugging along like brand new. I’ll actually be babying that thing shortly, with service of a new filter and oil change

good to hear she's working like new! I wish I used mine more to be honest, just not shooting enough like I used to. Hopefully in the future I will

 

[Skydivingmiami]

Noticed in the other forum prices are going up 5k+ for a new one.. crazy how inflation is affecting all of us. Auto shutoff would be nice, but mines a manual.

 

[7Green]

Noticed in the other forum prices are going up 5k+ for a new one.. crazy how inflation is affecting all of us. Auto shutoff would be nice, but mines a manual.

Crazy because I paid 3k around covid year.

 

[F6Hawk]

I have a .pdf hanging by my compressor fill. Just to avoid any errors. The only reason I use this sequence is its quicker for me to open my SCBA bottle bleed instead of bending over. My bottle is holder height.


View attachment 271917

Why not use a micro hose?

 

[rcs9250]

That’s a good question. Some people might. On a compressor with auto shut off it is probably safe because if the restricted flow rate of the microbore causes pressure to spike to your set pressure the compressor just shuts off. Then the pressure in the microbore will drop and compressor will restart (against some high pressure).
In the case with no auto shut off the pressure in the microbore will spike, and if you aren’t watching your fill whip pressure the over pressure valve “should” open and start hissing air. If you can hear it over the compressor noise.
There shouldn’t be any fear of blowing a microbore but just makes filling a pain.
And again, all of the above is valid only if the microbore is too restrictive compared to the compressors scfm.

Brancato’s tank valve is designed so that when filling your gun you want a slow flow rate. The valve just lets air flow through a restrictor. But when refilling the SCBA with the compressor the Brancato tank valve allows a much higher flow rate into the SCBA so as not to cause too much back pressure. Good thinking.
Also, some people, and mine does, will have a extended female quick connect Foster that has a restrictor for nice slow fills to the guns tank. Those Fosters restrict in both directions, so if a microbore has one of those on it, the restriction will slow things even more.
All you can do is try and see how it works.

 

[Bigragu]

Any Scuba compressor is not suited to fill a PCP's bottle or reservoir.
This is due to the HIGH Volume of HPA it pumps out!!!
So that is why you use a large HPA Tank to fill your PCP..i.e. SCUBA/SCBA tank
To fill your PCP multiple times before it needs to refilled by the compressor.

Or there another solution.. It still uses a large HPA tank... It is know as a Fill-Station..

The compressor is directly plumbed into the Tank. Then the tank is plumbed to a filling setup..
You still will do multiple PCP fills before you fire up the compressor to fill the Tank!

CA Varminter- can you explain in detail how your system works? I understand how it all works but my questions are what keeps air from flowing past the tank when doing a top off, and straight into that small box on the table? Lastly, when opening up the tanks valve to get air into that small box, what keeps the air from back flowing towards the compressor? Common sense tells me you have check valves in place but I don’t see them.
Maybe a close up pic of the connections up at the tank, and that small box, what is that, anyway? Do you have a link to that contraption so I can see how it works?

 

[Ca_Varminter]

Hi Bigragu.
The setup is not mine... but a Commercial Paintball setup by Curly@Airetex

The Tank plumbing includes a check valve... So this will isolate the compressor .
So the Air will only flow in one direction, from the Compressor to the Tee fitting/tank/fill station.

So the small box [Paintball Fill Station] is a flow valve and pressure Gauge....
It also came with a Regulator. So it only would fill to a Set Pressure.....

 

[rcs9250]

From Alkin New Jersey website.

Paintball Fill Station | Alkin Compressors

Alkin knows no borders. We manufacture high quality fill stations that will last. Our fill panels and fill stations are favored internationally by dive shops, small paintball/airsoft shops and large paintball fields and parks. Access our online store to find standard labels and blocks for...

www.alkinus.com

 

[oldsparky]

There were two issues I had when I first tried filling my tank. There was so mush restriction that the pressure relief would open on my compressor. When I used the micro hose. But connecting to the bottle directly I didnt have the back pressure issue. then I found there was a flow restrictor inside my female fitting that could be removed that I didnt know was there. Maybe I could use the micro hose with the restrictor removed but I have never tried. after removing the restrictor.