Using a regular air compressor that we all have at our households or industries, usually goes with some of the equipment and for some it doesn’t. It gets confusing and annoying at certain times to know about which one to buy or not.
So, the internet is filled with confusing answers, and are in gazillions, that’s what frustrates you more. Air compressor is the pneumatic equipment with multiple applications and purposes. So, talking about paintball, you are planning to make use of it with your regular compressor?
Wanted to do some refurnishing, but got stuck. This article is going to thoroughly talk about paintball and regular air compressors. More importantly, can you use a regular air compressor for paintball?
Can you use a regular air compressor for paintball? – Detailed Answer
Without getting into any confusion, as per the experts’ judgement the answer to your question is No, you can’t use a regular air compressor for paintball. On the other hand, you can go for a high-pressure compressor for paintball, as it will follow all the requirements that are needed to run the paintball.
Talking about the high pressure required by paintball compressors is the reason that pistons account for a maximum of 98 percent of all paintball compressors. Most of the time, they use almost four stages.
This means that basically, four pistons or cylinders are used to compress the air in a typical paintball compressor.
Generally, paintball guns use tanks filled with pressurized air, but not like the others that use CO2 tanks. These CO2 tanks are specialized only to use a liquid that transforms into gas.
Additionally, there is no need to worry about issues with pressure or loading when the paintball gun has this power source.
Discussing this overall scenario of the paintball gun and air compressor that you can use with; it is evident that the air you use in paintball does not have to meet the same standards as the air used for diving and some other purposes.
Factors that show how you can’t use a regular air compressor:
More of that, the water in the air can be a problem, but a compressed air dryer is almost never used. Instead, the water in the air is drained using simple water drains.
Alongside these, there are some other factors that you can’t use a regular air compressor with paintball gun are mentioned below:
When comparing paintball compressors, you’ll see that the biggest factor affecting is the unit’s size. Pressure and airflow are the two things to keep an eye on.
The amount of pressure that is required is predetermined and cannot be changed. Considering that, the total of all 4500 or 5000 psi, or about 310 bars, is the pressure, that is considered ideal.
Another factor that comes is the air that can be moved in accordance to the per unit. However, air flow, or capacity, is a critical distinction.
In comparison to the small compressor, the big one can move a lot more air per minute. As a result, the time it takes to fill your storage cylinders is reduced.
Equipment that you need to make compressed air for paintball:
- One or more high-pressure paintball compressors are usually used in combination with one or more storage tanks and a fill station with multiple filling lines in order to produce compressed air for paintball guns.
- One or more high-pressure tanks are typically used for air storage. The compressor and storage cylinders are connected by a single line. The storage cylinders are connected to the fill stations via a separate line.
- There is a pressure regulator, a pressure gauge, and connections for connecting the paintball gun cylinders to the fill station.
What should you get for a paintball gun?
There are two basic types of air compressors: those that use carbon dioxide as a fuel and those that do not.
As we also talked about in the first place, carbon dioxide is generally regarded as a less desirable alternative. It has a smaller effective field of view and is less precise than compressed air. Another danger is that the gun will freeze, reducing its range and power.
Compressed air tanks, despite their superior quality and performance, are prohibitively expensive and difficult to refill.
A scuba tank or air compressor for filling your guns or for any use regarding paintball, at home is one option, but these can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per unit of measurement.
Safety Hazards of using compressor with paintball:
- It is uncommon but important at the same time, fire hazards near compressed air tanks are like playing with fire, so it’s best to keep them a safe distance away from them.
- An additional danger of compressed air is that it is sometimes used to clean objects. The force of the air itself can cause damage.
- As a final step, become familiar with the meaning of psi and how high of an air pressure your compressor should operate at.
Conclusion
Air compressors and paintball guns along with such other tools, can go along but specifically as we talked in this article about the question, can we use a regular air compressor with paintball, according to our research it is a No.
For more, high pressure compressors are recommended in this case. To get the most reliable one, you can get to know about the best air compressors on our blog.
