MirokuMK70 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Eh up lads, I'm unfamiliar with PCP airguns having always used springers up to now... But I'm starting to fancy trying a pcp for a change - My question is with air / scuba tanks, something I know nothing about. Do they have to be "in test" to use for airgun filling (i've seen one cheap that isn't) Do the airgun specific filling hoses/nozzles/whatever fit any old scuba tank or are there different sorts? can I take my tank to any dive shop to be filled? (i'm very near to Stoney Cove and Midland Diving in leicester) Any answers gratefully received... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Cylinder needs to be in test for filling, two types of cylinder connectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 The dive shop will happily fill it for you, but once it's in test! They can do it for you though, and it usually costs £30-50. the hose should fit fine, but just check! The bottle should really have a gauge, so that you can be sure of what pressure you're filling it to. If the bottle you're getting doesn't have a gauge, then get one, most decent internet shooting shops sell them; I got mine from airgunbuyer.com and it came with a hose. Be sure to get the right sort of connector for the bottle: DIN or A clamp. Do you know the pressure of the tank? You should get one of at least 232bar, preferably 300bar. The 206 bar tanks don't give you very many fills at all and aren't really worth the money. A couple of fills of a 190 bar gun and it will be all out of puff and you'll just spend money getting it refilled all the time! hope that helps! seems like a lot of info but it's not as complicated as it might seem at first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 (edited) Get a dedicated airgun charging bottle at 300 bar. If you buy a divers bottle, it will be most likely 232 bar or as Chris says 206/7, which doesn't give you many fills. Plus divers bottles have to be tested at twice as often as a dedicated surface bottle, so in the long run, it will cost you more. Get the largest you can afford. They go 3litre, 7 litre, 12litre. 7litre 300bar is a good size as its not too heavy to throw in the car. Hope this helps. Edited June 27, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineshooter Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 You could buy an out of test cylinder that still has air in to refill the gun but the idea of a test is so it`s safe, I personally would`nt recommend it. The best option would be a cylinder which is airgun specific, 300 bar, surface use only, the gauge is part of the valve assembly, the test on these is every five years If you buy an ex dive bottle, the fill gauge and hose is a separate connection the test is every two years on these. Tests are between 40-50 quid so not cheap if your doing it every two years, any dive shop can re fill for you but they will only fill an in test cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 How to identify airgun filling or surface use only cylinders, a Mole guide... Diving cylinder! Surface use only! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Just a quick point ... if you have a diving 'proofed' cylinder, then it has to be tested every 2.5 years (visual first time, then hydrostatic), whereas a surface tank only needs a test every 5 years. A surface use only cylinder has a pressure gauge on the valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Stoney Cove sell new cylinders cheaply too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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