Hiring dive tanks with air...

[Marc Z]

Hi All,

 

I'll be getting my first pcp soon, but one thing that's holding me back is the price of dive tanks and the future costs of refilling and retesting the tank.

 

I hire some gas for work and got me thinking if anyone has looked into hiring a filled tank from gas companies? I had a quick look at BOC and they do dive tanks, no idea how cost effective that might be.

 

Just interested to know if anyones done it or if it's a total non starter?

 

p.s, looking at the scorpion SE tactical...

 

Marc

[secretagentmole]

Think about it, it is not that much, you can get a decent starter charging system for £150, look here...

 

http://www.solware.c...-cylinder.shtml

 

This will give at least 14 fills to 200 bar! Refilling is simple and will cost around a fiver, even at an expensive filling service!

 

Fom what I can see the gas sold by BOC is an oxygen helium mix for very deep diving, not suitable for air guns as it is NOT compressed air!

 

I can also see that they either come in 50l bottles or 3l bottles, both 232 bar, would not bother myself!

 

You could just get a pump....

Edited August 21, 2012 by secretagentmole

[HDAV]

If you hired a tank it would be more expensive over 3 years I recon you can get surface only tanks that last 5 years between tests and at £3-5 a fill I recon you would spend more on petrol driving to get it filled than filling it! Pumps are cheaper, never run out of air and keep you fit. If its such a concern why buy a PCP!

[anim al]

i paid £250 for a 10litre 300bar tank,

thats got 5 years now before test,,filled when bought,lasts me up to a year near on(1 or 2 ratting trips a week)

even if i fill it twice a year it will still work out about £300(plus fuel,but at 2 trips a year,,not worth mentioning)

if you could hire one for five years cheaper,good luck,,

even after 5 years it could easily be tested (£35) then used for a further 5 years or sell on for £100+

 

cheers al

Edited August 21, 2012 by anim al

[Marc Z]

thanks for all the input! It's not a major concern, more of just a wonderment as to how cost effective it might be. Heard many mixed reviews (as usual, lovers and haters) about stirrup pumps (mainly possible moisture damage) and just dislike the thought of spending half the cost of the gun again on a tank. But yes, an investment indeed.

[B725]

Try looking in the air gun mags as there is often one for sale.

[lineshooter]

I have a 232 bar 3 litre bottle with gauge, hose and Bsa fill adapter for sale if your interested, got plenty of test left too.

[secretagentmole]

You are best to get a 300 bar, more fills you see! Most places charge the same for a 300 bar fill as they do for a 232 bar fill. New prices for cylinder outfits I posted.

 

Pumps do not rust guns up from the inside, indeed a little moisture in the air helps keep the seals in better condition. Just do not fill the gun up with a pump in thick fog, stuck in a puddle or in the bathroom after someone has boiled their brains out in a hot shower or bath for 3 hours! Most pumps have a moisture removing system built in, you can buy secondary moisture traps (Hills) that go in the fill line set up, so no problem there! Pumps are fine if you remember to top up when you have been shooting!

 

Read this web page and watch the video, superb pumping adivce...

 

http://www.pyramydair.com/article/Using_a_hand_pump_May_2006/30

[Marc Z]

superb pumping advice indeed, thanks moley.

[lineshooter]

You are best to get a 300 bar, more fills you see! Most places charge the same for a 300 bar fill as they do for a 232 bar fill. New prices for cylinder outfits I posted.

 

Pumps do not rust guns up from the inside, indeed a little moisture in the air helps keep the seals in better condition. Just do not fill the gun up with a pump in thick fog, stuck in a puddle or in the bathroom after someone has boiled their brains out in a hot shower or bath for 3 hours! Most pumps have a moisture removing system built in, you can buy secondary moisture traps (Hills) that go in the fill line set up, so no problem there! Pumps are fine if you remember to top up when you have been shooting!

 

Read this web page and watch the video, superb pumping adivce...

 

http://www.pyramydai...ump_May_2006/30

Oh thanks mate now I`ll never sell it

[Albert 888]

This may seem a stupid question (please forgive) i have a springer. could a dive tank be filled by a stirup pump thats made for filling a pcp.

[DIVERD]

In theory it could. The pressure is the same so the pump is capable of it., however the output of the pump is tiny, so it would take thousands or even 10's of thousands of strokes of the pump to take a 12 ltr cylinder from say 100 - 230 bars. It could be worked out, but the numbers are huge, so yes - but no.

