How do you tell if a paintball co2 tank is expired?

Read the third row of information on the crown of the CO2 cylinder. The date of manufacture, commonly known as the "Born On" date, is expressed numerically in a mm/yy format. The tank must be hydrotested every five years after this date.

Do CO2 paintball tanks expire?

Paintball cylinders need to be retested for its serviceability every three to five years. They also only have a lifespan of 15 years. HYDROSTATIC TEST or HYDROTEST – The tank is visually inspected for cracks then is pressurized with water to look for a drop in pressure or to see if there are any leaks.

Can you use expired paintball tank?

Paintball tanks need to be re-hydrotested because the tank expires about every five years, and you want to be sure the tank's pressure doesn't empty out. To have your tank re-hydrotested, you should take it to a paintball gun professional.

Do CO2 tanks have expiration dates?

The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that most portable CO2 tanks, both new and used, be re-certified every five years. Nitrogen and other high pressure inert gas cylinders generally have a 10 year re-certification requirement (although there are exceptions).

Where is the date stamp on a CO2 tank?

Aluminum CO2 cylinders require testing every 5 years. At the time of testing, a date stamp will be imprinted into the cylinder near the top of the tank.

How to Tell if a CO2 Tank is Full (or Needs Replacing)

How do you read CO2 tank markings?

Here's what those markings represent: DOT-3AL - The U.S. regulatory authority, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and specification, 3AL, to which the cylinder is manufactured in compliance. 1800 - The service pressure, in pounds per square inch (psi), of the cylinder. FXXXXXXX - The serial number of the cylinder.

What happens when a paintball tank expires?

Paintball high pressure air tanks will need to be hydro tested every 3 or 5 years depending on the bottle manufacturer. The date of manufacture will be marked on the tank, and it is your responsibility to have it re-hydrotested when your tank expires.

How much does it cost to Hydrotest a paintball tank?

It can cost about $25 to $40 to hydrotest a paintball tank. You might have to include shipping costs, which could be $10 to $30 if you're using an online service. If you opt to change your regulator, you could pay up to $70 to $90.

How long do carbon fiber paintball tanks last?

Carbon fiber air tanks, or fiber wrapped tanks are required to be rehydro tested every 5 years and have a 15-year life span. Aluminum tank hydrotesting needs to be done every 5 years however these tanks can continue to be retested until they fail.

How long are aluminum CO2 tanks good for?

Aluminum CO2 cylinders require testing every 5 years. At the time of testing, a date stamp will be imprinted into the cylinder near the top of the tank. Here is an example of a Hydrostatic Test Stamp Date.

What's better for paintball CO2 or air?

CO2 tanks are compact and yield a lot of shots for their size and weight compared to compressed air. CO2 does have disadvantages that can impact your game. The number one drawback is tank and gun chilling. As the liquid CO2 is expanding it is also cooling; the faster it expands, the colder it gets.

Can you put compressed air in a CO2 tank?

You could fill your CO2 tank with compressed air and find out that your gun's fire rate has slowed or even stalled completely. This could completely derail your paintballing fun. To avoid shooting issues, it's important not to put compressed air in your CO2 tank.

Do air tanks expire?

Air carrying tanks do have “discard by” or “destroy by” dates, usually on one of the legs. These air tanks don't generally have drains and they are low-cost and often cheaply made, so using one past its expiration date is not the best idea.

What can I do with old paintball HPA tanks?

What does TW mean on a CO2 tank?

TW stands for tare weight, and it tells you what the weight of the cylinder is. Mine happens to be 25.0 lbs. So now all I have to do it put my tank on a scale and see what it weighs. Then, subtract 25.0 from that number, and that is how much is left in the tank.

How do you tell if a CO2 tank has a dip tube?

How can I tell a CO2 cylinder with a syphon tube valve / dip tube? Gas bottle with a syphon tube are usually marked with an additional label stating the type of valve. Partly symbolizes a vertical color line in addition the so-called “dip tube”.

Do compressed gas cylinders expire?

Non-reactive gas mixtures are normally filled in steel cylinders and typically have a shelf life of about 3 years. In some cases, a higher concentration of a reactive gas can have a longer shelf life than a lower concentration.

Can I fill my paintball tank with an air compressor?

Of course, you can fill other people's paintball tanks as well as scuba tanks, but for most paintball players, this option is out of reach. Don't even try to use your tire pump or a standard air compressor—it won't work.

What psi do paintball guns use?

In most cases, paintball guns use compressed air tanks with high pressure ratings, generally ranging from 3000 psi up to 5000 psi.

What's the difference between CO2 and HPA paintball?

The beauty of HPA is that the pressure is much more stable than CO2 and changes due to shooting fast or playing in cold weather are barely noticeable. No thick clouds or snow from the barrel, no more layers of frost on the marker body and your accuracy improves due to better velocity consistency.

How is hydrostatic testing done?

Hydrostatic tests are conducted by filling an object with water and pressurizing it to test for strength and leaks. The ability to detect leaks in an object is one of the most important reasons why this type of testing should be performed regularly.

How long is hydro test good for?

The DOT does not specify a service life for steel and aluminum cylinders, but the CGA allows for their reuse indefinitely as long as they continue to pass their hydrostatic and visual inspections every five years.