Filling HPA while tank is still on gun.....?

[Skoad]

I played the other day, not sure if it was the Freak, cold weather, or just the paint that was acting rotten but i broke every other ball....

Anyway I went to get my 68/4500 tank filled in between games and before i had the thing unscrewed the guy at the register said he could fill it while it was connected to the gun just fine. I was a little iffy about doing it but i let him, nothing bad happened this time...

Is it OK to do this? (i have mag w/classic valve and running macroline) In my mind i pictured something going shooting off my gun while filling

[FooTemps]

it's fine... That's how my tanks get filled @ the field.

[LaW]

Thats how I do it.... i don't even bother taking it off the marker

[FESTUS33]

That's alway's been one of the great
advantages of compressed air tank's.
Rick :eek:

[ben_JD]

Keep in mind that many tanks cannot be unscrewed from their markers before filling; they are semi-permenantly attached to the markers.

Leaving it on the marker while filling is one of the fantastic advantages to HPA and why there is a seperate fill nipple.

[shartley]

What they all said.... ;)

[digitard]

Hehe,
Especially if you have a JT drop down that seems to not like HPA tank threads ... My friends almost ate my PMI tank last weekend!

Sincerely,
Dave K

[Reo5th]

I used to think so, until I got my new style 88/4500 maxflo. I left the tank 'on' and began filling off of my scuba. About 10 seconds into the fill, I heard a violent hissing sound. I freaked out and turned the scuba off. Next thing I knew, the macro attatched to my gun exploded, leaving a welt on my wrist where i was holding my gun. Note to all Maxflo users...read the manual before using the tank ;)

[Wc Keep]

what if my tank is completely empty. should i just hold down the trigger so my gun doesnt prematurely shoot?

[ogre55]

Originally posted by Reo5th
I used to think so, until I got my new style 88/4500 maxflo. I left the tank 'on' and began filling off of my scuba. About 10 seconds into the fill, I heard a violent hissing sound. I freaked out and turned the scuba off. Next thing I knew, the macro attatched to my gun exploded, leaving a welt on my wrist where i was holding my gun. Note to all Maxflo users...read the manual before using the tank ;)

I had the same HPA setup as you. The exact same thing happened to me. After looking at the tank and thinking about it for a while, I figured it out. When you leave the MaxFlow in the on position when filing your tank, the air coming into the gun starts spiking, due to the rapid rate of fill. Macroline is not designed to handle these spikes.

However, you do not have to disconnect the whole setup just to fill the tank. All you have to do is turn the regulator off , thereby insuring that the input pressure will not be effected by the tank being filled. Another precaution (which I have adapted) is to switch to steel hosing.

Ogre

[Reo5th]

I'm still a die hard macro fan, and I know Tunaman sticks to macro also. I figured out that you have to have to turn of the reg eventually. Just two days ago though, i was filling my tank, and when the pressure got up to about 1800, i heard air coming out of my macro. I thought "oh, I must have left the reg on." When I found out it was off, i disconnected the tank and bled the rest of the air out of tank immediately. After doing some reading, I learned that the on/off o-ring (part 494) most likely needed to be re-lubed or replaced.

[ogre55]

Yea the on/off o-ring is a pain in the back end. I have two of these tanks and I have had to replace the thing several times. If you have a leak in your output, even when the tank is off, that is most likely the problem. If you need any more help, PM me.

Ogre

[LaW]

Originally posted by Reo5th
I used to think so, until I got my new style 88/4500 maxflo. I left the tank 'on' and began filling off of my scuba. About 10 seconds into the fill, I heard a violent hissing sound. I freaked out and turned the scuba off. Next thing I knew, the macro attatched to my gun exploded, leaving a welt on my wrist where i was holding my gun. Note to all Maxflo users...read the manual before using the tank ;)


Honestly, you should always have the reg turned off so there is no air shooting into the marker when you start to fill the tank. I sort of see this as an obvious precaution.

[Reo5th]

Do you think I'll need to replace the o-ring itself, of just clean it? I need to know if i need to go pick up some replacements.

Thanks again.

[Evil Bob]

As a general rule of thumb, anytime you exit the field of play, you should isolate your marker from it's air supply (degas it) so that there is no safty concerns for you or anyone who might be handling your marker (including the guy filling the HPA bottle). Almost all eye related injuries happen off of the field where people are not wearing any sort of protection and the marker fires unintentionally.

Relying on the safty alone is not good enough, you should discharge the air so there is no way at all the marker will fire.

-Evil Bob

[ogre55]

Originally posted by Reo5th
Do you think I'll need to replace the o-ring itself, of just clean it? I need to know if i need to go pick up some replacements.

Thanks again.

You will have to take a look at it to see if it has any nicks. If it is ok, just lube it and put it back in. If you see even the slightest deformaty, replace it. Reinstalling the o-ring will be the the most difficult part of the procedure.

You should have received one replacement on/off o-ring with your tank.

Ogre

[ogre55]

Originally posted by Evil Bob
As a general rule of thumb, anytime you exit the field of play, you should isolate your marker from it's air supply (degas it) so that there is no safty concerns for you or anyone who might be handling your marker (including the guy filling the HPA bottle). Almost all eye related injuries happen off of the field where people are not wearing any sort of protection and the marker fires unintentionally.

Relying on the safty alone is not good enough, you should discharge the air so there is no way at all the marker will fire.

-Evil Bob

Bob, while I see your point, I do not agree, only because it would be inpractical in most circumstances. Strict enforcement of barrel plug/bag rules should be more than adaquate. As an added precaution, I would suggest making sure that your saftey is on, or your marker is turned off. However, completely degassing the marker is overkill and it is impractical when games are being played quickly.

Ogre

[Reo5th]

I agree Ogre, while its easy for some to flip a switch and eliminate airflow, for others the procedure can tank a substatial ammount of time. The current safety procedures have worked and should continue to work.

Also, I bought my tank used...no o-ring for me.

I'm hoping my local proshop will have one.