Homemade SC Fill Port?

Build a homemade water gun or water balloon launcher and tell us about it.
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martianshark
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Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by martianshark » Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:21 am

I want to give my next homemade an SC fill port. Is it possible to make one? Has anyone done it? I want it to fit into a QFD just like any other SC-capable stock water gun.

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C-A_99
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by C-A_99 » Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:29 am

The VHS gives some insight on how to create SC fillers. Now you simply need to do the opposite. However, you're more likely to get the homemade to attach to the hose directly (using quick disconnect fittings; look around the forums or the hardware/home improvement store for them) than to get it to fit into the SC port. That said, creating something to fit into the SC port should not be hard to do. You'll have to experiment with different parts/fittings though, and you'll need an extra check valve on the gun for it. It is also possible to charge via nozzle if you don't mind having to open the valve.

The problem with hose charging homemades is the lack of a pressure relief valve. Without a valve, nothing stops a n00b/idiot from blowing apart LRT/balloons of a CPH. (which is not dangerous but results in a good soaking and requires replacing the PC; LRT is expensive) As for air pressure, letting it fill too long may damage the hose itself but seems very unlikely to blow apart anything on the gun.

It may be possible to build a PRV if you have the parts needed to create something similar to a homemade check valve. Calculations are also needed; you need to know the PSI at which the valve should act and select the right spring accordingly.

For homemades I wouldn't deal with PRV's though. If only you're using the homemade, hose charging shouldn't be a problem.

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martianshark
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by martianshark » Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:50 am

If the LRT is strong enough (stronger than the hose), then the LRT should stop filling after a while. If using balloons, this could be a bigger problem, but with enough layers, it also shouldn't be a problem.

I still however, need a QFD so that I can start experimenting with fill ports.

How does the VHS fill SC guns? Do you just stick the water balloon filler into it?
Last edited by martianshark on Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

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cantab
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by cantab » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:32 pm

Won't simply putting a rigid case around an elastic pressure chamber limit its expansion and stop it bursting?
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martianshark
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by martianshark » Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:03 pm

Maybe.

.

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C-A_99
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by C-A_99 » Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:45 pm

I need to update the VHS article considerably. To fill an SC gun, you use the 3/4" threaded plug from home depot (since it happens to contain an "opening" that fits the SC muzzle). The plug has a hill drilled in to let water through. If the fittings have changed, you may need to find another solution. To charge the gun, a ball valve is opened up to allow flow, done while the entire unit is placed on the ground and the gun pressed into the plug to prevent any soakings.

After some thought, it looks like I'm wrong that stopping pressure would damage the hose/plumbing. A PC that stops expanding, or an air pressure system that builds up too much pressure for the hose is no different than closing the valve on the hose to stop flow. I had the misconception that the pressure build-up would damage the hose, so indeed the lack of a PRV should not be a problem if the LRTs/balloons are thick enough, guarded by a good PC case, or an air pressure system is used. (which obviously must be at least PVC; the hose may power up enough pressure to burst soda bottles)

With a PC case, threaded fittings must be used, or some other method of allowing the case to disassemble is needed.

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martianshark
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by martianshark » Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:22 pm

The hose wouldn't burst a soda bottle. I've built two homemades that hook up to the hose, and I fill them until they can't fill any more, and they don't burst. Anyway, PVC probably would be a good idea - I only use soda bottles because they're transparent.

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cantab
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by cantab » Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:32 pm

You should bear in mind that both soda bottle burst pressures and mains water pressure vary substantially. According to Wikipedia while typical UK water pressures are 58-72 psi, they can run to over 115 psi, which stands a good chance of bursting a soda bottle.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
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zeda.beta
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by zeda.beta » Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:39 pm

If the soda bottle has a possibility of bursting, I would encase it in a spare sock or some chicken wire, that way it has a much reduced chance of harming anyone.
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JuchTurtles
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by JuchTurtles » Wed Apr 07, 2010 11:55 am

This wouldn't work with a stock QFD, but you could easily fill the chamber with a union valve. If you are unfamiler with this valve, it works just like a ball valve (actually easier to turn too) except that you can unscrew it from pipe and you can fill a chamber. I have used these before, and they work quite well.

As for QFDs, you have to got down to slightly smaller 1/2" pipe (and I don't think 1/4" would work either). That's why it would be smarter to follow what C-A_99 uses and builds. It works just as well as a stock (if not better because you can fill water balloons as well as blasters at the same time).
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C-A_99
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by C-A_99 » Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:55 pm

The original idea behind the VHS was to have one nozzle to fill and one to shoot. You could fill while shooting and simply flip some valves around to do this. Unfortunately, filling while shooting never came to work very well since when charginge SC's, the blaster will simply push out unless the VHS is pressed on the ground. For all other blasters, it turned out that the SC nozzle on the VHS does not fit into most reservoirs so we usually fill with the main nozzle designed for shooting.

Now for homemades, what I'd do is simply connect the homemade's nozzle to the VHS directly. The VHS uses two 3/4" threaded ball valves and most homemades have 3/4" male adapters for attaching nozzles, so it's possible to thread in this way though it may not be very intuitive to do so.

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martianshark
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by martianshark » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:09 pm

But it would take a while to screw it on. Also, I use 1/2" for my homemades.

The reason I need a SC port is in case I'm in a battle that happens to have a QFD. I'm trying to make an ultimate water gun that can do everything and has all kinds of functions. This will (hopefully) include an SC fill port, a pressure guage, a thick LRT bladder, a valve in front of the PC that I can close and turn into a piston gun in case I don't have time to pump, a nozzle selection (of course), and more. Maybe even a Speedloader fill port and a mini soaker like on the Triple Aggressor.
Last edited by martianshark on Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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C-A_99
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Re: Homemade SC Fill Port?

Post by C-A_99 » Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:22 pm

So basically, you can't build a VHS and use a quick disconnect attachment, then attach the whole dongle to the hose of the area you're playing at? With a VHS you can also build a speedloader port; just figure out how they work and go to the hardware/home improvement store and find a part that'll fit the Speedloader tank. (take the tank with you, obviously)

It would make sense to avoid the quick disconnect though. It's faster on a VHS to simply use the SC filler so what you can do here is to use an attachment on the homemade gun that's designed to adapt to the SC port. You'll need to be able to fit an O-ring around this attachment (not sure on the size; if you have an SC blaster you can measure it yourself) and it should fit into both a real QFD and a VHS's.

You'll have to experiment with various parts and pipes to see what fits into the QFD, then design a solution around this. The part should be attached to a 3/4" female adapter/threaded coupler if you're sticking with the 3/4" male standard for the homemade's nozzle.

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