A common question new players ask after getting a marker is what should be added to it. An even more common answer is to get a regulator. But how many of us really now what a regulator is, what it does, and how it works? I know I was pretty fuzzy on the whole subject until I started researching. And so I offer the following to help explain these mystical devices. Now, this isn't to cover things like maintenance, repair, or anything like that. This is just an introduction to how regulators work, the benefits they provide, and some common types you may run across. Check out Beerandfuel's excellent thread on servicing a PPS reg if you need help fixing a troubled regulator.


What is a regulator?
So, to start off, what exactly is a regulator? An air pressure regulator ( often referred to as a reg, stabilizer, or stab, ) is a device that lowers air pressure to bring it to a level that can be handled, either by the end device or the intermediate connecting lines. Generally they're not designed to do anything to the input, or high pressure, instead they limit the output, or low pressure. If it gets too high, a valve will close until the pressure on the output side has dropped. These high and low pressure sides are in relation to each other, unless otherwise explicitly specified below they don't relate to a low-pressure kit or anything like that. Please note, this is not the same as an expansion chamber. Expansion chambers do nothing about controlling pressure, they just have a lot of room on the inside of them to help expose liquid CO2 to as much air as possible to promote full evaporation. ( Ok, I knew most of you know that, but some people were ranting to have that "disclaimer here. )

In terms of paintball, the regulator is placed in the air system somewhere between the tank and the marker. The input is fed from the tank ( either HPA or CO2 ) while the output is then fed into the marker. It's not uncommon to see multiple regulators in use. If this is the case, the output of one regulator will feed the input of another. For example, every HPA tank already has a regulator built into the nozzle to bring the pressure down from 3000 - 4500 psi inside the tank itself to a more manageable 800 - 850 psi. This output could then be fed into another regulator, like a Palmer or CP, which could then regulate the pressure down to the desired operating level for the marker. Remember, a regulator only brings the pressure down, it can't ramp it back up.


How do they help?
Shooting a paintball is pretty useless if you can't hit what you're shooting at. Accurate shooting comes from consistency. In this case, we're talking about consistent air pressure in your marker's action. The air pressure behind a paintball when it's fired determines how fast it will go. The faster a paintball goes the farther it will fly before it hits the ground. If you have inconsistent air pressure, each ball you fire will have drastically different speeds and therefore drastically different ranges. This means that you could fire one ball almost on target while the next falls five feet short and the next goes ten feet over. With a good regulator your velocity variance between each shot can drop to +/- 3 fps or less. This means you can put more balls on target while potentially taking fewer overall shots.


But I already have an HPA tank, why do I need another regulator?
The regulators on HPA tanks aren't known for great consistency and allow a much wider pressure variance than most stand alone regulators on the market today. Not only that, but the vast majority of regulators on HPA tanks have a fixed output, they can't be adjusted. Any worthy after market reg has an adjustable output so you can run your marker at precisely the pressure you want to. You can often use this adjustment to set the velocity instead of front or rear velocity adjusters ( FVA / RVA. ) Not only that, but if you ever have to switch to a CO2 tank, you'll have a reg to use with it since CO2 tanks don't have regs on them.


So which regulator is for me?
This really depends on what type of setup you have. Regs have a lot of aspects that need to be considered before you go get one. Not all regs are built equally. While they all should handle HPA fine, some don't work well with CO2. The connectors and air fittings run the gamut as well so you need to be careful there. Also, some have range limits on both input and output pressures. So here's some things to research before buying that shiny new regulator:

Gas Compatibility
Palmer's Pursuit regulators are well known for handling both HPA and CO2 equally well. It's one of the reasons they're so popular among Tippmann users who might switch back and forth between the two gas sources. Palmer isn't the only one to offer regs that can handle both, a little searching can find a wide range of products. Before you get a reg, make sure you know what it can and can't handle. If it doesn't explicitly say CO2 compatible, ask to find out. It really bites when you ruin an $80 reg by feeding it CO2. Even if CO2 doesn't break it, there is a possibility of liquid CO2 freezing up the reg which can freeze it both open and closed. The nice thing about a dual gas reg is that after you set the output, you can switch between any tank you want, HPA or CO2, and the pressure to your marker will remain the same. Also, most any reg that can handle CO2 will also act as a block to prevent any liquid CO2 from getting inside and damaging your internals.

