how do electros work

[DanMan]

I know how all the mechs work, but how do the different types of electropneumatics work? I always see little videos of how cockers and mags work, but what about an angle or aka or ego?

[going_home]

With batteries.

[DanMan]

come on man, i have a general idea but what is the difference between the different types?

[Coralis]

Marker animations (http://www.zdspb.com/tech/misc/animations.html)

[Toll]

There are 3 basic types of electros.

Rammers
Spool valved
Seer trippers.

Rammer/tripper types work in the same way basically, as a hammer or ram hits the valve, opens it, fires the paintball. This process is controlled either by a seer (which is electronically actuated) or by a solenoid (which lets air flow into the ram, pushes it forward,etc)

Spool valves I can't explain for the life of me. They operate on moving the bolt forward and using air pressure to do the process. They are generally quieter and offer less kick but are less air efficient.

[DanMan]

I am thinking that an ego is like an electro cocker with the mq valve. Do i have the right idea?

[DanMan]

Marker animations (http://www.zdspb.com/tech/misc/animations.html)
you are awesome :clap:

[DanMan]

I am thinking that an ego is like an electro cocker with the mq valve. Do i have the right idea?
:rofl: looked at the animation boy did i get that wrong

[halB]

An ego is basically a very small and compact spyder. That's not a knock against them.

I guess I'll take a whack at explaining spool valves.

It's all in the bolt. You know how in the automag, air pushes the bolt out of the powertube, and when the powertube opens up enough, air rushes past the bolt, through the bolt, and to the paintball?

Same thing as a spool. The air pushes the bolt, until the bolt goes past an opening, which allows the air to course through the bolt to the ball, firing it. The only difference is a mag uses a spring to return the bolt, while the spool takes the air through a second air passage in front of the bolt, which pushes the bolt back. And also, mags are actuated by constantly being under pressure (that makes them unbalanced I believe), which is relieved by a sear, whilst a spool valve doesn't put the pressure on the bolt until you click the trigger (and it directs the air there with a solenoid.)

You'd think Tom Kaye would use his patent to put SP and their vibes and ions out of business. Surely he could claim that his patent covers the IDEA of that as it is applied to all paintball guns.

(I know it's a scummy thing to do Mr. Kaye, but if only scummy people do scummy things, then they will always win.)

[Hilltop Customs]

With batteries.

lol....best answer posted

[athomas]

Spool valved guns work using air to push the bolt forward to the point that they open an air passage and release air to the ball. The return of the bolt really can be any method depending on design. The mag is a spool design that uses a spring to return the bolt. The matrix is a spool design that uses air to return the bolt. Both use differential pressure to fire the gun. In the mag, once the sear is removed, the chamber pressure exceeds the spring pressure and bolt moves forward. When the air is gone, the spring pressure exceeds the chamber pressure and the bolt returns. In the matrix, air holds the bolt back. When you release the holding air, the forward air pressure pushes the bolt foreward. In the next stage, the air is reapplied to the front of the bolt or to a piston like surface or edge that forces the bolt back.

Timmy's, angels, egos, etc are stacked tube designs. They push the bolt forward using a pneumatic ram. The ram is separate from the bolt, but is often connected to the bolt. The ram is also used to open a poppet valve that releases air through the bolt. Its this air that propels the ball. The ram may be returned by air or spring.

Sear trippers can be either spool or poppet. An emag is a sear tripper, but is also a spool valve. An electro spyder is a sear tripper, but is also a stacked tube design that Timmies are based on. Sear trippers are guns that hold the bolt and/or firing mechanism in place using a mechanical means. The sear is generally pulled out of the way using an electronic mechanical solenoid.

There are many variations of similar designs. They all work basically the same as their primary design. ie; spool valves all work the same, stacked tubes work the same, etc.

[B-Pow]

I perfer to think of it as magical elves and gnomes...

No serisouly a few of the posts here describe the actuation quite well. The animations are probably your best bet because a picture says 1,000 words..a moving picture says at least 1,001...probably more :p