ompressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usuall

Like many sports Paintball has terminology all of its own. When around your avid paintballer you'll hear a multitude of phrases and terms used. CIs, PSI, OZs, C02, Burst Disc, Regulator, Tank, Nitrogen, Compressed Air, Nitro, and the list goes on. These are all common (and confusing!) terms used to describe the many attributes of a Paintball Marker's power source; the Air System.

To understand Paintball's power sources we'll first identify the 2 major sources paintballers use to push a paintball out the barrel of their marker. C02 and Compressed Air are used almost exclusively in the Paintball. C02 is the same gas that we exhale when we breathe. It is also what trees and plants use to produce oxygen. Because C02 starves a fire of oxygen it is also used in fire extinguishers. The other gas used is Compressed Air. Compressed Air is just what the name implies; air that is compressed. Compressed Air is commonly used in the scuba industry and is filled with a special multi stage air compressor. To further distinguish the two we'll compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the two gases.

C02 is inherently less stable than compressed air when it comes to paintball air systems. When a c02 tank is filled it is actually filled with liquid C02. When you purchase a 20oz C02 tank, the 20ozs refers to the capacity of the tank. The 20oz doesn't refer to the weight of the actual tank, but rather the amount of liquid c02 the tank can contain. So a 20oz c02 tank will hold 20oz of liquid c02. A portion of the liquid c02 in the tank is able to expand into a gas. This gas typically has a pressure of approximately 1800psi. As you begin to empty the tank (by firing your marker) the liquid c02 in the tank continues to convert into a gas. When you rapid fire with C02 it is not uncommon to see a white cloud come of the barrel of the marker. This is actually liquid c02 that did not have time to expand to a gas before being expelled. The pros of c02 are that it is typically inexpensive to fill and inexpensive to purchase tanks. An average fill is about $5 and will get you a full day’s play. You can also purchase 20oz C02 tanks (the most common size) for anywhere from $20 to $30. The big downsides are that c02 is usually dirty and inconsistent. C02 does not work well in the winter either. It is sensitive to pressure differences and does not convert well into a gas at temperatures approaching freezing. It also will typically void a warranty on more expensive markers that contain sensitive electronic solenoids.

Compressed Air is the other major type of air used in paintball. Its pseudo names include Nitrogen and Nitro. It is also often abbreviated as CA (for Compressed Air). Many players think there is a difference in Nitrogen tanks and Compressed Air tanks. In fact, they are the same. What most people don't realize is that the air we breathe is over 70% nitrogen. So calling a compressed air tank a "nitrogen" tank isn't far from the truth. Although some fields really do fill customer tanks with Nitrogen; you'll usually find that the fields are actually using a scuba compressor that is filling standard compressed air. To figure out the capacity of the tank you'll need to consider 2 terms. Each compressed air tank is listed by CI or Cubic Inches which refers to the internal volume of the cylinder and PSI or Pounds per Square Inch which refers to how much pressure the cylinder can hold. In paintball common tank sizes include 45ci, 68ci, and 88ci. By comparison a 45ci tank might be a little bit larger than a softball and an 88ci tank would be a little larger than an NFL football. For internal pressure 3000psi and 4500psi are the most common. Typically 3000psi tanks are made out of aluminum (much like a scuba tank) and 4500psi tanks are made from a fiber wrapped aluminum bottle. The fiber wrap provides additional durability and safety. When purchasing a compressed air tank you will often find it describer first by its CI capacity and second by its PSI rating.

For example; a 68 / 45 refers to a tank that has a 68 cubic inch bottle and is rated to 4500psi. Compressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usually

larities and differences of the two gases.

C02 is inherently less stable than compressed air when it comes to paintball air systems. When a c02 tank is filled it is actually filled with liquid C02. When you purchase a 20oz C02 tank, the 20ozs refers to the capacity of the tank. The 20oz doesn't refer to the weight of the actual tank, but rather the amount of liquid c02 the tank can contain. So a 20oz c02 tank will hold 20oz of liquid c02. A portion of the liquid c02 in the tank is able to expand into a gas. This gas typically has a pressure of approximately 1800psi. As you begin to empty the tank (by firing your marker) the liquid c02 in the tank continues to convert into a gas. When you rapid fire with C02 it is not uncommon to see a white cloud come of the barrel of the marker. This is actually liquid c02 that did not have time to expand to a gas before being expelled. The pros of c02 are that it is typically inexpensive to fill and inexpensive to purchase tanks. An average fill is about $5 and will get you a full day’s play. You can also purchase 20oz C02 tanks (the most common size) for anywhere from $20 to $30. The big downsides are that c02 is usually dirty and inconsistent. C02 does not work well in the winter either. It is sensitive to pressure differences and does not convert well into a gas at temperatures approaching freezing. It also will typically void a warranty on more expensive markers that contain sensitive electronic solenoids.

