Electric Markers more Efficient than Mechanical?

[HalfThank]

Ok so dumb question I can't figure out the answer to on my own: Do electronics in a marker (e.g. solenoid) improve air efficiency compared to mechanical markers?

I know a bunch of things factor into efficiency, but if you had two similar markers with one being electric and one being mechanical, do/can the electronics improve efficiency?
For example, I'm thinking about the Etha 3 (manual) vs 3M (manual) where the main difference is the solenoid vs 3-way valve.

Thanks for entertaining my weekend musings!

[JeepDVLZ45]

So…I have literally ZERO basis on this opinion (and you know what they say about opinions), BUT I would assume, with all things identical, you could tune an electro (with something like a Sci-fi board) to max air efficiency better than a human could pull a trigger at max efficiency.

edit: I would also assume this would be more of a max bps
with max efficiency sort of thing too.

that said, I only play pump or single shot….and predominantly single shot…so take my opinion with a grain of salt or two.

[JeeperCreeper]

I should test out the Ion platform. I have both electo and mechs.

[Grendel]

Define Marker and then some assumptions and hypothesis can be formed. Pump vs. Electronic would come down to the losses in the valve train. Mech Semi-Auto vs. Electronic Semi-Auto things start to get more complicated. There are a lot of variables that go into making a marker work and throw paint down range. If you take identical markers lets say PE's 170R and one has the Mech Frame and one has the E-Frame and everything else is identical my hypothesis would be that given the only difference is the frame I would propose the E-Framed 107R would be more efficient then the Mech framed 107R but I would also add that it is unlikely that the differences were meaningfully different. That is given all other things are the same but the Frames. Very anything else and you could easily go the other way or widen the gap between their respective efficiencies. This really is not that simple of a question.

If you want "in general" then by the nature of conservation of energy an Electronic marker "should" be more efficient on AIR then a Mechanical Marker. In the mechanical marker you have one maybe two sources of energy (AIR and Springs) and the Air needs to power the mechanism as well as propel the projectile. Now the Electronic marker has maybe 3 sources of energy (Air, Spring and Electronics) but in the case of the Electronic marker the Air only has to propel the ball. So an Electronic "should" but not necessarily will be the more efficient marker on Air.

[flyweightnate]

It's dwell dependent.

For a poppet, yes, the added precision can be quite helpful.

For traditional spool guns (matrix, ion) a solenoid can allow for a return to battery with some residual air in the chamber, increasing efficiency.

The gamma core is unique, in that one the cycle starts, it runs to completion independent of the start signal. As a result, there should be trivial or no difference in efficiency between an Etha and 3M.

[minimag03]

One is obviously way more efficient. I've never, not even once, replaced the battery on my mechanical gun.

Electro can be made more efficient with the right settings if used at same BPS.


But is a gun that runs off a second source of stored energy truly more efficient than its mechanical counterpart? .. 🤯

[Jordan]

One is obviously way more efficient. I've never, not even once, replaced the battery on my mechanical gun.

Electro can be made more efficient with the right settings if used at same BPS.


But is a gun that runs off a second source of stored energy truly more efficient than its mechanical counterpart? .. 🤯

Let's just focus on the actual power source, maybe? No markers can fire without a source of compressed gas, whether it's CO2, HPA, or propane.

Also, compressing a spring stores energy... so not much different from a battery in terms of requiring a secondary source of stored energy.

[Grendel]

Yup you are right springs are a storage device for energy and how they are implemented can (most likely will) hurt efficiency the way we use them.

[minimag03]

you blew my mind again! haha