| Proper storage of your airless paint sprayer is critical to its overall life and
can keep maintenance costs down. There are various methods for storing paint sprayers;
different routines for various types of paint sprayers, numerous techniques for different
time lengths of storage, a variety of methods for different spray materials.
In virtually all cases, the product to be used as a pump preserver is used ONLY
in the pump; do not run the material through the hose and gun!
There are several pump preserver / protectant products available,
we primarily use; Graco Pump
Armor, Titan Liquid Shield, mineral spirits and mineral spirits with engine oil.
Some paint sprayer storage products also protect against freezing and most of those
are non-flammable.
These instructions are geared towards Graco Contractor Series Airless
Paint Sprayers such as; STX, 390, Ultra, Ultra Max, Ultra Max II. If you have a Graco
Magnum Series airless paint sprayer other than the 190ES, please disregard the portions referring to Throat Seal
Liquid.
This guide is not a replacement for your airless paint sprayer manual
!
Use standard safety precautions such as wearing eye protection,
grounding equipment when using flammable materials and please dispose of waste material
properly. See more about airless paint sprayer safety.
If your airless sprayer will be subject to freezing temperatures while
being stored, choose a pump-preserver that will not freeze!
We recommend; mineral spirits or mineral spirits & oil or Pump Armor (use
full-strength to protect
down to -30° F) |
Thoroughly clean your airless
sprayer prior to storage!
| Material |
Storage length (times are approximate) |
Latex
Water-based
|
| In use
|
1 hour - 3 days |
| |
This is not truly a storage method, it is a way to get
to the next day of painting without cleaning your paint sprayer. Though
this may not be the best practice, we know that cleaning the paint sprayer
everyday during a week long job may not be not feasible. Using this technique
may leave you with some hard to clean areas though such as the intake tube.
- Leave suction and drain tube in paint can.
- Cover can and hoses tightly with plastic wrap.
If can is half empty or more, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface
of the paint before covering the can.
- Leave gun attached to hose and submerge gun in pail of
water.
Heat and humidity are factors in how long this will work.
Not recommended when freezing may occur!
|
| Short
|
3 days - 3 months |
| |
This is probably the most common storage method for most
airless paint sprayers. Most painting professionals and contractors fall into
this time span.
Clean your airless paint sprayer first!
Water left in a paint sprayer will corrode and ruin the pump! Always
circulate a storage fluid through the system after cleaning.
You can use a "pump preserver" such as
Graco Pump Armor or
just plain, clean mineral spirits. A quart of ready to use product is
usually sufficient for most paint sprayers. Larger sprayers such as the Graco Mark
IV or Mark V may require more.
- With the paint sprayer off, relieve any remaining pressure
(pull gun trigger)
- Place suction tube in the quart bottle of Pump Armor
or other protectant product.
- Place return (prime) tube in waste pail or bucket.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "prime".
- Turn pressure control to lowest setting.
- Switch the power on.
- Turn the pressure control up until the pump starts to
operate.
- When the storage fluid begins to come out the return
(prime) tube, switch the power off.
Some paint sprayer storage fluids, such as Pump Armor, are colored so you
can see it come out of the return tube thereby eliminating guess work.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "spray" to keep the fluid in
the system and the system sealed which is very important in stopping corrosion.
You may want to wrap a plastic bag around the intake tube
end and secure it with string to keep any escaping fluid from getting
on the surface that the sprayer will be stored on.
|
| Medium
|
3 - 6 months |
| |
General contractors and property managers who paint, tend
to be in this category. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it - a couple cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply a few drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
|
| Long
|
6 months to 1 year |
| |
Seasonal resorts, some homeowners and others should use
this routine. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it. A few cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply many drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
try to do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
| Very long
|
More than 1 year |
| |
Homeowners and the occasional painter are likely to store
their paint sprayers for long periods of time and should use this technique.
Same procedure as short instructions above except use Pump
Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to it. A several cap-full's
per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply plenty of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the cup
& rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
|
|
Oil Base
|
| In use
|
1 hour - 3 days |
| |
This is not truly a storage method, it is a way to get
to the next day of painting without cleaning your airless sprayer. Though
this may not be the best practice, we know that cleaning the paint sprayer
everyday during a week long job may not be not feasible. Using this technique
may leave you with some hard to clean areas though such as the intake tube.
- Leave suction and drain tube in paint can.
- Cover can and hoses tightly with plastic wrap.
If can is half empty or more, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface
of the paint before covering the can.
- Leave gun attached to hose and submerge tip and guard
in some mineral spirits.
Heat and humidity are factors in how long this will work.
|
| Short
|
3 days - 3 months |
| |
This is probably the most common storage method for most
airless paint sprayers. Most painting professionals and contractors fall into
this time span.