Compressed Air is the other major type of air used in paintball. Its pseudo names include Nitrogen and Nitro. It is also often abbreviated as CA (for Compressed Air). Many players think there is a difference in Nitrogen tanks and Compressed Air tanks. In fact, they are the same. What most people don't realize is that the air we breathe is over 70% nitrogen. So calling a compressed air tank a "nitrogen" tank isn't far from the truth. Although some fields really do fill customer tanks with Nitrogen; you'll usually find that the fields are actually using a scuba compressor that is filling standard compressed air. To figure out the capacity of the tank you'll need to consider 2 terms. Each compressed air tank is listed by CI or Cubic Inches which refers to the internal volume of the cylinder and PSI or Pounds per Square Inch which refers to how much pressure the cylinder can hold. In paintball common tank sizes include 45ci, 68ci, and 88ci. By comparison a 45ci tank might be a little bit larger than a softball and an 88ci tank would be a little larger than an NFL football. For internal pressure 3000psi and 4500psi are the most common. Typically 3000psi tanks are made out of aluminum (much like a scuba tank) and 4500psi tanks are made from a fiber wrapped aluminum bottle. The fiber wrap provides additional durability and safety. When purchasing a compressed air tank you will often find it describer first by its CI capacity and second by its PSI rating.

For example; a 68 / 45 refers to a tank that has a 68 cubic inch bottle and is rated to 4500psi. Compressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usuall

e to purchase tanks. An average fill is about $5 and will get you a full day’s play. You can also purchase 20oz C02 tanks (the most common size) for anywhere from $20 to $30. The big downsides are that c02 is usually dirty and inconsistent. C02 does not work well in the winter either. It is sensitive to pressure differences and does not convert well into a gas at temperatures approaching freezing. It also will typically void a warranty on more expensive markers that contain sensitive electronic solenoids.

Compressed Air is the other major type of air used in paintball. Its pseudo names include Nitrogen and Nitro. It is also often abbreviated as CA (for Compressed Air). Many players think there is a difference in Nitrogen tanks and Compressed Air tanks. In fact, they are the same. What most people don't realize is that the air we breathe is over 70% nitrogen. So calling a compressed air tank a "nitrogen" tank isn't far from the truth. Although some fields really do fill customer tanks with Nitrogen; you'll usually find that the fields are actually using a scuba compressor that is filling standard compressed air. To figure out the capacity of the tank you'll need to consider 2 terms. Each compressed air tank is listed by CI or Cubic Inches which refers to the internal volume of the cylinder and PSI or Pounds per Square Inch which refers to how much pressure the cylinder can hold. In paintball common tank sizes include 45ci, 68ci, and 88ci. By comparison a 45ci tank might be a little bit larger than a softball and an 88ci tank would be a little larger than an NFL football. For internal pressure 3000psi and 4500psi are the most common. Typically 3000psi tanks are made out of aluminum (much like a scuba tank) and 4500psi tanks are made from a fiber wrapped aluminum bottle. The fiber wrap provides additional durability and safety. When purchasing a compressed air tank you will often find it describer first by its CI capacity and second by its PSI rating.

For example; a 68 / 45 refers to a tank that has a 68 cubic inch bottle and is rated to 4500psi. Compressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usuall

rogen; you'll usually find that the fields are actually using a scuba compressor that is filling standard compressed air. To figure out the capacity of the tank you'll need to consider 2 terms. Each compressed air tank is listed by CI or Cubic Inches which refers to the internal volume of the cylinder and PSI or Pounds per Square Inch which refers to how much pressure the cylinder can hold. In paintball common tank sizes include 45ci, 68ci, and 88ci. By comparison a 45ci tank might be a little bit larger than a softball and an 88ci tank would be a little larger than an NFL football. For internal pressure 3000psi and 4500psi are the most common. Typically 3000psi tanks are made out of aluminum (much like a scuba tank) and 4500psi tanks are made from a fiber wrapped aluminum bottle. The fiber wrap provides additional durability and safety. When purchasing a compressed air tank you will often find it describer first by its CI capacity and second by its PSI rating.

For example; a 68 / 45 refers to a tank that has a 68 cubic inch bottle and is rated to 4500psi. Compressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usuall

ompressed air is also significantly cleaner and more stable than c02. Because of this it makes for more consistent and reliable operation of your marker and a better choice in cold whether. The major disadvantage is that although fills are often free at fields, the cost of the tanks themselves are anywhere from $80 to $250 for just one tank. This puts them at a price far more than that of normal c02. For tournament play, however, it is has become the only real choice and something players simply must pay for.

When using either power source, it is important to remember that players are literally carrying a small bomb under their arm. 4500 pounds of air is nothing to take lightly and air systems that have come loose from their regulators have been known to become rockets. There have been several paintball related fatalities associated with this. Fortunately, there are a number of safety devices in place which are monitored by the US Department of Transportation. Some common safety devices include burst discs and grooved regulator threads. A burst disc is usually a small piece of metal that is designed to break and release the contents of the bottle in a controlled and safe manner when the pressure inside the tank exceeds the rating of the bottle. Tank manufacturers are also now starting to put grooves in the regulators so that if a player accidentally unscrews the bottle from the regulator, it will release the contents of the bottle long before the regulator separates from the bottle and becomes a missile. These 2 key safety components have helped to ensure that Paintball is one of the safest sports being played. In fact, according to insurance statistics, Paintball is safer than Golf or Bowling.

So the next time a player mentions that he needs to fill his 20oz tank; you'll know that he means fill his tank with 20ozs of C02. Or that if a player says he has a 45 / 45 you'll know that he means he has a 45 cubic inch bottle that is rated to 4500 pounds. So now that those mysteries are solved, you'll still need to figure out what "shooting a lane" means!