HVLP Spray Gun Problems and Their Solutions

HVLP Spray Gun Problems and Solutions

Spray Gun is Spitting

• Check to make sure your fluid nozzle is tight if not tight snug it with the appropriate wrench
• Check to make sure you have sufficient material in your gravity or suction cup or in the pressure pot if not fill as needed
• Check that you are not leaning to far in a direction with the spray gun if your using a suction or gravity fed spray gun. If material is not fed into the gun it will cause a spitting pattern. If you need to be able to paint in different positions consider a liner system like the Dekups
• Obstruction in fluid passage or fluid hose:  Flush with an appropriate solvent

Heavy Pattern on Top or Bottom of Spray Pattern

• Fluid passage is partially blocked – Clean appropriately
• Air Cap Horn plugged – Clean the Air Cap with a solvent

Heavy Right or Left Sided Pattern

• Air Cap is plugged on left or right side – clean with appropriate solvent
• Fluid tip is partially plugged – clean appropriately
• To determine if obstruction is on air cap or fluid tip spray and turn the air cap if the pattern reverses the issues in the air cap if it doesn’t reverse issue is with the fluid nozzle.  Remedy is to clean air cap or fluid nozzle.  If cleaning doesn’t work you may need to replace the air cap.

Unable to Get Round Spray

• Spreader screw not seating properly – clean or replace the spreader screw
• Air cap retaining ring is loose – tighten appropriately

Will Not Spray

• No air pressure at the spray gun – increase air pressure, check air passage for any obstruction
• Fluid Adjustment Needle needs opened
• Fluid too heavy for gravity or suction feed – Increase fluid nozzle size and consider adding thinner

Paint Bubbles in Cup

• Fluid tip not tight – tighten the tip

Fluid Leaking from Cup

• Tighten cup lid
• Lid is dirty causing it not to tighten well, clean the lid
• The lid could be cracked – replace if needed

Sandpaper appearance of coating

• Inadequate coating be supplied – increase fluid pressure or use a larger nozzle
• Air pressure to high – reduce appropriately
• Painting too far from target – move closer
• Moving to fast – slow down

Excessive Over spray

• You may be going past the PSI limit at the air cap – reduce air pressure
• Gun may be to far from target- adjust appropriately
• You may be arcing to much when spraying – check out a good overview of how to spray

Fluid Leaking from Packing

• Packing nut needs tightened
• Packing nut is worn and needs replaced

Fluid Leaking from front of the Spray Gun

• Fluid needle and Nozzle worn
• Fluid tip is clogged – clean appropriately
• Packing is dry – lubricate with appropriate lubricant

Runs and Sags

• To much material – reduce nozzle size or fluid pressure
• Material to thin – reduce thinner use
• Gun tilted on an angle

Orange Peel (Thick Dimpled Finish)

• Not enough atomization air pressure
• Not moving fast enough when painting
• To fast of fluid flow reduce fluid pressure or fluid nozzle size
• Surface oily and not properly cleaned
• Improper thinner being used