THE MUCH-FEARED (AND UNKNOWN) POWER SYSTEM
“Run!! He’s got an HPA!!” This line could be the start of a horror movie, but unfortunately it’s not as fictional as we would like, and we hear it far too often on fields or social media. Gentlemen, HPA doesn’t bite. It’s neither better nor worse; it has its pros and cons when compared to other systems, that’s clear. And today we’re here to shed some light on the subject so that at least next time you talk about it, you do so informed. I hope you enjoy it.
What is it?
The acronym HPA stands for “High Pressure Air”. And it is a power system that, depending on the replica we use it in, can be considered a substitute for batteries, gas, or CO2.
What do I need for it to work?
This will depend on the replica we’re installing it in, but as a general rule we will need:
1. A special tank, for air storage.
2. A regulator, which will control the output pressure and from which we can adjust the PSI output of the tank (this is linked to FPS).
3. A line, more commonly known as a hose, which connects the regulator to the replica.
How does it work?
Broadly speaking, it is a cylinder with a solenoid inside (the part that opens and closes the system allowing air to pass) which, through electronics that regulate practically everything — from BBs per second, to the delay we want between shots, how we want the nozzle to enter the chamber, how fast we want it to enter the chamber, the volume of air we want to use, air velocity, etc. Here, the FCU (something like the onboard computer) and the micro switch basically come into play.
If we get specific, we’ll talk about the two most well-known and recognized systems among players due to the performance they offer.
What do I do to install it?
At this point we need to specify the type of replica it will be used in. If it’s in a…
GBB Pistols
For me, the easiest to convert to HPA. All we have to do is replace the gas/CO2 input valve of our secondary’s magazine with a specific HPA one that will connect to the regulator through the line.
Snipers
To give a more everyday example, we can compare it to the famous Mancraft CO2 kits; the only difference is switching from CO2 capsules to using air from the tank. In this case, the cylinder and spring assembly is replaced with an HPA cylinder.
My f*cking opinion:
Many people believe that HPA means the replica will suffer internally and shoot harder and farther. Nothing could be further from the truth. From my point of view (backed by several years of experience), gas replicas break due to the different fluctuations gas suffers at medium/high temperatures. To make it clear: mid-morning a 14 kg gas will give us around 320 fps at 25 ºC and as the morning progresses and temperature rises, that same 14 kg gas starts giving us more FPS, say 335, and this difference causes the replica to suffer excessively and potentially end up breaking. With HPA, this doesn’t happen. It’s regulated to a specific power and doesn’t have to vary throughout the morning, since air is not as sensitive to temperature changes as gas or CO2.
AEG Replicas
Despite being an alternative power source to batteries, we won’t get rid of them 100% in all cases, since in many situations they will power an FCU (Function Control Unit) that allows us to control everything we want the solenoid to do inside our replica.
In these replicas, it will depend on the gearbox platform we’re working with, but generally we have two (plus one) options:
1. Keep the original gearbox shell:
We empty the gearbox and keep the shells to connect the HPA system electronics, which broadly described, includes a micro switch at the trigger that every time it’s pressed activates the mechanical part, opening and closing the solenoid to cut the air flow.
Example: Polarstar Jack, F1 and F2.
2. Replace the gearbox with the HPA system:
Installation is “very” simple — we just remove the gearbox and insert the new system. In fact, there are new mechanical models like Valken or Red Line that eliminate any type of battery and simply use the trigger mechanically to open and close the air flow through the solenoid.
Example: Polarstar Fusion Engine and Valken v2.
+1. Integrated tank in the stock:
There are models with the tank integrated into the stock, eliminating the need for an external tank and line. These systems are new to the market and a perfect substitute for the other two systems.
We will have 2 options:
• Those with some type of electronics, functioning similarly to the Fusion Engine and F2.
Example: Wolverine MTW.
• Those without any electrical components, so that with each trigger pull the air passage opens.
Example: Redline and Valken
ADVANTAGES:
Durability
This system completely eliminates gears and replaces them with a solenoid that manages air flow.
Customization
Absolutely everything — from how we want the nozzle to enter the chamber to the force with which we want the air to exit (in models with FCU) — can be customized.
Stability
One of the most important advantages, especially compared to gas and CO2 replicas, as it barely fluctuates in terms of FPS.
Safety
be tampered with. If it chrono’s at 320, it will never exceed that power. On the contrary, the lower the tank pressure, the harder it will be for the regulator to maintain 320 consistently, meaning we’ll move along a descending curve.
Free of charge
Air is “free”. You can refill using a “hand pump”, similar to a bike pump — which saves you the gym. It just needs to reach 3000/4500 PSI, although in 15 minutes you’ll have it ready. Or with a compressor or scuba tank, in which case you’d need a type of valve (not expensive) to connect the bottle to the scuba.
DISADVANTAGES:
Unfamiliarity
You have to get used to playing with the line and the tank. It’s not very tedious, but it does feel strange if you’ve never used it and aren’t used to playing with a backpack.
Magazine change
In the case of pistols, since the line is individually connected to each magazine’s valve, the process to change magazines is as follows:
1. Take the new magazine out of the pouch
2. Disconnect the hose with the weak hand
3. Connect the hose to the new magazine
4. Remove the magazine without line and insert the new one
5. Old one to the dump pouch
This will result in slower and longer transitions, but like everything, if you train it, the times go down
Price
Depending on the HPA system we choose, we’re looking at around €150 for the basic tank, regulator and line kit, plus €200 to €500 if we go into a Polarstar kit.
My f*cking opinion
But for me the biggest negative point is the lack of knowledge about this system, since it’s not how many players think — that you can infinitely adjust FPS without any control. That’s not the case. The PSI (pressure) of the tank will correspond to certain FPS as we see the needle rise on the regulator gauge. But since this isn’t magic, it will only allow us to reach an exact FPS amount when reaching the maximum PSI level on the regulator. To give you an idea, in a stock hi-capa the maximum it shoots is 350 FPS, not 700 as people who don’t understand this claim. It’s true that PSI will depend on tank and regulator capacity, but generally speaking it works as I explained in the previous case.
So after everything explained, there’s only one thing left to say: Gentlemen, open your eyes and accept HPA as an alternative power system compared to AEG and gas/CO2! Like all systems, it has its advantages and disadvantages, but after reading this article, I hope the fear and/or at least the lack of knowledge about this system — which is entering our hobby strongly and to which more and more players and fields are adapting in terms of use and control — has disappeared.
