
Looking to learn how to fill paintball tanks at home? Allow us to take care of that!
We are pretty sure that you know each of the components of the paint gun by now. Yes, the compressed gas is what shoots the gelatin-filled capsules from the tip of the gun.
Now, if you own a gun, you need to do the maintenance tasks by yourself, or else it will not function adequately.
And when it comes to maintaining the gun, one of the things that many ask us is how to fill paintball tanks at home.
Considering how common the question is, we decided to prepare a guide that will be ideal for the novice and the pros at the same time. So, let us not waste any more of your valuable time and get right into it.
Types of Paintball Tanks
Before we show you the procedure to fill the tanks right at home, we need to make sure that you know the type of paintball tank your gun has.
And for that, you should have a proper idea regarding each of the types. That being said, there are primarily three types. They are:
Compressed Carbon-dioxide (CO2)
CO2 tanks are probably the most common type of tank. As you know, the compressed form of any gas is liquid, and the case is the same for this gas.
And the sizes of the tanks are going to range from 3.5 fluid ounces to 40 fluid ounces. That means they will start from 100 ml to 1180 ml.
High-pressure Compressed Air (HPA)
The alternative to compressed carbon dioxide is the highly pressurized oxygen air. Some of the tanks might also have filtered air inside. These are available in different capacities and different sizes. However, one of the major advantages of these is finding tanks with 5000 PSI of pressure.
Compressed Nitrogen (N2)
Most of the tanks are going to either rely on compressed CO2 or HPA. In other words, tanks with N2 gas will be pretty rare. Like the other two, this is also available in different sizes and different capacities.
However, because of how hard it is to access compressed pure nitrogen, most players do not opt for this one.
One of these types of tanks should be attached to your gun. The primary function of these is to release the gas upon pressing the trigger. And the gas released offers the balls the velocity it requires to travel further distances.

Types of HPA Tanks
Among all the three tanks, the HPA is the only one that is available in different versions.
Also, this tank is one of the go-to options for many because when compared to CO2, the air is reasonably less dense. This ability makes the tanks carry more pressurized air than the CO2 tanks.
Nevertheless, the types of HPA gas available in the market are as follows:
Aluminum HPA
These are usually sold in small sizes. And the reason for that is the heft. These are the heaviest among the two types. For that reason, these can not sustain that much high pressure. The highest these can go is 3000 PSI.
However, the bright side is that they are cheap and pretty much accessible everywhere.
Apart from being cheap, these are reasonably durable as well, thanks to the aluminum construction. The material can make the tanks last for up to 15 years.
Fiber-wrapped HPA
As the label states, these tanks made of carbon fibers are given the shape of a cylinder. And the biggest advantage these can offer is being lightweight.
So, these hold the ability to retain air with a higher pressure threshold. Also, thanks to being lightweight, it will be easier to carry these.
However, these are not that durable when compared to the aluminum ones. Also, the price of these is a bit steep.
How To Refill Tanks Right at Home?
Now that you know all about the different types of available tanks let us get to the main topic you are basically here for. That would be the process of refilling the tanks. And the process for each of the types are as follows:
For HPA Tanks
First and foremost, do not try to fill the tank using a regular air compressor or a car tire pump. They simply can not yield more pressure than 180 PSI.
Instead, it would be best if you got hold of a special air compressor pump. Those should be capable of pumping up to 4500 PSI of compressed air.
Even though the special air compressor might be a bit expensive, the investment is going to be well worth it in the long run.
Also, you can opt for the scuba tank, get it fully filled in a station, and bring it back to your home to refill the tanks of your gun. And when you are filling follow these steps:
- Attach a fill station with the tank
- Install the tank of the gun to the fill station
- Ensure that the release valve is off
- Then, slowly turn the primary valve and get the tank filled up
For CO2 tank
The process of getting access to a CO2 bulk tank is pretty straightforward. However, if you can not manage to get one, we recommend filling a scuba tank with CO2 in the fill station.
That being said, the steps you need to follow to refill your CO2 tank is as follows:
- Put the paintball tank inside a fridge to lower its overall temperature
- Bring the tank out and attach it to the filling port of the CO2 tank
- Slowly, rotate the primary valve of the main CO2 tank
- Open up the station’s valve and let the CO2 fill the tank of your gun
Here, we are lowering the temperature of the tank to avoid any fluctuation of the pressure.
Final Words
Hopefully, after going through the entire article, you now know how to fill paintball tanks at home. Now, you should be capable of filling up the tanks without going through any hassles or spending too much.
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Hi, This is Leo Roman. I am a paintball enthusiast and love to improve my paintball game skills in the right way. I created this blog out of my passion for helping paintball game lovers improve their paintball games. I am not alone here. We have a bunch of paintball enthusiasts here. Learn more