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It using a CO2 tank that dangerous?

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:14 pm
by Erlex
My question is concerning how well PVC piping will hold up after it is filled with CO2 and fired multiple times. To my knowledge, PVC gets "brittle" when it gets too cold. But how brittle does it get? I am only planning on filling it up to 50-60 PSI each time. Can that potentially get dangerous? By the way, metal is out of the question.

-Erlex

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:19 pm
by Pilgrimman
PVC is not okay to use with CO2, especially not at this time of year. PVC gets significantly brittle even in temperatures of 50 or so, and CO2 gets really cold as it expands from the tank. Just use regulated HPA or something (I think it'd work, but ASK AROUND! :D ).

Also look in the wiki, and you might try PM ing some of the senior members. I've personally never dealt with pressures over 100 psi, so I can't help much more.

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:25 pm
by benstern
With CO2 also you have to have a correct type of regulator.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:21 pm
by BigJon
From my knowledge its ok to use CO2 with pvc. But I wouldn't use it during this time of year because its already cold enough in some places to make PVC brittle. But I have seen lots of people using it on their guns. Make sure to put a safety releife valve on your gun and use a proper regulator it you use CO2.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:25 pm
by ShowNoMercy
If your only running ~60 psi why not just get a compressor? The prices would prob be around the same after the C02 tank and regulator.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:26 pm
by DYI
CO2 is perfectly fine to use with PVC pipe, so long as you have a proper regulator and don't allow the PVC to get too cold.

Why is metal out of the question? Steel is stronger, almost as cheap, and has far better chemical and temperature resistance than PVC.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:01 pm
by socoj2
DYI wrote:CO2 is perfectly fine to use with PVC pipe, so long as you have a proper regulator and don't allow the PVC to get too cold.

Why is metal out of the question? Steel is stronger, almost as cheap, and has far better chemical and temperature resistance than PVC.
IN CORRECT!

The Problem with CO2 is in the liquid state, if something causes a no siphon tank to get past horizontal the liquid WILL Freeze your REG in an open state and allow the CO2 liquid to expand into a gas causing a massive Rise in pressure. This will cause a catastrophic explosion and send PVC schrapnel a couple of hundred feet.

I know someone who nearly lost their life in an accident described just above. He cause a 3 inch chunk to the neck, slicing him from collar bone to ear, and missing his jugular by milimeters.


Co2 + PVC = MmmmBad K??

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:02 pm
by ShowNoMercy
Well this should be interesting..... and your rebuke DYI?

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:12 pm
by socoj2
ShowNoMercy wrote:Well this should be interesting..... and your rebuke DYI?
heh i have pictures to Prove it. Yes some people may have used CO2 and lived in the Past, im telling you its not a SAFE idea, unless your using a system like the Kobalt Tool kit. Or a safety blow Off Valve.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:32 pm
by ShowNoMercy
I don't have either of those so I guess i am living on borrowed time eh?

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:57 pm
by EGOed
Regulators dont even have to freeze with liquid CO2 to fail.......They can fail with high pressure air also.....And it has happened many times.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:00 pm
by ShowNoMercy
And you could get hit by lighting, killed by falling objects, electrocuted etc etc..... Life is grim if you look at that way.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:29 pm
by EGOed
This is true , but there are ways to minimize risks in life and you should use them whenever possible ......Spending a few bucks for a safety pop off is a small price to pay compared to the glass eye you will need to purchase if a regulator fails and turns your eyeball into jelly from your PVC cannon.

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:54 pm
by BigGrib
Man I don't even know what to say to all of this.
The Problem with CO2 is in the liquid state, if something causes a no siphon tank to get past horizontal the liquid WILL Freeze your REG in an open state and allow the CO2 liquid to expand into a gas causing a massive Rise in pressure. This will cause a catastrophic explosion and send PVC schrapnel a couple of hundred feet.
Ummm What?? CO2 evaporates off inside the tank and if liquid went up through the regulator if you were that big of an idiot to turn your tank on it's side while filling your chamber (i travel with mine on the side with the main valve off and the regulator attached) and get a slug of liquid through the regulator you might freeze your regulator but you're not gonna blow the whole thing up in a huge catastrophic failure.

And the addition to a safety pop pff valve is just asinine because if you're filling with a schrader valve and an air chuck on the end of the hose umm if you're not a complete freaking retard you see that thing start to spike (oh yeah I keep a look on both of my gauges on my tank and my gun) take your hang off the chuck tard.

Most of this stuff is just common sense but as an old chinese proverb states "There is nothing common about common sense"

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:29 pm
by EGOed
The point of this thread is to point out the potential hazzards of using CO2 with PVC.....If you are relying on only regulators and guages to fill your PVC chambers with CO2 , I got news for you......Gauges fail a lot more frequently than you can imagine ....especially when exposed to the extreme cold temperatures of CO2......I work in a chemical plant and could fill the inside of your house from top to bottom with all the pressure gauges and regulators that have failed at this plant during the last 10 years .....This is industrial grade instrumentation and a lot more reliable than the junk you buy at home depot.