| By :
William Gabriel
A primary device used in paintball to tag an opposing player is the paintball marker. To be able to tag the opponent, the device contains high-pressure air or carbon dioxide, which forces the paintball through the barrel at the speed of approximately 300 feet per second. Paintball markers are powered by carbon dioxide or high-pressure air contained in gas cartridges. The cylinders normally have an anti-siphon tube fitted to prevent liquid CO2 from entering the marker, which can cause damage to internal seals and O-Rings. Most tanks are refillable and refills can be purchased at commercial paintball centers, hobby shops, or local scuba outlets. If you have been playing paintball, you will have to refill those gas cylinders with liquid CO2 or compressed air. Filling a paintball tank is an easy endeavor but you have to carefully follow the procedure to avoid the risk of damage to the tank or surrounding property. Below are nine simple steps that you should follow in refilling gas cartridges. 1. Determine the correct pressure and the contents of the gas cylinders before filling. Aside from CO2, other gasses can be used to fill paintball tanks. 2. Remove the gas cartridge from your weapon. As you do this, the barrel must be pointed downwards and away from anybody. 3. Release all the pressure contained in the tank by screwing an adaptor onto its end. Release the pressure until the tank is drained. 4. For instance, you have a 24-oz. tank, close the valve that released the pressure on the tank. Hang your tank on a digital scale and zero it out. 5. Connect the other end of the tank to the refill source. Your refill source can be scuba tanks, CO2 cylinders, and nitrous tanks depending on the specifications of your pressure tank. 6. Open the supply tank's valve. Open the tank's safety valve to allow to gas to flow into the container. Watch the digital scale while you are refilling the cartridge and make sure not to exceed the 24-oz. mark on the tank (since you are refilling a 24-oz. tank). 7. When you achieved the 24-oz. mark, close the safety valve and turn off the big supply tank. Never remove the connection between the two tanks until both safety valves are closed. 8. Unscrew the refill tank. 9. Cap your tank or immediately attach it to your weapon. Other additional tips that you must know should you decide to refill your own gas cylinders: Before refilling a high-pressure tank, make sure that you look at the expiration dates on them. Tanks have expiration dates that if the refill tank is out of date, you should have it retested first to make sure that it is still safe for use. Make sure not to overfill your tank. This can cause catastrophic failure or explosion. You may also find professional refill centers with a gauge built into the tank source or high quality tanks that have built-in gauges so you will not need to connect one into the tank. Lastly, compressed and liquefied gases have potential for creating hazardous surroundings. Be sure to handle gas cartridges with care and follow all safety instructions when handling them.
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