Output Pressure Range
After gas compatibility, this is probably the most important thing to watch. You can't run a Tippmann on a Palmer Fatty that maxes out at 400 psi. Most companies will offer different regs for different marker types. Those designed for low pressure electro-pneumatics, like CP, generally won't go above 200 psi while those for high pressure blow backs often can go up to 800 psi. The smaller the pressure range the more precise the adjustment will be so get the lowest output that can still operate your marker ( it's a good idea to give a little fudge room too. )

Input Pressure Range
Due to different designs, regs have different limits in how much input pressure they can handle. Most should be able to handle at least 900 psi to accommodate stock HPA and CO2 tanks. Any reg that can handle CO2 should be able to go up to 1200 psi so it can handle those scorching days. However, some are designed for a tiered system and may have lower limits. Like with CO2, don't get a reg only to blow it up because you put double the recommended pressure into it.

Connections & Air Fittings
Not all regs have the same type of connections. For example, Palmer offers a lot of variants of their popular Stabilizer. Get an idea of where you want to mount a reg and then find one that has the proper connections to do so. Do you need male or female ASA threads? A macroline compression fitting? Most markers that come with built in regulators have limited attachment points so that will likely answer your question for you. An Ion needs one to screw into the front ASA threads while an Automag needs one that can route into the valve at the back of the marker. An A-5 needs something to connect to the tombstone. So look around before you pounce.

Rebuild
Any quality regulators should have the ability to be completely rebuilt and repaired with very little trouble. You may need to buy a kit from the manufacturer, but after swapping out a few springs and O-rings, the reg should be good as new. If you can't get one that can be rebuilt, keep looking.

Pressure Guage
The vast majority of regs either come with or have the option of a pressure guage mounted to show the current output pressure. It may not be something you absolutely need, but they can come in handy.

Recharge Rate
Not all regs have the same air flow rate. The amount of time it takes for the regulator valve to fully fill to the set pressure is called the recharge rate. The faster it can recharge the better. If the valve can't fully recharge before you pull the trigger, you won't get the full pressure behind the ball and you velocity will drop, this is called shoot down. Most regs should be able to maintain at least 10 bps so unless you're really going for speed, you shouldn't be worried too much about this. If you do want to crank out the rounds, I'd suggest going with a quality, well known reg like a Palmer, CP, or Bob Long.

Low Pressure Regulators
You may stumble along some of these in your search for the perfect regulator. An LPR is not something designed for full marker pressure regulation. They are part of pneumatic cocking systems like those on Autocockers and Blazers. They store a small amount of pressure inside and release it after the ball is fired to cock the marker and chamber the next ball.


The Palmer Stabilizer
Being as this is such a popular choice, I feel a small section is needed to explain the different models available and how they can connect to an air system. Below is a list of the current Stabs offered by Palmer and the typical setups for each. A picture gallery of some common and not-so-common setups can be seen here.

Male / Vertical Stab
This offers standard ASA threads for the output so it can be attached anywhere a tank could, even directly to the tombstone adapter on an A-5. That's actually one of the more popular mounting points for this adaptation. The input is on the side and uses standard 1/8" npt 27 female threadings like you would see on steel braided macroline connectors. It's a 90* fitting so hoses run along the reg body.

Female / Horizontal Stab
This is pretty much the complete reverse of a Male stab. It has female ASA threads on the input and so tanks and remote line adapters can attach directly to it. The output is on the side and uses the same connector as the Male stab above. This is most commonly mounted on the bottomline adapter to replace the stock ASA. Palmer sells a mounting kit with it should you need one.

In-Line / Direct Stab
These two are the exact same setup, but have reversed air flow directions. The top connector is a 1/8" npt 27 male, while the side is a 90* female of the same. These are more for putting the reg between two sections of macroline or other air line.

Side-Line Stab
This one was designed primarily for Automags to fit directly into the AIR / X-valve connector on the side of the marker. It's the exact same in function as the In-Line Stab but the fittings are different. The top connector is a 1/8" quick disconnect, like that on a remote line, while the side connector is a straight 1/8" npt 27 male.


