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GTA Regional Shooting Events => SanDiego California Shooting Events Discussion => : vhag August 10, 2009, 11:21:05 AM

: scba tank help
: vhag August 10, 2009, 11:21:05 AM
ok guys i got one  of the scba thanks today and i need to  fill it out, i took it to sport chalet  and they dont have the fitting  to  fill it, then i took it to the fire department  and they say  they  can't do it  so i feel really  bad  i need help
: RE: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 10, 2009, 11:39:56 AM
That stinks!  I'm not yet a member of the 'dark side' but I'm interested to find out good places to fill down the road.  I think Rich mentioned he goes to Velocity Paintball.

This thread on the Yellow forum might give a couple of resources anyway:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/thread/1176598884/4500+Psi+fills+in+San+Diego+Ca-

: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 10, 2009, 11:44:46 AM
casey
thanks a bunch, i actually took it to sport chalet and they say  i need a adapter  to get it fill  so where in hell i get a adapter
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 10, 2009, 11:46:15 AM
Where did you get your SCBA tank from?  Do you have a pic?  I don't know how much help I'll be but I'm curious to see your setup.
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 10, 2009, 11:48:31 AM
is the ones joe brancato  sells on the yellow
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 10, 2009, 11:51:57 AM
here  is  the pic of the  valve  http://gallery.me.com/vhag/100066/DSC03128/web.jpg?ver=12499480790001
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 10, 2009, 07:04:13 PM
Just checked out Joe Brancato's site.  Based on his description, if you can't fill directly from SCBA (fire station I guess?) you would need an adapter.

Go to his site http://www.hamcontact.com/airgun/HoseAssembly/

Scroll down to AIR TANK FILL ADAPTERS.  The first 2 items look like what you would need - 1 to fill at a dive shop, the other at a paintball shop with Foster connections.  I'd probably give Joe a call or email to be sure.

-Casey
: RE: scba tank help
: jonnnyboy August 11, 2009, 01:32:29 AM
I just got an scba hose adapter from Joe Brancato and he is a great person to deal with.  The first thing you need to do is to find out from Sport Chalet exactly what fitting they use to fill from.  Second, call Joe Brancato and tell him exactly what Sport Chalet said they had.  Then, voila, Joe will come up with what you need.  It may cost some, but the adapter I got from him is topnotch and I never expect to have any problem with it!

Blessings, Joe
: RE: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 03:57:04 AM
I bought my aluminum scuba tank from Sport Chalet...it only takes 3000 fill,but I just use it to top my guns anyway(Disco,850 HPA)....

Velocity Paint Ball told me about a dive shop in El Cajon and I get my scuba filled there(closer that going to Sport Chalet)...

Victor: post pic of your tank....is it a used tank..?? Does it have a K70 valve or Din Valve...??

Here is my scuba/K70 valve set up...got fill adapter from MAC 1...I remove my "gun fill adapter" when I take Scuba in for fill...


(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/richwoods/Floor005.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/richwoods/?action=view¤t=Floor005.jpg)


: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 04:00:14 AM
here is my tank    http://gallery.me.com/vhag/100066/DSC03131/web.jpg?ver=12499679860001
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 04:12:33 AM
Take it to a dive shop and see what they say....(I had to sign a waiver to get mine filled because I don't have a Divers card)....

I'm thinking of buying a steel scuba tank from Sport Chalet as it will take a 3440 psi fill and use it just for my 850 HPA gun......cheap at $280.00..(my aluminum tank cost $149.)..I've looked at all the other options...Airhog is very expensive...and so are JOEs used tanks...

: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 04:20:45 AM
i want to see  where dave fils his and if he needs a adapter
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 04:30:18 AM
Just looked at your tank  again...that is the problem....that tank was used as a Scott Air pack  rig...so tank valve is unique for fire depts I believe...although they may be reluctant to fill a used tank..??

BTW: Sport Chalet WILL fill 4500 PSI tanks with correct valve and up to date tank hydro certification.......ours does in San Diego....
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 04:30:59 AM
This is why I shoot a springer  - LOL.

Seriously though....I'm interested how this turns out.  When I make the plunge to the PCP world some day I'm interested to see all the various setups.  Some of that stuff is SO expensive.  The Airhog stuff is crazy expensive.  Joe's used CF tanks are not cheap either.

There is an AirGas location near my house.  I'm going to see what a nitrogen setup from them would cost on a rental basis.  Then maybe just get one of those small CF paintball tanks and just fill from buddy bottles.   There is a guy on the Yellow talking about foster valve setups on CF paintball tanks.  Depending on volume you could just fill those up from your nitrogen source (kind of like how Rich fills his Discovery buddy tank from his SCUBA) and bring those to shoots.

So many options.....trust me, whatever I do will be cheap or as cheap as possible.
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 04:34:37 AM
i went  to a couple of fire department and the just say no, didn't even bother looking at the  tank
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 04:35:18 AM


I think this is the adapter you need per Joe's site (assuming you can't find a place that will adapt to your firehouse connector):



(http://www.hamcontact.com/airgun/HoseAssembly/IMG8009crop_small.JPG)



Per Joe's description:  DIN300 (SCUBA) to Hand Tight Stainless Steel SCBA Fitting.  For filling sCBA tanks at a SCUBA Dive Shop. $89

: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 04:37:09 AM
Casey...Paint Ball tanks are NOT rated for 3000 psi fills...(so forget that idea) .....that guy on the yellow may not be with us much longer....ha ha ha..
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 04:37:35 AM
but this one is only  rated to 3000 psi
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 04:43:18 AM
I think quite a few are 4500 psi rated these days.  Check these out:

http://www.velocitypaintballonline.com/product.php?productid=119&cat=59&page=1

Velocity Paintball will fill to 4500psi according to their website.  I think the guy on the Yellow's idea is to fit a more airgun-friendly valve onto a paintball style tank for buddy bottle usage.  Depending on valve price could be a ton cheaper than what the Airhog type folks charge.
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 04:55:12 AM
That Carbon Fiber tank  for paint ball use is regulated just for paint ball gun pressures...so tank valve/regulator would have to be replaced with higher pressure regulator..

