Graeme Tolton
Contributor
Have you looked into a HP SCBA tank? They get up to 4500 psi and are super light!
Where can I get a Heiser 190?
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I have considered SCBA tanks, one reason I am trying to stick with SCUBA is that I already have a DIN fill station. To use SCBA, I would need a CGA 347 (?) fill station or something like that. Also, those carbon fiber tanks have a limited life span and have to be typically hydro'ed every 3 years instead of 5. That is why I was looking for a steel tank solution.
elmer fudd
Contributor
I've got quite a few tanks, including SCBA, and I'm an avid airgunner.
First off, my SCBA tank has a standard DIN fitting on it, so that shouldn't be a problem. If it were though, you could always just pick up a used valve from a junk tank. I have to get hydros on it every 5 years and mine is 6 years into it's 15 year lifespan. When it comes to toting a tank out into the field, I love SCBA.
What I'd probably do though is get two of the biggest, highest pressure tanks you can find and then rig them up as a cascade. This gets you the absolute maximum number of fills per fill. You use the first, (more depleted), tank to partially fill your small tank, bringing the pressure up to say 2200 psi or whatever the first tank has in it. Then you top it off to 3000 psi using the second tank. By doing this you conserve the high pressure air in the second tank and get more fills out of it while using more of the air in the first tank. You could even cascade all three of your existing tanks and use the 4500 psi tank for your final top off.
If someone is trying to save money by using this system what they will do is just get one tank filled at a time. So when their tanks are running low, they bring the one with the lowest pressure in to get charged, it then becomes the last tank in the cascade and the tank that used to be the final tank becomes the initial low pressure tank.
First off, my SCBA tank has a standard DIN fitting on it, so that shouldn't be a problem. If it were though, you could always just pick up a used valve from a junk tank. I have to get hydros on it every 5 years and mine is 6 years into it's 15 year lifespan. When it comes to toting a tank out into the field, I love SCBA.
What I'd probably do though is get two of the biggest, highest pressure tanks you can find and then rig them up as a cascade. This gets you the absolute maximum number of fills per fill. You use the first, (more depleted), tank to partially fill your small tank, bringing the pressure up to say 2200 psi or whatever the first tank has in it. Then you top it off to 3000 psi using the second tank. By doing this you conserve the high pressure air in the second tank and get more fills out of it while using more of the air in the first tank. You could even cascade all three of your existing tanks and use the 4500 psi tank for your final top off.
If someone is trying to save money by using this system what they will do is just get one tank filled at a time. So when their tanks are running low, they bring the one with the lowest pressure in to get charged, it then becomes the last tank in the cascade and the tank that used to be the final tank becomes the initial low pressure tank.
Good info, I didn't consider that a DIN valve might fit on a SCBA tank. I'll have to revisit that. And I don't know why I thought SCBA's had 3 year hydro's, my carbon-wrapped paintball tanks are 5 year hydro's too. I would definitely use my existing tanks to cascade with the 4500 as the last one.
As an airgunner you might be interested in this upcoming mini-compressor if you don't know about it already: <URL in next post, had to hit the magical 5 to post link>
It fills a 68/4500 in 4 hours, all the way to 4500 PSI, will cost $300-$400. That is what I have planned to fill large tanks if I cannot find reliable 4500 fills, it might take 2 days to fill a 4500 SCUBA/SCBA but that is all I would need for the week.
As an airgunner you might be interested in this upcoming mini-compressor if you don't know about it already: <URL in next post, had to hit the magical 5 to post link>
It fills a 68/4500 in 4 hours, all the way to 4500 PSI, will cost $300-$400. That is what I have planned to fill large tanks if I cannot find reliable 4500 fills, it might take 2 days to fill a 4500 SCUBA/SCBA but that is all I would need for the week.
elmer fudd
Contributor
The compressor is interesting. I remember when the only ones out there were $3000. As it stands right now though, I'm diving every week and I've got a total of 8 tanks, so there's no way I could possibly shoot up all the air I've got available.
I made a goof though regarding your 68 ci tank. I was thinking of a 68 cf tank and that's a world of difference. I'm not sure there's be much point in cascading that one. I use an 88 cf SCBA tank myself and I know there are smaller SCBA tanks out there. I assumed yours was one of those. If it were, a DIN fitting would work fine.
Paintball tanks have a much smaller diameter opening and use something like a 5/8" coarse thread.
I made a goof though regarding your 68 ci tank. I was thinking of a 68 cf tank and that's a world of difference. I'm not sure there's be much point in cascading that one. I use an 88 cf SCBA tank myself and I know there are smaller SCBA tanks out there. I assumed yours was one of those. If it were, a DIN fitting would work fine.
Paintball tanks have a much smaller diameter opening and use something like a 5/8" coarse thread.
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