Break-in time
Like most things, regulators sometimes need a little time to "break-in" to hit their consistent zone. It can take a little time for the air pressure to flex the spring and fully seat the O-rings and valves. Most people recommend at least 1000 shots before a regulator is fully set. Until then it can act fairly erratic and possibly make things worse than before you got it. Fret not, give it a little patience and it will perform admirably.


As always any remarks, feedback, extra info, etc, are always welcome.

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-J

Paintball FAQ's | Asking yourself "What should I get next?" | Paint & Barrel Facts | Fixing the Chop
HPA vs. CO2 | Regulator FAQ's | To Remote or Not To Remote | Slide Checks 101 | LPK FAQ's
Complete A-5 Maintenance | Complete T-8 Maintenance | Which Vest is for Me? | Secondary Sights | Rails, Sights, & Targeting
Sale - Custom Vests, MOLLE Gear, Dogleg Stock, & More

Very well done I would suggest one addition, and that would be as to Co2 and that it deals with a regulator will not stop freeze up when using Co2. I think some people confuse shoot down and freeze up as the same thing. A frozen reg is great on the back of your neck on a hot day though LOL


Robert
Again very well written.

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Teal 2K Angel LCD,Angel Air 45/4500 W/OTP G3 barrel, 98 custom Flatline, Trracer, PT Extreme,2 Splatmasters, Spyder Elite,Hornet,Black VSC Phantom, Hammer A&P,Tagmaster, Unibody Phantom, 2 Core ZX's, BE BLADE LOL, A5, flatline, egrip, mp5 mag, aftermarket shroud, A5-A2 stock and soon to be also qloaded.

this needs to be stickied up some where . this is an excellent post

Very nice and thorough post.

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JackRock

Whether helping my team take a hill, a new player with equipment failure, or helping you to the dead zone.
I hear the call to service and I answer: I am an Operator.
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I had to scour the forum for all the info on my decision on a stabilizer. This will greatly help players make an informed decision on what will be best for them. Great job!

p.s. I got a Palmer's male....arrives in a few days (Thanks Daggumit!)

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www.DeltaSquad.info
Inflatable bunker or tree, both work for me.

AGD questions or troubleshooting? PM me or check here.

Ok, I fixed a few items, added some info, and made a dedicated Palmer section. I think it's now officially done.

__________________
You can't wipe a welt
-J

Paintball FAQ's | Asking yourself "What should I get next?" | Paint & Barrel Facts | Fixing the Chop
HPA vs. CO2 | Regulator FAQ's | To Remote or Not To Remote | Slide Checks 101 | LPK FAQ's
Complete A-5 Maintenance | Complete T-8 Maintenance | Which Vest is for Me? | Secondary Sights | Rails, Sights, & Targeting
Sale - Custom Vests, MOLLE Gear, Dogleg Stock, & More

what is the recommended psi for an a5

it differs. I've heard of non-modified A5s running from anywhere between 500psi to 850psi.

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JackRock

Whether helping my team take a hill, a new player with equipment failure, or helping you to the dead zone.
I hear the call to service and I answer: I am an Operator.
Check out my paintball YouTube Videos.

I haven't put a gauge on my A5 yet but I know my 98 Custom works best at 650-700 PSI and the A5 is a somewhat similiar valve system. Even if you get it to shoot at full velocity with 450-500, I suggest that you need 150-200 (in my humble opinion) above that setting to keep your recharge rate up. This is how I deal with using single regulators on markers and it works for me. I set my regulator were I know it will not get starved and then use velocity adjuster to set my FPS.

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Teal 2K Angel LCD,Angel Air 45/4500 W/OTP G3 barrel, 98 custom Flatline, Trracer, PT Extreme,2 Splatmasters, Spyder Elite,Hornet,Black VSC Phantom, Hammer A&P,Tagmaster, Unibody Phantom, 2 Core ZX's, BE BLADE LOL, A5, flatline, egrip, mp5 mag, aftermarket shroud, A5-A2 stock and soon to be also qloaded.

All true. MOST 98/A5 markers won't fully function without at least 700psi.

__________________
JackRock

Whether helping my team take a hill, a new player with equipment failure, or helping you to the dead zone.
I hear the call to service and I answer: I am an Operator.
Check out my paintball YouTube Videos.