Read this:

http://www.jdsairman.com/

Here is my "buddy tank" rig for my Discovery...I use it just for hunting as it fits in my day pack....it is regulated to 2000 psi fill which my Discovery takes...(JDS sells these rigs also)....


(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/richwoods/Ranch/Squirrels077.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/richwoods/Ranch/?action=view¤t=Squirrels077.jpg)




For my 850 HPA (which takes 3000 psi fill) I decided to use Sport Chalet aluminum scuba (3000 psi) as that was cheapest option at time for me...it will fill my 850 to about 2900 psi...but I get over 70 shots from 2900 - 1500 psi with this gun,so don't need to fill gun to 3000 psi...
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 05:02:03 AM
You are correct.....that would be for a screw-in bottle type application.  But the tanks themselves are rated at high enough PSI...but yes, you would have to have a valve and fitting suitable for airgun usage.  This is what I think the guy on the Yellow forum was driving at....take cheaper and/or used PB tanks and convert them for airgun usage.  Tim McMurray implied that the fire stations have been swapping out the type of connector Victor has for some kind of quick connect system....wonder what they are using.  I can't seem to find any references.  Any idea what hydro testing places the fire stations might use?
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 05:23:51 AM
I don't know who hydros/inspects the fire dept Scott air rigs....

When I first looked at buying a PCP,I looked at all options...the f irst one was buying "used" 4500 psi  carbon fiber tanks....but ruled that option out  because of issues with "dated"  hydro's,inspections and finding some someone to fill them..and the prices for Joes tanks are ridiculus...I know of a west coast Airgun shop that used to sell those Scott air 4500 psi carbon fiber (used tanks) for $120....but those tanks only come available when fire departments reject/or survey them out because of age/use...

That's why I bought the Discovery with the hand pump to "buy time" until I decided on scuba rigs....

: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 05:39:55 AM
Very interesting...so likely Joe has a source for used tanks and then marks them up (maybe considerably?).
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 06:40:50 AM
Appears so....and obviously these tanks don't "turnover" fast..varies with fire departments.....so supply is limited somewhat...

So far,my $149.00 80 cu/ft Scuba from Sport Chalet is cheapest new tank option I've found...I prefer new and 5 years from now,they will hydro/re-certify tank...so I may end up dedicating the Chalet 80 cu/ft aluminum 3000 psi tank to the Disco and get their steel 3440 PSI steel one for the 850 HPA....dunno yet....but got time to think about it...one thing for sure...those two tanks are cheaper to own than one new Airhog 4500 psi tank of similar size...!! $430.00 vice $675....think about that...and more places to get fills...

(Note also,DIN valves are used on all HP steel scuba tanks over 3300 psi)
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 07:32:24 AM
i found a place to fill it  up to 4000 psi so i am good for the moment
: Chosing right tank....
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 07:38:51 AM
I see this as a cost/math problem to solve:

Here is my example....(filling my 850 HPA to 3000 psi)

AIRHOG 88 cu/ft 4500 psi carbon fiber tank at $675.00....23 fills from 1500-to 3000 psi in gun......(My gun tank is 360 cc) 80 shots....

                                                                                 or....

Sport Chalet Alum 80 cu/ft 3000 psi tank at $149.00....13 fills from 1700 to 2700 psi.....( which yeilds 50 shots in my 850)

That is how I decided....
: RE: Chosing right tank....
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 08:01:10 AM
Possible great deal on Yellow forum right now....

Mac1 is selling 66 cu ft CF tanks (made in 2004) for $225 + shipping.  I imagine if you drove up you could knock off the shipping cost.  Based on the numbers I've seen that sounds like a raging deal.
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 08:06:25 AM
yes is a good deal
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 08:07:31 AM
but youll be spending another 180 on the charging kit
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 11, 2009, 08:19:44 AM
Very true.....man those fittings are expensive.  How about we rent a big ol' nitrogen tank for the range and just fill buddy bottles off of that?  Just doing some wishful thinking :-)
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 08:20:13 AM
Always a fly in the ointment....(the charging kit).....lol...
: Re: scba tank help
: vhag August 11, 2009, 08:20:56 AM
LOL
: Re: scba tank help
: crazyhorse August 11, 2009, 08:36:54 AM
BTW: Those tanks TIM are selling are Scott Air Pak. CGA 347 type valve.....much cheaper than the "other" guy....

Casey: Buy a Disco...cheaper up front even with Tim's tune than any other PCP.........and MUCH cheaper to fill from a $150 Sport Chalet  80 cu/ft Scuba 3000 psi tank...31 fills from 1000 psi to 2000 psi in gun.....

Gun & tank= $500.00...and that cost  includes a charging adapter for the K70 valve from TIM ($75)...
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 13, 2009, 09:53:28 AM
Victor, did the dive shop end up filling from their system to your firehouse valve (CGA 347 or whatever)?  That's good to know down the road.
: Re: scba tank help
: Casey.Robertson August 13, 2009, 11:46:08 AM
Disco for $175 + shipping on Yellow Forum right now........I think there will be plenty of PCP opportunities in the next few years.  I think the Disco and Marauder have put a lot of downward pressure on the used market in particular.