What Size Air Compressor Do I Need For Painting
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If yous have a spray gun or you lot're looking to purchase one for a painting project at abode or in the workshop, you may at present be wondering what size air compressor you need to run your spray gun.
This page will serve as a guide into what size air compressor you need for your spray painting by presenting all the fundamental considerations and relevant data!
Table of Contents
- Key Considerations – Choosing an Air Compressor for Spray Painting
- Are Yous Using the Spray Gun Intermittently or Continuously?
- What CFM Rating Spray Gun Have You lot Bought or Are You Considering Ownership?
- Example of a Small Spray Gun
- Example of a Medium Spray Gun
- Example of a Large Spray Gun
- What Pressure Rating Spray Gun Have You Bought or Are Y'all Because Buying?
- Air Compressor Duty Wheel
- CFM Delivery Capability of the Air Compressor
- Example of an Air Compressor Suitable for a Small Spray Gun
- Example of an Air Compressor Suitable for a Medium Spray Gun
- Example of a Big Air Compressor Suitable for Large Spray Guns
- Case of an Extra Large Air Compressor Suitable for Powering Multiple Spray Guns Simultaneously
- Air Compressor Tank Size (Compressed Air Storage Capacity)
- Distance Yous'll be Using the Spray Gun From the Compressor (Hose Length)
- FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Reader Questions and Responses
- What size air compressor practise I need for spray painting?
- Tin can this CP compressor run a HVLP paint sprayer?
Central Considerations – Choosing an Air Compressor for Spray Painting
There are a few very key considerations you must look at when finding an air compressor suitable for a spray gun. These are:
- Use cycle – Continuous vs Intermittent Utilize
- CFM requirements & CFM rating of the spray gun
- Pressure requirements of the spray gun
- Duty Bike of the air compressor
- CFM delivery capability of the air compressor
- Air compressor tank size (compressed air storage capacity)
- Distance yous'll exist using the spray gun from the compressor (hose length)
Are You Using the Spray Gun Intermittently or Continuously?
The first thing you must consider is whether you require continuous or intermittent utilise out of your compressor for your spray guns to piece of work.
If yous just require intermittent employ of your spray gun and then a small-scale compressor may suffice just if you require continuous use and so the compressor has to have the discharge capacity that the spray gun demands.
A typical use cycle on a spray gun in a non-assembly line environment is probable to exist far less than fifty% of the fourth dimension cartoon its full CFM rating.
What CFM Rating Spray Gun Have You lot Bought or Are You Considering Buying?
Spray guns come with CFM ratings, ofttimes expressed as SCFM ratings (as it's a standardized unit of measurement). This tin also exist expressed as "Air Consumption".
Example of a Small Spray Gun
Here's an example of a minor spray gun, the Neiko 31215A spray paint gun which is rated at an boilerplate consumption of 4.5 CFM.
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- Nozzle size: 1.7mm (one.3mm, one.5mm and 2.0mm also available)
- CFM: 4.5
Example of a Medium Spray Gun
This one.4mm spray paint gun by PNTgreen is a medium offering that has a 6 CFM average air consumption according to its technical specifications.
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- Nozzle size: one.4mm (i.8mm likewise available)
- CFM: 6
Case of a Large Spray Gun
Here's an example of a i.8mm larger spray painting gun by Astro pneumatic tool. It's rated at an boilerplate air consumption of between seven-12 CFM every bit per the product description.
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- Nozzle size: 1.8mm
- CFM: seven-12
What Pressure Rating Spray Gun Take You Bought or Are You Because Buying?
All air tools, air spray guns being no exception have a recommended operating pressure.
The Neiko 31215A modest spray paint gun has a working pressure of 10 PSI and operating force per unit area of 40 PSI.
The PNTgreen medium spray paint gun states that information technology requires a working pressure level of between 20-70 PSI.
Finally, the Astro pneumatic tool spray gun states that the operating pressure is 50-60 PSI.
Notation: it is important to non exceed the maximum operating pressure or operate on pressure level besides low, to ensure you go professional spray painting results.
Air Compressor Duty Cycle
The typical duty cycle of an air compressor is normally 50% as can be seen in this Craftsman 919 manual. It states that the maximum compressor pumping time per hour is 30 minutes.
If y'all want to know more near air compressor duty cycles, how they're expressed and calculated, you should read my article on air compressor duty cycles.
Hither'southward another example of a product manual that describes the duty cycle of a compressor in these terms:
"INTERMITTENT DUTY FORMULA
Pump-up time should non ordinarily exceed xxx (30) minutes or be less than ten (10) minutes. Shutdown periods betwixt cycles of operation should exist at least equal to the pump-up time. Annotation: When the compressor is regulated past constant speed command, the shutdown period is the time the compressor is operating unloaded."
