Storing airless sprayer

[branimal]

I'm done painting for a while and I was wondering how you guys store your airless sprayers.

I've got a Graco Magnum x7.

I've treated it with pump armor, cleaned off the filters, spray tips, and main gun.

Then I flush the hose with compressed air. I wrap the inlet tube and prime tube in a plastic bag. I reattached the gun with a spray tip on it.

And that's it. I store it indoors so it's not exposed to freezing temps.

Do you guys take any additional steps?

 

[Toolfool]

I have the same machine. I use it for small jobs, finishing doors, cabinets, trim. I do the same prep and have come to the conclusion that these sprayers are designed to be used frequently. I have replaced the pump assembly twice since I've owned it. If it sits for more than 8-9 months the pump is seized up. The painter who did all my big stuff has three of the same unit, uses them almost daily, and has not had a single problem in years.

 

[branimal]

I have the same machine. I use it for small jobs, finishing doors, cabinets, trim. I do the same prep and have come to the conclusion that these sprayers are designed to be used frequently. I have replaced the pump assembly twice since I've owned it. If it sits for more than 8-9 months the pump is seized up. The painter who did all my big stuff has three of the same unit, uses them almost daily, and has not had a single problem in years.

What do you think is mechanically causing the pump to seize? If sitting is causing the pump to seize, maybe running it with water every few months can help extend the pump life??

 

[branimal]

I have the same machine. I use it for small jobs, finishing doors, cabinets, trim. I do the same prep and have come to the conclusion that these sprayers are designed to be used frequently. I have replaced the pump assembly twice since I've owned it. If it sits for more than 8-9 months the pump is seized up. The painter who did all my big stuff has three of the same unit, uses them almost daily, and has not had a single problem in years.

What spray tip do you use for spraying doors? What about trim?

I've been spraying interior doors with a 311 tip and latex paint.

The window trim I did with an HVLP gun and BM oil based paint.

For baseboard, I'd like to use an HVLP sprayer.... way less overspray.

 

[JRC3]

I use regular auto antifreeze and my Titan 440i sits for years most of the time. Most of the full time painters I see online use the same.

Also not sure you want to dry the hose. Any residue will dry and brake loose and clog your gun or tip. What a PITA. Also breaking it loos could allow other debris or knock stuff into the line. Leave everything wet up to the trigger, including the pickup tube if possible.

 

[branimal]

I use regular auto antifreeze and my Titan 440i sits for years most of the time. Most of the full time painters I see online use the same.

Also not sure you want to dry the hose. Any residue will dry and brake loose and clog your gun or tip. What a PITA. Also breaking it loos could allow other debris or knock stuff into the line. Leave everything wet up to the trigger, including the pickup tube if possible.

You use antifreeze instead of the pump armor stuff?

The manual says to drain all water from the sprayer and the hoses. I didn't think about the debris drying up in the hose.

 

[Frede162]

I have the x5 and knock on wood no issues with long term storage. I use the same process you do with the exception of the blow out after the Pump Armor. I agree with the above post that leaving the Pump Armor residue in the hose keeps leftover paint from drying and causing issues. I should add I only ever used latex paint in my x5.

 

[wolfhawk73]

A repair technician I once knew years ago always advised the contractors coming to our store to store the sprayers with paint thinner in them short AND long-term. It held off corrosion and prevented freezing and breakage.

On another note, every week during winter a different painter would come in with a busted sprayer, and the tech would say "Did you flush it with thinner?", and the contractor would say "No, water, but I left it in the van last night. It shouldn't have frozen."

 

[cjarvis]

You use antifreeze instead of the pump armor stuff?

The manual says to drain all water from the sprayer and the hoses. I didn't think about the debris drying up in the hose.

Pump armor is antifreeze with “proprietary additives” according to the MSDS: IOW, antifreeze.

 

[Is this thing on]

I use rv anti freeze . Mine is 20 years old now. and used maybe once or twice a year.