Clean your sprayer first!
Fresh, clean mineral spirits is considered a storage fluid
for this time span, use it or another pump preserver such as
Graco Pump Armor. A quart of ready to use product is
usually sufficient for most sprayers. Larger sprayers such as the Graco Mark
IV or Mark V may require more.
- With the paint sprayer off, relieve any remaining pressure
(pull gun trigger)
- Place suction tube in about 1 quart of fresh, clean
mineral spirits or quart bottle of Pump Armor.
- Place return (prime) tube in waste pail or bucket.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "prime".
- Turn pressure control to lowest setting.
- Switch the power on.
- Turn the pressure control up until the pump starts to
operate.
- When the storage fluid begins to come out the return
(prime) tube, switch the power off.
Some paint sprayer storage fluids, such as Pump Armor, are colored so you
can see it come out of the return tube thereby eliminating guess work.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "spray" to keep the fluid in
the system and the system sealed which is very important in stopping corrosion.
You may want to wrap a plastic bag around the intake tube
end and secure it with string to keep any escaping fluid from getting
on the surface that the sprayer will be stored on.
|
| Medium
|
3 - 6 months |
| |
General contractors and property managers who paint, tend
to be in this category. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it - a couple cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply a few drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
|
| Long
|
6 months to 1 year |
| |
Seasonal resorts, some homeowners and others should use
this routine. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it. A few cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply many drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
try to do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
| Very long
|
More than 1 year |
| |
Homeowners and the occasional painter are likely to store
their paint sprayers for long periods of time and should use this technique.
Same procedure as short instructions above except use Pump
Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to it. A several cap-full's
per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply plenty of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the cup
& rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
|
|
Lacquer
|
| In use
|
1 hour - 3 days |
| |
This is not truly a storage method, it is a way to get
to the next day of painting without cleaning your airless sprayer. Though
this may not be the best practice, we know that cleaning the paint sprayer
everyday during a week long job may not be not feasible. Using this technique
may leave you with some hard to clean areas though such as the intake tube.
- Leave suction and drain tube in paint can.
- Cover can and hoses tightly with plastic wrap.
If can is half empty or more, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface
of the paint before covering the can.
- Leave gun attached to hose and submerge tip and guard
in some mineral spirits.
Heat and humidity are factors in how long this will work.
|
| Short
|
3 days - 3 months |
| |
This is probably the most common storage method for most
airless paint sprayers. Most painting professionals and contractors fall into
this time span.
With lacquer, you must clean out the
sprayer with lacquer thinner, however do not leave
the thinner in the pump
Fresh, clean mineral spirits is considered a storage fluid
for this time span, use it or another pump preserver such as
Graco Pump Armor. A quart of ready to use product is
usually sufficient for most sprayers. Larger sprayers such as the Graco Mark
IV or Mark V may require more.
- With the paint sprayer off, relieve any remaining pressure
(pull gun trigger)
- Place suction tube in about 1 quart of fresh, clean
mineral spirits or quart bottle of Pump Armor.
- Place return (prime) tube in waste pail or bucket.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "prime".
- Turn pressure control to lowest setting.
- Switch the power on.
- Turn the pressure control up until the pump starts to
operate.
- When the storage fluid begins to come out the return
(prime) tube, switch the power off.
Some paint sprayer storage fluids, such as Pump Armor, are colored so you
can see it come out of the return tube thereby eliminating guess work.
- Turn spray/prime valve to "spray" to keep the fluid in
the system and the system sealed which is very important in stopping corrosion.
You may want to wrap a plastic bag around the intake tube
end and secure it with string to keep any escaping fluid from getting
on the surface that the sprayer will be stored on.
|
| Medium
|
3 - 6 months |
| |
General contractors and property managers who paint, tend
to be in this category. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it - a couple cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply a few drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
|
| Long
|
6 months to 1 year |
| |
Seasonal resorts, some homeowners and others should use
this routine. Same procedure as short instructions
above except use Pump Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to
it. A few cap-full's per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply many drops of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the
cup & rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
try to do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
| Very long
|
More than 1 year |
| |
Homeowners and the occasional painter are likely to store
their paint sprayers for long periods of time and should use this technique.
Same procedure as short instructions above except use Pump
Armor or mineral spirits with some 30wt oil added to it. A several cap-full's
per quart of mineral spirits.
Apply plenty of Graco Throat Seal Liquid (TSL) to the cup
& rod while the pump is cycling the protectant through.
When you turn off your sprayer after using a pump protectant,
do it so that the rod is in the down position, down in the fluid section.
|
|
|
|
