Paintball Los Angeles
Paintball Air Tanks
We want to take this opportunity and explain the different air tanks and the ones we use on our rental paintball guns.
At Paintball USA, safety is our top priority, so all our rental guns are equipped with HPA compressed air tanks. We pride our reputation in being the safest outdoor paintball park in Los Angeles. https://www.paintballusa.org/
Self-equipped players are not advised to fill HPA tanks with CO2 or vice versa. Be sure and purchase a tank that will keep your marker in great working condition.
We ensure safety and fun for all players. Beginner players frequently play at Paintball USA. We specialize in paintball birthday parties.
Paintball guns consist of a barrel, trigger, hopper, and an air tank, along with internal mechanisms. There are two types of air tanks available. An HPA compressed air tank and CO2 tanks.
An HPA tank costs anywhere between $60 - $250 dollars. CO2 tanks are cheaper, $30 - $60, however, not many paintball parks and stores fill them due to safety issues. https://www.paintballusa.org/pricing
CO2 Tanks
CO2 is a gas when it is still in the tank. When you pull the trigger on your marker, the liquid is released and transforms into a gas that propels the paintball out of the barrel. When the liquid becomes a gas, it becomes very cold causing condensation which appears as frost coming out of the end of a paintball barrel while shots are fired.
Any wetness caused by CO2 in the gun’s components isn’t good for your marker, nor does it aid in high performance when out on the field in a paintball game.
A trained paintball park or store employee is required to fill a CO2 tank safely. It takes longer to fill a CO2 tank than it does an HPA tank. A specialized fitting on the fill station is top priority. The old CO2 needs to be drained from the tank before adding new to the specific psi or weight capabilities. https://www.paintballusa.org/welcome-information
The lines of a fill station need to be re-drained to prevent freezing. Fill stations are an expensive piece of equipment for the paintball park owner, so proper maintenance is important.
CO2 tanks can not be refilled if they are out of date and not have been hydro tested. Aluminum tanks need to be hydro tested for strength and leaks every five years as stated on the tank. A weakness or dent in the aluminum can cause serious injury when filling the tank.
HPA Tanks
Paintball parks have compressors and fill stations for the HPA tanks. Since compressed air doesn’t change physical properties as with CO2, it is much safer for the fill station operator and for the paintball player.
HPA tanks takes much less time to fill. The compressed air gas doesn’t harm the internal mechanisms of your paintball gun.
Physical Tank Differences
The visual difference between an HPA and CO2 tank is the gauge. HPA tanks have gauges attached to the neck where it screws into the paintball gun so that you can judge the amount of air being filled. Pound force per square inch or psi is the measurement of pressure used to fill an HPA tank.
CO2 turns into a liquid so it can not be measured by a pressure gauge as on the HPA tank.
HPA – CO2 Comparisons
In summary, here are the reasons to choose an HPA compressed air tank over a CO2 tank.
- HPA tanks are faster and easier to fill because the gauge lets you know the pressure.
- You will know about how many more shots you have left by reading the pressure gauge.
- CO2 tanks have no pressure gauge, so it’s hard to tell when you may need to refill.
- You can refill the HPA tank at any time.
- CO2 tanks need to be empty before you can refill them.
- The air pressure is stable in the HPA tank which keeps the shooting velocity consistent.
- Using CO2 tanks, the pressure varies which affects the velocity of the paintballs.
- Air is lighter than liquid. HPA tanks are lighter in weight and in fill volume.
- HPA doesn’t affect the internal mechanisms of your gun as CO2 does.
Plan your next visit to Paintball USA soon by giving us a call Monday through Friday. Park hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. We enjoy answering customer’s questions and informing everyone about the joy of paintball! At Paintball USA, we offer the best customer service in the paintball industry! https://www.paintballusa.org/contact