Backup CO2

[schwaggs]

As luck would have it, my CO2 tank ran out in the middle of the night last night. I will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to get a new one at the welding supply place. Every time this happens, I think about how nice it would be to have a backup CO2 tank to bridge the gap. The C02 tanks wally world sells for paintballers would be perfect. Cheap, available, etc. The only problem is the connector on those tanks is nowhere near correct to connect to a standard regulator.

Anyone know where I can get an adapter to go from paintball tank to standard regulator connection?
Anyone know what the paintball connector is called?
How about the standard CO2 conection?

 

[cr500_af]

You can buy the tank adapter from any paintball website, it's used for home fill stations. You can also buy the one that fits various markers. They'll all take standard threaded adapters/hoses.

The one on my marker would work...
http://www.tippmannparts.com/02-06-Tank-Adapter-A-5-p/gp2516.htm">http://www.tippmannparts.com/02-06-Tank-Adapter-A-5-p/gp2516.htm</a>
it has a funny sloped front on it, but so? It has a small pipe threaded hole on the front where a braided hose attaches. You could walk into any Home Depot and find what you need to attach it to most things. If CO2 regs are proprietary, I'm sure your welding supply has them.
The threaded hole isn't visible in the pic, but I'm pretty sure it's 1/4"npt.
$10.

 

[corigan]

The thing is with Co2 is the needle will stay constant when there is still liquid in the container. Once the needle starts dropping there is no liquid left in the container and just gas. This is a heads up that you need to go to the store. Of course I have seen pressure increase/decrease due to weather/temp, but it will still stay solid at that line and not decrease. If you start seeing the needle go down it is time to get a new tank. Usually you will still have a few days of gas after it starts dropping.

 

[acroholic]

I use a 20# tank in my planted aquarium CO2 setup, and a 5# tank in my calcium reactor. I have a backup tank for each of them. Nice thing to have. I got mine off of craigslist.