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**jdu** · August 9th, 09:29 PM

Is there any way you can refill you CO2 tanks at home?

**big_balla** · August 9th, 09:31 PM

You can buy a fill station, and fill them yourself. I think you need a license or something of the sort, tho (not sure on this.)

Mike

**CoolHipJim56** · August 9th, 09:33 PM

You would have to buy/rent the large Co2 canisters, and use a fill station and scale to fill them, its more trouble than its worth really.

**outlaner_0990** · August 9th, 10:08 PM

and no, you don't have to have a license to fill your own. you do if want to *legally* charge others to fill their's.

**HP_lovecraft** · August 10th, 01:27 PM

Bulk tanks are rather expensive to rent.
SO, its nor really cost effective unless you either plan on filling a huge amount of tanks, or, already have a HYDROTESTED bulk tank laying around.

Plus, you'll also need a fill station, but those can be as cheap as you want them to be. The more expensive ones are just easier to use. My first fill was on a $2 "no valve" fill station.
Pain to use, but $2 is $2

Nick

hockeyplaya29 · August 11th, 12:14 AM

actually it is very nice filling ur own c02. my dentist plays with me and he rents a big c02 tank and fills it for free for me all the time. i now have a cocker and use compressed air but i still fill for my tippy

**tmaxx_2.5** · August 11th, 02:26 PM

i fill my co2 tanks, and everyone elses when they need it, i charge $2-3 and everyones happy

**GBRudy16** · August 11th, 02:52 PM

umm not encouraging just sharing a story from my younger days. But back when my friend worked at subway. well the pop machines run on co2 so we would get at least 5 fills a week then we started charging. Anyway as far as I know. You can put a deposit on the small 25 pound co2 tanks for beverages and use it if you have a buisness, it doesn't hurt to contact your local coke or pepsi distributor and ask about it. Though sometimes there are plastic things in place that make getting a fill station on it hard just be inventive... Hack saw

**jdu** · August 11th, 04:00 PM

So, is its cheaper to have the CO2 filled at a paintball store rather than filling your own?

**HP_lovecraft** · August 14th, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdu

So, is its cheaper to have the CO2 filled at a paintball store rather than filling your own?

Usually. It all depends on how many you need to fill.
Its more usefull if you play at alot of fields that have inconsistent, or very expensive fills.

Also, if you do rent one, MAKE SURE IT COMES WITH A SIPHON installed. Those tanks they use for SODA usually DO NOT, and it is very difficult to use non-siphon tanks for fills. (you have to suspend them upside down, which is rather dangerous)

Nick

**Javaman** · August 16th, 12:03 PM

I bought a 25lb one from a local hardware store for around $60 or so bucks. They charge $12 for a cylinder exchange so my fill cost is extremely low. Since we play outlaw ball, I fill other's tanks for free and accept donations until I reach $12 again for the next exchange. Please keep in mind that filling can be dangerous. Part of the problem is how easy it seems to be. Since there are only a couple of steps many people think that there is nothing to it and ignore basic safety steps and take the "beast of high pressure" for granted. You really need to know what you are doing and pay attention while doing it. HPA which at 4500PSI has the same amount of force as 2 cars on top of each other standing on a spot as small as a coke bottle top. Respect it.

**Cooper** · August 16th, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HP_lovecraft

Usually. It all depends on how many you need to fill.
Its more usefull if you play at alot of fields that have inconsistent, or very expensive fills.

Also, if you do rent one, MAKE SURE IT COMES WITH A SIPHON installed. Those tanks they use for SODA usually DO NOT, and it is very difficult to use non-siphon tanks for fills. (you have to suspend them upside down, which is rather dangerous)

Nick

HP, your right/wrong on this. I hate to say. This all depends on your area and where you get them refilled. Like I said a few times, we've had our own fill station and canister for a while now and its payed for itself atleast four times over. Then again, we get a refill on our bulk at $20 maybe more in your area. Of course, we also get our scuba tanks filled up for free. So we pay nothing for HP tanks refills.
We get our scubas done for free by the fire dept. in our area, they fill up ours and pat us on the head and send us on our way. Course, we also have a guy on the Fire dept. and, I'm going to be on it soon. But, I mean, you can get this stuff done cheaply, just got to know who to talk to.
Though, your right, they can be trouble if you let them get too cold and freeze up, but thats solved by keeping the tank moderately warm- warm enough to not allow it to freeze up, but not TOO warm that it'll blow up. But, if you keep it in room temp. like in a well kept garage or something, or a building that stays warm, it'll be fine. Like I say, they pay for themselves, especially if you get a bulk tank that comes with its own anti syphon. Yeah, they come with those, and it gives outstanding fills.

**Javaman** · August 16th, 01:21 PM

You probably meant syphon instead of anti.

It's a bit dangerous (Not so much if you have helpers holding the tank) but I prefer to use fill tanks without a syphon tube. The tank needs to be tilted valve assembly down a bit but the bonus is that it's much easier to fill tanks that aren't chilled. By skipping the syphon tube I get liquid right away into the tank so I don't need to fill/bleed before I get to the liquid. Normally with a syphon tube the PB tank equilizes pressure before the liquid makes it there necessitating a bleed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooper

Like I say, they pay for themselves, especially if you get a bulk tank that comes with its own anti syphon. Yeah, they come with those, and it gives outstanding fills.

**Cooper** · August 16th, 02:36 PM

Yeah, I meant syphon I just got up when I posted that, and terms where running onto one another.

**OLD FART** · August 16th, 10:39 PM

It sounds like it would be a little safer and easier to go to nitro. More shots per tank, Scuba tank and fill station will pay for itself in a few of months (atleast as much as I shoot) The local scuba shop charges $2 to fill w/ VIP Card that costs $5.

**Cooper** · August 16th, 11:06 PM

Yeah, Air is the cheapest I think. You can get it filled cheap depending on the area.

**OLD FART** · August 16th, 11:11 PM

Yes it does help to live on the coast

**Cooper** · August 16th, 11:58 PM

Like I said earlier, our scuba's done for free by our local fire dept. lol. all the gear payed for itself in like, a month.

Goldpanner · July 12th, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolHipJim56

You would have to buy/rent the large Co2 canisters, and use a fill station and scale to fill them, its more trouble than its worth really.

If you don't go thru much CO2 then yea it would be too much trouble, but we go thru about "1" 50 lb CO2 tank every 30 days or less, and it works out to about 6 to 8 cents an ounce to fill a tank of yours, so if you fill your 20 oz tank to 18 ozs it would cost you $1.08 to $1.44 to fill your own, vs what we'd pay here locally $5.50 per 20 oz tank, and they don't alway fill it properly or some of them wreck your o-rings doing it, I had one place fill my tanks and he only put in 10 ozs approx per tank, I got home and weighed them, he didn't chill them properly, so on the next round I watched him do it and sure enough 10 to 11 ozs and he couldn't get no more in, so of course I complained and they gave us a couple of free refills, that is when I went all the way and started filling my own.

But if you do fill your own don't fill to the tanks rated capacity, 16 to 18 ozs is a safe region on a 20 oz tank, 6 to 7 ozs on a 9oz tank, allows for expansion in hot weather and it helps a bit on keeping liquid CO2 out of your marker which can wreck the o-rings and valves.

Hope this helps