 

[branimal]

I have the x5 and knock on wood no issues with long term storage. I use the same process you do with the exception of the blow out after the Pump Armor. I agree with the above post that leaving the Pump Armor residue in the hose keeps leftover paint from drying and causing issues. I should add I only ever used latex paint in my x5.

Do you run antifreeze all the way thru the hose to the gun?

My understanding of how the “Graco pump armor” works is that it only protects the Pump. I can run it thru the hose, but that would be expensive. And the lowest temp my rig sees is 60 degrees.

Yeah I don’t plan on running oil based paint in my Graco.

 

[cjarvis]

Pump armor/antifreeze will indeed keep paint in the hose from drying but it won't keep the solids in the paint from settling and gumming stuff up. Clean the hose out well and there shouldn't be any paint left in it. Save the pump armor/antifreeze for the pump itself.

 

[jdsac]

The airless shop that I used to use told me to run diesel fuel through it and leave it. Diesel lubes the pump & seals, when you go to use it again you just flush it with water.

 

[karoc]

I run mineral spirits through my pump,hose and gun. I leave the mineral spirits in hose and pump plus I put that armor around the seal on top. So far it works for me but I haven't use it in about yr or so.

 

[branimal]

I didn't think my hoses would have gunk in them, but I can see now that it's possible.

I think I clean out my hose pretty well. As soon as a finish spraying, I'm cleaning the rig up. I don't leave paint in it overnight or even for a few hours. I spray out the lines with water for a minute.

I like the mineral spirits idea. And I guess it's reusable. Just keep a gallon of it sitting around for the airless sprayer. Only issue I can see with that is when I flush with water there will be mineral spirits residue in the lines and gun. Could that impact the latex paint?

 

[karoc]

I haven't had no issues, but I also mix up water and Dawn soap and spray through my rig to clean out all I can then flush again with just clean water before the latex paint. By no means am I painter, but have done few times cause I'm tight. But this was shared with me by a painter.
Having these airless sprayers is lot of work just to take care of them, painting part is easy.

 

[branimal]

I haven't had no issues, but I also mix up water and Dawn soap and spray through my rig to clean out all I can then flush again with just clean water before the latex paint. By no means am I painter, but have done few times cause I'm tight. But this was shared with me by a painter.
Having these airless sprayers is lot of work just to take care of them, painting part is easy.

Good call on the dish soap followed by clean water.

 

[tstaude]

Good info guys, I am looking at an X5 or X7 this spring.
This makes me hesitate to look at even a lightly used unit, I guess it really depends if they took good care of it.

 

[branimal]

I called up graco tech support line. Tech support said I should clean the water out of the hose line by rolling up the wire so that the water runs out of one end. That's not any easy task. I asked him about blowing out the water with a compressor and the issue of dried paint in the hose. He said if you clean up your equipment per the instructions there should be no dried paint in the hose line. And it's ok to blow out the water.

I asked about storing the line with mineral spirits. He said it's a bad idea b/c the M/S could mess up the seals inside the machine.

 

[JRC3]

I called up graco tech support line. Tech support said I should clean the water out of the hose line by rolling up the wire so that the water runs out of one end. That's not any easy task. I asked him about blowing out the water with a compressor and the issue of dried paint in the hose. He said if you clean up your equipment per the instructions there should be no dried paint in the hose line. And it's ok to blow out the water.

I asked about storing the line with mineral spirits. He said it's a bad idea b/c the M/S could mess up the seals inside the machine.

If you unscrew the hose and fittings you will find paint residue near where it threads, same if you cut the hose at the crimp connections, there is paint left that proper cleaning just won't remove. Now imagine that paint drying out and breaking loose...

I think Titan has a better procedure.

Though I only do latex and use auto AF instead of mineral spirits.

**Notice no draining of the hose**

 

[pcmeiners]

I run mineral spirits through my pump,hose and gun. I leave the mineral spirits in hose and pump plus I put that armor around the seal on top. So far it works for me but I haven't use it in about yr or so.

Same here, mineral spirits

 

[Gummi Bear]

Good info

Thanks for the tips.

I have an X5, and have only ever used the pump guard per the owner manual.



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Henry David Thoreau