Redline Airsofts Firebase Regulator White Paper

Overview: Redline Airsofts Firebase regulator is the first regulator designed from the ground up as a PolarStar/Airsoft specific regulator. All the regulators used in Airsoft to this point have been repurposed Paintball or industrial regulators. Some performed better than others but they all had issues that made them less than ideal for use in Airsoft. In designing the Firebase regulator Redline was able to leverage the knowledge gained from developing their unique version of the AKA SCM-lll, and their years of experience with Paintball HPA systems to develop a regulator that combined all the best aspects of the current regulators while minimizing or eliminating their pitfalls. The design goals for the Firebase were simple, to produce the highest performing, most uncompromising and user friendly Airsoft regulator made. This paper details the ways in which the Firebase regulator has been designed to be a precise yet rugged tool, and be easy to use and maintain.

Summery of features: Base sealing design Precise output pressure control High flow and extreme recharge rate Pressure balanced Belleville spring pack optimized for 40 to 140 PSI operating range Pressure relief valve Integrated tournament lock Ease of maintenance

Detailed Discussion:
Base sealing design: There are 2 main types of regulator designs used in Airsoft, Poppet valve and Base sealing. The first the Poppet valve is the more classic design The AKA 2-Liter & SCM-lll are both poppet valve regulators, they use a flared shaft of metal with an o-ring to shut off airflow, with a small spring behind it. The second design is called either base sealing or moving base and uses a sealing membrane to seal against the end of an elongated piston; these regs are somewhat less complicated in terms of components. The two designs can also be mixed together to yield different results. The AKA SST is a sort of hybrid of the 2 types. The Firebase is a pure base sealing type regulator. Base sealing regulators involve less seals, less parts, and tend to be an overall better performing regulator. They can react quicker to pressure changes and can have a more precise control of their output pressure, resulting in less shot to shot variation. That being said, not all base sealing regulators are created equal. There are multiple types of base sealing regulators, all with different performance characteristics. After testing multiple base sealing regulator designs one type stood out as the clear overall winner. The particular design of the Firebase results in a regulator with very high air flow, an extremely fast recharge rate and near perfect pressure balance. Pressure balanced: Pressure balance means how much is the output pressure affected by changes to the input pressure. From a players perspective, pressure balancing is an often overlooked and under appreciated aspect of a regulators design. Most regulators used in Airsoft are poorly balanced. As a result the regulators output pressure will change significantly when the input pressure changes. That can happen when changing tanks with differing output pressures or when you start running low on air and the pressure in the tank drops below the tank regulators preset output pressure. This can result in poor performance or even unsafe operation if the imbalance causes the output pressure to rise rather than fall. At least one regulator used in Airsoft is perfectly balanced. The AKA SCM-lll is a 100% balanced regulator. It uses an internal pressure feedback loop to compensate for any change in input pressure. You can swap tanks or shoot your tank empty and the output

pressure of the SCM-lll will not change. This was one of the main reasons Redline originally chose to develop that reg as a single reg solution for PolarStars. The Firebase while not 100% perfectly balanced is very, very close. Its output pressure changes only a few PSI when swapping from a 300 PSI output SLP tank to an 800 PSI high output tank. Even when shooting your tank empty the velocity reduction is so small as to not affect performance in any real way. Belleville springs: Belleville springs are cone shaped washers. The slight cone shape gives the washer a spring characteristic. Some properties of Belleville springs include: high fatigue life, better space utilization, low creep tendency and a high load capacity with a small spring deflection. Their design makes them inherently fast acting. In fact some makers of bolt-action target rifles use a Belleville spring stack in the bolt instead of a more traditional spring to release the firing pin, as they reduce the lag time between trigger actuation and the firing pins impact on the cartridge. It is also very easy to dial in exactly the spring rate and pressure required. These characteristics make them an ideal spring for use in a regulator. It is for these reasons that most modern, high end paintball regulators use Belleville springs rather than a coil spring. Recognizing the trend towards lower operating pressures the Belleville spring stack in the Firebase regulator has been optimized to perform best in the 40 PSI to 140 PSI range. Redline also used the most progressive spring rate possible to allow for very precise velocity adjustment. An optional higher pressure spring pack will be available for customers requiring higher output pressures. Pressure relief valve: The Firebase comes with a pressure relief valve as standard equipment. This is a high flow valve mounted on the regulator. The valve will begin to vent at approximately 140 PSI and fully open at 150 PSI. (Optional higher pressure valve available) This prevents a system over pressure in the event of either a regulator malfunction or an accidental operator over-adjustment of the regulator. Integrated tournament lock: The Firebase is the first regulator in Airsoft to come with a tournament lock as standard equipment. The tournament lock has been integrated into the adjuster cap. By inserting a wire tie through 2 of the 4 holes and securing it around the inlet nipple the adjuster hole is completely blocked off, securing the regulator from easy adjustment. Ease of maintenance: Due to its uncomplicated design maintaining the Firebase could not be easier. Simply unscrewing the 2 end caps allows access to the internals. The only tools needed for routine disassembly and maintenance are the adjusting wrench and a ballpoint pen.