[Albert 888]

In theory it could. The pressure is the same so the pump is capable of it., however the output of the pump is tiny, so it would take thousands or even 10's of thousands of strokes of the pump to take a 12 ltr cylinder from say 100 - 230 bars. It could be worked out, but the numbers are huge, so yes - but no.

Ok cheers and thanks. Which gas does a pcp use. I understand the pressure and volume thing and also the need for dried air.

[-Mongrel-]

Ok cheers and thanks. Which gas does a pcp use. I understand the pressure and volume thing and also the need for dried air.

 

It uses air, but dive shops will filter and 'demoisturise' the air when it's compressed so you get a dry fill.

[Albert 888]

It uses air, but dive shops will filter and 'demoisturise' the air when it's compressed so you get a dry fill.

 

The reason i ask is im a maechanical fitter,we have compressors and different types of gases supplied by boc,co2,arosheild,propane,etc.we aslo use cardox tubes which are a 5ft tube with a shear disc in one end about 3mm thick and detanator in the other we use a co2 bottle i think and comppressed air fed by a compressor through a pump which charges the tube,we then insert them into blocked hoppers to clear the blockage.I also understand that you only get around 100 psi from a normal compressor.

Im sorry for hijacking this thread.Just wanted to know a little mor about it. I will google i think.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Albert 888

[DIVERD]

A pcp can use air or nitrogen. Never anything else. Oxygen has the potential to explode, and helium will increase the power of the rifle to dangerous levels, it will also leak. The moisture in the air we breath will actually do little harm to a PCP cylinder. Most are alloy and as they are exposed to minimum temperatures (compaired the the massive temperatures in the final stage of a scuba compressor) and generally non salty air the typical cylinder will last for decades without a problem. Simple common sense when filling is all that is required. If really paranoid about it you can get a personal air filter to clean and dry the air, but i would not bother.

 

I owned a scuba company for 25 years, and own a hp compressor, I rarely use the pcp, but when i do i use an ebay bought stirrup pump, and find it ideal.

[DIVERD]

The reason i ask is im a maechanicl fitter,we have compressors and differen tand types of gases supplied by boc,co2,arosheild,propane,etc.we aslo use cardox tubes which are a 5ft tube with a shear disc in one end about 3mm thick and detanator in the other we use a co2 bottle i think and comppressed air fed by a compressor through a pump which charges the tube,we then insert them into blocked hoppers to clear the blockage.I also understand that you only get around 100 psi from a normal compressor.

Im sorry for hijacking this thread.Just wanted to know a little mor about it. I will google i think.

 

A pcp runs at 200 bar, a normal industrial compressor runs at about 8 - 10 bar, but produces large volumes of air. A scuba type compressor of a given physical size prodices high pressure air, but in low volumes. A typical personal tool compressor produces 100 liters per minute of air at 8 bar and costs £80 - 100. A typical 100lpm scuba compressor can produce 300 bar and costs £1800 - £2600, it is a very different tool.

[Albert 888]

A pcp can use air or nitrogen. Never anything else. Oxygen has the potential to explode, and helium will increase the power of the rifle to dangerous levels, it will also leak. The moisture in the air we breath will actually do little harm to a PCP cylinder. Most are alloy and as they are exposed to minimum temperatures (compaired the the massive temperatures in the final stage of a scuba compressor) and generally non salty air the typical cylinder will last for decades without a problem. Simple common sense when filling is all that is required. If really paranoid about it you can get a personal air filter to clean and dry the air, but i would not bother.

 

I owned a scuba company for 25 years, and own a hp compressor, I rarely use the pcp, but when i do i use an ebay bought stirrup pump, and find it ideal.

Thanks for the info.

[Albert 888]

A pcp runs at 200 bar, a normal industrial compressor runs at about 8 - 10 bar, but produces large volumes of air. A scuba type compressor of a given physical size prodices high pressure air, but in low volumes. A typical personal tool compressor produces 100 liters per minute of air at 8 bar and costs £80 - 100. A typical 100lpm scuba compressor can produce 300 bar and costs £1800 - £2600, it is a very different tool.

Now i do understand,we get around 6 bar delivered air to are pressure vessels,which comes from moderen type screw compressors for works-industrial use.

THANKS.

[eastlincs]

Www.godive.net

 

3l tank with all gauges and whips £130