TargetTalk

I've been thinking about getting another SCUBA tank and cascading my fills. Just curious how people handle this?

1) One cylinder adapter on one K->DIN adapter, simply swapping the whole assembly between tanks each time?

2) Two K-DIN adapters and 2 cylinder adapters (buy another one from the mfg'r)?

3) One could get fancy with a T-Fitting and some high pressure hoses, allowing both tanks to be attached at once. Open the valve on one, close it, open the valve on the other. This could be a pretty slick solution, has anyone done that before?

I digress: without using idea #3 above, the concern I have is that cascading will double the amount of screwing/un-screwing of the air cylinder. Am I being too paranoid about the wear it will put on the air cylinders and adapter? Eg. If the threads would normally last 50 years, doubling it the use will reduce the expected life to 25 years, which is 15 more than the cylinder is supposed to be used anyway?

Oz

Our host built a 3 tank system for USA Shooting .... uses your option #3

Moving the K-adapter from tank to tank would kind of defeat the purpose a bit as you would lose any air pressurized in the lines

Well, that info got me excited. I did a bunch of research into fancy, multi-valve systems with high pressure lines, etc., with the goal to simply screw on the cylinder, open a valve on the first tank, close it. Open a valve on the 2nd tank, close it.

But in the end, it looks like the most cost effective and efficient (minimal amount of air loss during fill process) is to simply have two tanks with two DIN adapters with two fill fittings. This will double the wear on the pistol/rifle air cylinder, but again... I think the wear experienced in screwing it onto the fill adapter is pretty minimal and nothing to worry about.

If anyone has thoughts on a more efficient dual tank cascading set up, I'd enjoy hearing about it.

Oz

given that a SCUBA tank at home will last most shooters six months to a year, why would an individual even consider a cascade system?

pilkguns wrote:given that a SCUBA tank at home will last most shooters six months to a year, why would an individual even consider a cascade system?

I would LOVE that! I'm only 45 days into this newly filled scuba tank and from my estimates, I wont be able to get 80 shots per day on one cylinder within the next two weeks. I could start using two cylinders per day which is fine until I can't get 40 shots per cylinder. That could probably provide another 2 weeks on one tank? Don't know for sure.

So... my estimates indicate having to refill my scuba tank every 6-7 weeks. 8-9 weeks by using both cylinders per per day. Two tanks without cascade could last as long as 16-18 weeks. Since I would have 2 scuba tanks it just makes sense to cascade them to squeeze out a few more usable PSI.

Just thinking, 6 months on 1 tank might indicate 60 shots 2x per week or so? If that's pretty 'normal' I just realized that there probably aren't many users here who want or need two tanks, let alone cascade them.

Going to a larger volume tank (we have 50 - 100 people filling off a tank at a normal Match) would help to solve your problem. There is a hose assembly (dive shops use them all the time) to fill SCUBA Tanks off of the commercial bottles, which is about $250.00. You can either fill the smaller tanks, or run straight off of the commercial tanks. You'll need a small "hand truck or dolly" to move the commercial bottles as they are a little too heave for one person to move by yourself. You can also have a commercial company pick up and deliver the commercial bottles (we found that we could get the air delivered for $38.00 per bottle) but our Fire Department does it for free. We just have to take our Bottles, or SCUBA Tanks there to be filled. It take the FD about 15 - 20 min to fill them and we're back on our way.

Scott Pilkington had a nice compressor that he carried at one time. A couple of our Georgia Clubs bought them and have been very happy with them.

There are many ways to slice this pie; you just have to figure out what your likely need for air will be and which of these ideas works best for your situation.

Good Luck,

Roy McClain
(404) 227-2272 cell
www.OleMillRange.org