Fill Station(s) and Tank(s) Question

[hostage]

My club is interesting in creating our own field, since most of us will be using N2/Compressed Air we want to get a fill station. We are looking to spend $1,000.00. Any ideas on what we need to get, we are looking for pressures of between 3k-4500psi. Also what type of scuba tanks should we get if there are any pro's out there that knows about this stuff and what are things we should watch out for and what to we need totally?
Thanks,
Doron

[krafty]

Consider renting bulk tanks... if there will be lots of players using HPA, scuba fills won't last long (even if you cascade several tanks.)

[mithin]

What you want to do is contact your local welders supply store and ask about renting 300 Cu Feet Nitrogen Tanks. They cost about $60 per fill and only like 30cents a day to rent! thats like $7 a month. This route is much cheaper then purchasing scuba tanks which will only get you a couple fills. You need a truck or something to haul this around in though. The fill stations run about $100.. The welding supply store wont have these you need to check a local paintball shop. Make sure the setup you get has a presure release.

Ive got 2 of these tanks and they are great. I can play anywhere I want and it actually saves money vs buying air from fields.

The fields make the whole air setup look expensive but its really not. Its actually cheaper then a couple cases of paint If you plan on having the tanks a year or so you can get a lease for even less then $7 a month but you pay for the whole year in one bill.

[luke]

I think scuba tanks are the way to go.

They run around $100 each, used. (that's what I/we paid) Fill stations are around $30 each. Scuba air is clean and the tanks are light, and fills run me $3, you can't beat that!

The problem with renting from your local welding store is that the tanks are large, heavy and expensive, and the air is not clean like scuba air.

If you can acquire scuba fills in your area, I suggest that's the route you go. I doubt you'll be disappointed if you do...

added on edit: Cascading (multiple tanks) fills is the way to go, 4 tanks would be a great start, and it's in your price range!

[nippinout]

Use your brain!

High pressure tanks can easily overfill a paintball tank. You need to keep your eye on the bulk tank's gauges, not the paintball tank's.

And SCUBA fills will only limit the amount you can have. In order to be used for multiple people, you need multiple SCUBA tanks to cascade fills off of.

I say go for the bulk tank and read up on fill safety, and keep asking questions until you know the ins and outs of filling safely.

Only allow folks who know how to safely fill to use the fill station.

Good luck!

EDIT:

When you take the fill adaptor off, hang onto it when you bleed the line. You could wack yourself with it pretty bad, coworker of mine split her lower lip once.

[mithin]

If you are worried about overfilling a tank you can get 2400 psi tanks from a welding shop for alot cheaper then the 4500 ones. No worrys about going over the psi limit then.

Problems with scuba tanks is that you only get a few fills then you need to refill(how long is the drive to the local scuba shop?). With a Bulk tank you can get around 80 or so fills before needing to take a trip.

Tips:
Always use gloves
Keep Face AWAY from burst disk/bleed valves
Point the paintball tank away from anyone incase it decides to become a rocket.

Oh another thing CO2 filling is totally differnt then Nitrogen. For C02 you need a scale to see how much gas you are putting in the tank because there is no regulator on a C02 tank. NEVER fill a C02 tank without a scale.

Fill station is about $100
Nitrogen fills on 2 welder tanks is about $100(50 each)
Rental is $14 a month(7 each)

Total cost for filling 160 tanks? $214 + $14 each month after that. If you charge $2 a fill you just about break even. You still have enough money left out of the thousand to buy a couple kegs!


As for C02 the fill stations are cheap like $30 and you can get a scale for $15. Since you are already going to the welders supply every once in awhile it pays to just go ahead and get a C02 tank so others can play with your team. The fills cost about the same $40 for a bulk tank. So for under $300 you can fill anything and charging $3-4 a fill you can recoup your expenses and have a group slush fund.

All and all the gases are reasonability priced and the more industry in your area the better the prices.

[hostage]

sorry my bad, we already have a feel station, I ment a compressor. We are intested in a a compressor
-Doron

[FalconGuy016]

Yeah... I was about to say, why not get a compressor with all that money.
The only people I know about are http://www.bauercomp.com/norfolk/paintball/ and their site is under construction for paintball. However they do have products, and if you want to give them a call they can probably help you out. They have a wide variety of compressors.

[xen_100]

I think a compressor will be out of that $1000 budget. most bauer compressors I have seen are about $2-5000 depending on what size you get. filling from a compressor takes a LONG time too.(unless you use it to keep a scuba filled. but that would cost even more)

[hostage]

how about purchasing a booster and renting the n2 tanks?
-Doron

[hitech]

For reference, here is a compressor for sale:

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=69752

[xen_100]

Originally posted by hostage
how about purchasing a booster and renting the n2 tanks?
-Doron

ok, that would more......a booster is about $3000-3500. plus the cost of the N2 tanks.

the cheapest way would be to get 1 or 2 6000PSI N2 tanks and a tank reg/fill station. those are about $250 plus $7 a month to rent the tanks. you just have to have a vehicle(truck) to carry them. they weigh about 150 lbs.

[silenttype]

Scuba tanks

You guys that say you only get a few fills from scuba tanks, dont know what the hell you are talking about.
I'll fill my 80 cube scuba tank, and then fill my 45 bottle at least 25 times the first few will be around 3000 psi and slowly work down to around 2000 psi where you can fill alot of small bottles and still play alot untill the scuba tank is empty.
The trick is to do the first fill off of the lowest scuba tank you have, then top it off with the fuller tank.
Ill play all day with my buddies ,and we all share the 1 scuba tank I bring.
Any scuba store will fill them for around 3-4 $.
Problem is you are supose to have a scuba certification to fill them,but tell them its for paintball only and they will probly fill it.
these tanks need a visual inspection each year ,and a hydro inspection every 5 yrs.
they are easy to take with you and give you tons of air to play with and work on your markers.
well worth the initial expense tank costs 130.00$ fill station 30.00$

[hostage]

Well we are a club of regulars who have about 8-10 people who play regularly together, we could easily get 30ish a day if we had a field for cheaper costs.
-Doron

[silenttype]

Ive seen compressors on ebay all the time