How to Fill a CO2 Paintball Tank

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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Filling a CO2 paintball tank is the backbone of recreational paintball. Without CO2 millions of recreational paintball players would be stuck throwing paintballs at each other. If you just started a paintball field, paintball store or recently got a job at one, you will be expected to know how to fill the CO2 paintball tanks.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

CO2 bulk fill tank
CO2 fill station
Paintball CO2 tank

Step 1

Check the date on the tank and verify that the tank has not expired.
Step 2

Attach the tank to your fill station.
Step 3

Drain the tank completely. Wait until you hear no gas coming from the tank.
Step 4

Hang the tank from your hanging scale and re-zero the scale.
Step 5

Close the bleed valve and open the fill tanks valve to fill the CO2 paintball tank.
Step 6

Allow the tank to fill to its capacity or about half of an ounce under capacity. Close the fill tanks valve when the small tank is full.
Step 7

Disengage the tank and bleed the excess CO2 from your hoses.
Step 8

Remove the tank from the fill station.

Tips & Warnings

If you bleed a tank and no CO2 rushes out it may be empty. Try to fill it a little and then bleed it.
Bleeding tanks is essential because it indicates how much you have filled the tank and it chills the tank. Cold CO2 tanks fill more easily.
Aluminum CO2 tanks are good for 5 years from the date stamped on the tank. They expire the first day of the month marked. Example "05A02" cannot be filled after May 1, 2007.
Chromoly CO2 tanks do not expire and must only undergo a visual check upon each filling.
Tanks fill quickly, especially when they are cold. Do not allow yourself to overfill a tank, as it can over-pressurize and burst.
Do not replace valves or burst disks on CO2 paintball tanks if you have not been taught how to do so properly. You could injure yourself or someone else.
Do not leave CO2 tanks near sources of heat. They could become over-pressurized and explode.
Always visually inspect a CO2 tank before filling. Stickers and tape must be removed for proper inspection. Failing to do so could result in injury to yourself or someone else.