Pressure Pots for Painting-A Buyers Guide
Why Pressure Pots for Painting?
Pressure pots for painting offer great flexibility in what you can apply and in control of application. They are one of the most common ways of applying a variety of coatings from wood working to industrial fabrication.
There are a variety of companies that manufacture pressure pots for spray guns and within each company there are a variety of options you can potentially consider. To best determine which pressure pot might be best for your application, you should consider both the manufacturer of the pot as well as features that are included on your particular pot you are considering. In this article will cover both aspects of paint pressure pots so that you can best determine which may be right for you.
Factor 1-The Paint Pressure Pot Manufacturer
Paint pressure pots can range from very budget friendly pots to high end equipment like those offered by Binks. The price range can also vary greatly anywhere from 70 dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on who makes the pressure pot. Despite the price difference, the price variance is for a reason.
High end pressure pots will typically carry an A.S.M.E certification, which signifies the pressure pot has been engineered and manufactured to operate at certain pressures without any risk of the pot failing (when sprayed within approved pressures). This can be important when you are spraying heavy viscosity materials which will need to be able to support high pressure to feed material to your spray gun. It can also be important because it can be a sign that the tank has been manufactured with a high quality standard and will be able to last a lifetime without ever having to replace the pot; Binks pressure pots have been known to last 30 years without problem and are A.S.M.E. certified. Lower priced pressure pots may last a week or a few months and have issues that need repair or replaced, especially if you will be spraying at high pressures. In addition to the quality of the build, there’s also differences in how repairable the pressure pots are. Higher-end pressure pots rebuild kits for all the components of the pressure pot from the fluid outlet to the regulators. Additionally, if you need an agitator pressure pot or will be spraying water born materials exclusively, typically you will have to consider higher-end pressure pot as they will be offered in stainless steel (for waterborne paints) and have an option to add an agitator.
Factor 2-The amount of material you intend to spray
Once you determine the quality level that you may want to consider for your pressure pot, you want to next determine the amount of fluid you intend to spray at a given time. A few things you should consider include the time before your coating begins to cure sometimes known as a pot life, the amount of time you want to be able to spray before refilling your pressure pot, and the number of coatings you may spray in a shift. Typically, you want to aim for a tank that will ultimately minimize the amount of cleanup that you have to do but will allow for the maximum amount of production time before needing to attend to the pressure pot. If you will have few color or coating changes and a large volume of single product, consider a larger tank like a five or 10 gallon pressure pot (assuming your pot life is long enough). If you will have frequent color changes, or small batches of paint at a time you may want to consider a smaller 2.8 gallon pressure pot or maybe even a 2 quart pressure cup.
Factor 3 – The properties of your coating
You will want to evaluate your coating to determine whether or not it may need to be agitated to be able to be sprayed. You can consult with your coatings provider or your coatings technical data sheet to better determine if your coating might need agitation. If it does need agitation, you will want to determine whether it is a highly viscous coating or relatively light viscosity coating. The higher the viscosity of the material, the more likely you will need a gear reduced agitator. A gear reduced agitator will be able to properly mix heavy body coatings. For medium to thin viscosity coatings, you can typically use a standard direct drive agitator.
In addition to determining whether you may need agitation, you will want to consider if your material is waterborne or solvent based. Waterborne material will corrode common galvanized pressure tanks and so you will want to consider choosing a stainless steel pressure tank for waterborne coatings.
Factor 4 – Regulation Options
In addition to the pressure tank itself, you want to consider the regulation and options of regulation that are available. Budget pressure tanks will only have a single regulator for fluid pressure alone. Higher-end pressure tanks will allow you to select from one to two gauges as well as whether they are highly sensitive for fine adjustment or not. Additionally, you want to see how much pressure the gauges can tolerate as well as whether they are rebuild able as gauges on pressure pots can often wear with time and need replaced or repaired. Quality gauges will accept high air volume and pressure and allow for better control.
Factor 5 – Package options
One often overlooked option is pressure tank outfits that include all the necessary hose as well as a spray gun to apply your coatings. Binks offers 2.8-gallon pressure tank outfits that are essentially giving you a high-end spray gun for nothing included in the outfit. This can allow you to spray about any coating you want for a very modest starting price.
Conclusion
Ultimately buying a pressure pot for spraying material is an investment that requires thoughtful consideration to ensure you find a good solution for your particular application. By considering the volume of material you want to spray, the manufacturer of the paint pressure pot, the regulation options you want, any specific coating requirements, and potential package options that may be available, you can best select a pressure pot that will meet your application requirements at a cost that make sense for you. If you have additional questions about buying a pressure pot and whether or not a higher-end pot is right for you feel free to connect with us here.