Regulator affects air flow as well as pressure

by Jason
(Hilton Head Island, SC)

I am using a pressure regulator on top of a fluid pot for spraying lacquer, sealer, etc. I connect the air line to the inlet port and the accessory air line to my spray gun. I have several of these setups and they all work properly.

However, one of the units has problems. When it is hooked up in this manner, the pressure to the paint pot AND the air pressure to the spray gun is affected. With all my other units the air pressure to the gun is constant and only the pressure is affected by the regulating knob.

What's the issue with this regulator? Do I have the wrong kind of regulator? Is it somehow set up wrong? (air flow follows marked arrow)

_______________________
Bill says...

Hello Jason.

All regulators affect both the flow and pressure, which is why it's important to ensure that yours is the right size for the application.

Usually, getting a regulator that is the same port size as the air lines it's regulating is sufficient.

If all other regulators are working, if all are the same size and type, if all the air-use devices have the same demand, then my guess is you've got a bum regulator.

If, however, there are variables in the use, figure out what's different in the problematic setup. That will likely be the cause.

Cheers,

Bill




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Regulator affects air flow as well as pressure

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Oct 12, 2010
 Bypass regulator for pressure tank
by: Anonymous

Sorry for the confusion. It is probably more commonly called a bypass regulator. Most likely you want a regulator and gauge assembly that has 1 inlet port with 3 outlet ports. You most likely will want a 1/4" NPT inlet connection, which would be located on the side, with 3 outlet ports - 1 port would be for your gauge (most likely 1/8" and on the top of the assembly); 1 port would be 1/4" regulated, which you will connect to your pressure tank,thus on the bottom of the assembly; 1 outlet port unregulated for the air to your spray gun. I would try Binks or C.A.Technologies for this regulator. They both sell pressure tanks and have these items. You will need to insure your size of ports - 1/4" vs 1/8" and if they are NPT or NPS, male / female.
They both are excellent to work with. Good luck; Happy Spraying!!
Oct 12, 2010
 very helpful
by: Anonymous

Thanks that helps with at least identifying the type of regulator that I need. I tried looking up a "flow through regulator" and although I did find this type of regulator for various purposes, none looked to be meant for a spray pot. If anyone knows where to find one of these regulators that is meant for compressed air it would help. Thanks.
Oct 11, 2010
 Need a "flow thru" regulator
by: Anonymous

I believe that your pressure pot, on your properly working system(s), which I assume has only 1 regulator on it/them, is a "flow thru regulator". This is a type of regulator which only regulates the incoming air to one of the outlet ports. All other outlet ports are "flow thru". I assume you only want to regulate the air pressure to your pot, and let the "remaining air" flow thru to the spray gun. It sounds like the system that isn't working, does not have a flow thru regulator on it.
Apr 05, 2010
 Size isn't an issue
by: Jason

I have replaced the regulator with two different sized regulators and they both performed identically as far as NOT doing what I need them to do. The size is not the problem.

The problem is that I need the regulator to ONLY regulate the air flow to the port leading into the paint pot. The outlet port HAS to have the same air pressure as is coming in from the compressor. This is because the spray gun has an air pressure regulator built in and I need high pressure air at the gun to atomize the lacquer I'm spraying. I'm using regulators from the hardware store so they might not be the correct kind, that's really what I'm asking.

I have already run a direct line that bypasses the regulator entirely and solves the problem but it's different than my other guns which have regulators that came with the paint pots. Are there several different types (not sizes) of regulators and how would I know what kind to get and where to get it?

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