[UPDATED] How To Fill a HPA Tank — And Why Does It Matter?

How To Fill a HPA Tank? If you’ve ever filled your own HPA tank, you know it can be a painstaking process. The worst part is when you go to fill it up and realize that you’ve done something wrong. Whether it is over-pressurizing or under-pressurizing, there are many things that can go wrong in the process of filling an HPA tank.

 

[UPDATED] How To Fill a HPA Tank — And Why Does It Matter?

If you’ve been shopping around for a paintball gun, chances are you’ve come across the term “HPA” at some point. That’s shorthand for high-pressure air, and it can be confusing if you don’t know what it is. Luckily for you, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to fill your HPA tank the right way.

 

What are HPA tanks? – How To Fill a HPA Tank

A high-pressure air tank, also known as a HPA tank, is a high-pressure vessel used to store high-pressure compressed air. Air is stored at pressures of up to 5000 psi (350 bar, 3.5 MPa), the pressure in the tank is constant across the entire volume.

The most common HPA, which is most often used for single-family homes, is a steel or aluminum cylinder five inches in diameter (usually 46 inches). When filled to capacity, a 10-gallon tank holds upwards of 1000 pounds of compressed air.

Other common high-pressure air tanks include:

UL 304A/ULCO 4-Gallon Tank (4.5 Pounds)

ULCO LP Tank (5 Pounds)

UL 96-Gallon Tank (3,080 PSI)

Virtually everyone has a standard ratio of most of their household appliances, but everyone can use less than the full 5 gallons. At times, the terms ‘gallons’ and ‘ounces’ are interchangeable. For this reason, most folks get the worst of both worlds by purchasing aluminum cylinders, some of which add up to four and a half pounds (either in reusable or non-reusable versions).

 

How do you fill a HPA tank? – How To Fill a HPA Tank

Don’t worry, filling a HPA tank is actually quite easy. The first step is to make sure your tank is empty and to make sure your marker is turned off. The next step is to unscrew the HPA tank from your marker and remove the regulator valve (if there is one).

 

How does filling an HPA tank affect quality? – How To Fill a HPA Tank

If you’ve ever wondered why you should buy a canister or HPA tank and not a disposable bottle, this is the article for you. If you’re new to paintball, this is a great place to start. But if you’re a paintball veteran, you might still learn a thing or two.

What can and can’t I use it for?

Well, paintball is all about starting with black, then mixing in the right colors with paint. Some people don’t like to mix in colors that are typically a substantial difference in hue, like red for example. This article does not take color theory into account whatsoever; it was made strictly to help your paintball. There are so many different ways you could mix in paint. I wanted to focus on ways with different applications.

So some things you can do with HPA:

Consolidate runoff in one area.

Eliminate a splash zone.

Protect a mobile home from severe weather.

Seal up an area to improve airflow.

Seal up water leaks.

HPA is extremely versatile. You might even find you have more than you need for one specific project.

Is it safe to use?

Yes, HPA is 100 percent safe to use. It’s convenient to store, easy to use, effective and does not contain lead. In fact the manufacturer limits the lead content in paint to 10 parts per million (PPM). There is no safe concentration for paint in the body of a person. Even fine-paint drinking and bathing can leach lead into the water you drink. As with all things, it’s far better to be safe than sorry.

How do I choose the right color in my paint mixes?

The key to selecting the right paint mix for your needs is to realize that different paints and finishes also have different potential resistances and other active ingredients, or additives as they are sometimes called.

 

What does it mean to overfill your HPA tank?

Too many choices can be overwhelming. When you have too many choices, you’re not working with what you have, you’re working with everything you don’t have. You’re not working with what you’ve decided, you’re working against your indecision. And that makes you feel crappy.

HPA — Head Authority Balance — is a scientific way to use the average amount of weight a person has earned enough to have a crowd around the person’s shoulders. This bold numerical value can be used against the average amount of body fat you currently have because a person with more scarce body fat has lower shoulders compared to a person with more abundant body fat.

The shoulders can have a more significant impact on weight than the waist, hips, and thighs combined. The shoulders are the center point of your body. Everything, of course, is relative, but the cutoff value shows exactly how much of the average weight is shared by the various body parts relative to your own.

Use it to find your own goal. To get out of a plateau, you need a new goal. Forbes recommends using “Your Progress is Over” — otherwise known as setting a plan B. “A Better Than Average Performance” is a good option, too, as it includes “other great ideas.”

HPA shows you just how much progress you’ve made relative to the rest of the pack, while “Losing Weight Quickly and Maybe Even Smashing Body Fat” is a more brutal approach to shedding pounds and you can see just how much of the pack you’re pushing against. Once you find the goal you can stick to, then you can pick a plan C to take you down a different path.

Use it to save time. Titles such as “Stop Dieting for 8 Weeks,” “How to Lose Fat and Get Healthy at the Same Time” or “Why Your Current Weight is Not a Good Target” may sound to fancy, but they’re actually better than nothing.

 

Who fills the best HPA tanks?

A lot of businesses like to use helium gas because it’s lighter than air and doesn’t cause as much drag as air does, which is great for balloon decorations. Helium is also very inexpensive and readily available. On the other hand, helium doesn’t last as long as air does and it’s not readily available in some areas.

A bit of background: Helium is a naturally occurring energetic and trace gas. It can be used to light electric lights, operate MRI’s, heat metals and create radio waves. The main downside of using atomic oxygen as an aero deicer is air pressure from head to toe, instead of wearing down into your feet.

This can cause painful blisters and aching in long flights. Taking them off before a flight can offer some relief.

How do they work? HPA uses the latent energy of an Atomic Bubble (ABLE) to heat water to hot and steam. You can see how below:

Does it cost a lot? Nope! This basic form of an HPA de-icer is less than $10 for just the size of the container to store it in.

Placement. How you attach the container to the roof of your car is what matters most. You could use an old water-filled container like we do on our in house BBQs, a balloon decorated container or you could cut a slot in a rain poncho, putting the container into the shelter and a small fan running. What’s the difference? The elevated container makes it hot under the car, while the balloons keep it nice and cool.

Testing. When your HPA begins to fail, it’s usually due to water leaking outside. Our recommendation is to replace the unit. If it is from a balloon, you can test it using the above method. If it’s from an aero deicer, you’re stuck with it!

Seasoning. Keep the container covered with water-soluble rust preventative material, keeping the water level about 3″ above the top of the container. Test the water level every month to make sure it doesn’t swell due to the rust.