A Basic Understanding of Apollo Sprayers HVLP Spray Finishing Systems

Apollo Sprayers HVLP systems are complete spray finishing systems consisting of three components.

A Blower Motor in a Case Housing

An Air Hose

A Spray Gun

There is no air compressor involved or needed with an Apollo Sprayer HVLP spray finishing system. This is an independent standalone system.

The motors used in Apollo Sprayers HVLP turbo spray finishing systems come in different sizes and power/pressure output.

Smaller, lower powered motors, produce a lower maximum pressure to atomize paints and coatings. This means that you are very limited to spraying very easy to apply or thin or low viscosity paints.

As the motor size increases in different models your available pressure is higher which allows the ability to atomize a higher viscosity or more complex paint or coating.

It is important to understand that not all paints will be able to be sprayed or to produce desired results with a smaller or lower powered HVLP turbo spray finishing system.

The next part of the HVLP turbo spray finishing system is the air hose. Many smaller and lower priced systems come with a shorter air hose. This limits the range of distance from the motor unit to the spray gun and where you are attempting to spray. The shorter air hose is an attempt to achieve higher pressure from a low power motor.

How and where the air hose connects to the spray gun is also important. Lower priced systems only provide a friction style push-in/pull-out connector. This often causes problems when the air hose disconnects when you are spraying and causes finish quality issues.

More expensive equipment generally provides quick connect couplers to the spray gun and motor unit.

Where the air hose connects to the spray gun is often overlooked or even missed by a potential buyer. Low cost and simple HVLP spray guns (plastic or metal) often have an air hose connection only at the top of the spray gun above the paint flow control. This too is done as an attempt to increase nozzle pressure with a lower powered motor.

A professional HVLP spray gun has the air hose connection into the handle of the spray gun.

The last HVLP turbo spray gun feature to be aware of is bleeder or non-bleeder spray gun. Less expensive systems generally supply a bleeder style spray gun. This means that when the motor unit is turned on air is constantly flowing through the air cap of the spray gun. While this is not necessarily a negative factor, it can be unnerving to a professional painter who is used to a conventional style spray gun where air and paint come out of the spray gun at the same time. This is called a non-bleeder spray gun.

To achieve a good quality finish with any turbo spray finishing system requires a precision designed and engineered spray gun. Fine quality finishing is all about precision. This is especially true of complex, high quality paints.

In summary: Inexpensive, low powered HVLP turbo spray paint systems are limited to simple paints applied at a fairly thin low viscosity. As your demand for professional end results increases so does the quality of equipment needed as well as higher powered HVLP turbo spray finishing systems provide not only more available air pressure but also features that will provide monitored adjustable power, equipment longevity, knowledgeable housing design around the motor, and an air hose that can absorb daily wear and tear with the smoothest flow of air.

It is unfortunate that many manufacturers advertise and project their HVLP turbo spray finishing systems as professional when they really are not. They are designed for occasional painters and often for easy to apply paints and coatings. They also falsely advertise that all units will spray every paint. This too is not true or accurate. While it may be possible to spray a more difficult paint through a lower priced and lower powered system, it will require a significant viscosity compromise to reduce the paint to spray properly. Over reduction could compromise the quality and desired results.

It is important to note that Apollo Sprayers has designed their various product series for their intended market. Apollo Sprayers has fully addressed each market segment with an appropriate series and HVLP spray gun.