This basically describes a 50% Duty Cycle.
CFM Delivery Capability of the Air Compressor
CFM ratings of air compressors tend to be based on the output of the air compressor pump.
However, to empathise what ability the air compressor has to deliver CFM continuously you need to multiply the CFM rating by the Duty Bicycle pct.
And so an Air Compressor CFM rating of 12 CFM with a fifty% Duty Wheel would have the ability to deliver:
12 CFM * fifty% = half-dozen CFM
Example of an Air Compressor Suitable for a Small Spray Gun
Here's an example of an air compressor that delivers 2.iv CFM – and the product manual describes what would be determined every bit a 50% duty cycle. Therefore the compressor would really evangelize one.ii CFM (2.4 CFM * 50%).
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This would be suitable for a pocket-sized spray gun given that you only require intermittent use. But, this compressor wouldn't be suitable for continuous use on any of the spray guns presented in this article.
The small Neiko spray painting gun requires 4.5 CFM, if the utilize was intermittent and only needed 25% of the fourth dimension (fifteen minutes per hour), and then the spray gun only requires 1.25 CFM (4 * 25%). Therefore, this compressor would be capable of providing that that CFM.
Nevertheless, if y'all are required to use the spray gun on a 50% duty bicycle, the spray gun would require 2.25 CFM (4.5 * fifty%). The air compressor running at its recommended 50% duty bicycle would not be able to provide the amount of CFM required past the spray gun.
It would only be able to provide the two.25 CFM requirement if you lot overworked the compressor by running it on a 90-100% duty wheel which is strongly not recommended!
Example of an Air Compressor Suitable for a Medium Spray Gun
Here's an example of an air compressor that is rated 5.xxx CFM – and though the product transmission does not draw the duty bicycle, a client Q&A response has alleged that the compressor has a seventy/30 (70%) duty bike. What would be determined as 20-25 minutes residual after each 60 minutes'southward employ.
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Therefore, this air compressor is actually capable of delivering 3.71 CFM (5.3 * 70%). This is slightly undersized for continuous utilize of the iv.5 CFM Neiko spray gun or annihilation greater than that.
Still, if the spray gun is only required to be used intermittently (50% of the fourth dimension) so this compressor is suitable for not merely the Neiko spray gun just also the medium PNTgreen spray gun (half-dozen CFM * fifty% = 3 CFM).
If y'all were to obtain a spray painting gun with a CFM of below 3.71 CFM and then this compressor would be capable of delivering continuous use to that tool.
Example of a Large Air Compressor Suitable for Large Spray Guns
Here's an case of a large Air compressor, the Ingersoll-Rand 8 Gallon twin compressor capable of delivering 11.5 CFM with a 100% continuous duty cycle.
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This compressor is suitable for providing continuous use to the small, medium, or large (if the boilerplate was below eleven.5) spray gun provided. It could even ability both the small-scale Neiko and medium PNTgreen spray guns simultaneously.
If this compressor were to have a 50% duty cycle, however, and therefore would provide 5.75 CFM (xi.5 * 50%) it would only be able to ability the small spray gun continuously.
Information technology would consequently no longer exist able to provide continuous use to the medium or large spray gun when working with a 50% duty cycle, merely instead could work intermittently if the PNTgreen tool required three CFM (6 * fifty%) and the Astro pneumatic tool required 3.5 – 5.75 CFM (7-eleven.5 * fifty%).
Hither's an case of an industrial air compressor that delivers 38 CFM – and the product transmission describes what would be adamant as a 100% duty cycle.
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This is a stationary compressor, that has a continuous run & automatic stop/start feature making information technology capable of powering small, medium, and large spray guns continuously and even all of them simultaneously!
Air Compressor Tank Size (Compressed Air Storage Capacity)
The tank size volition determine how much air is available to be drawn downwardly at any time. This is as well a key enabler in keeping a compressor within its duty cycle.
Therefore a 12 CFM compressor with a fifty% Duty Bicycle can be used to run an air spray gun that'south rated at 12 CFM – if used intermittently with a sufficiently large air tank.
To continue a compressor running for at least x minutes with a spray gun consuming 12 Cubic Feet of air per minute for 50% of the time, the storage capacity would exist:
12 CFM * 10 minutes * 50% = sixty Cubic Feet of air (at atmospheric pressure (15PSI))
As atmospheric pressure level is 15 PSI and the output pressure is 90 PSI and pressure and book are inversely proportional 15 PSI / 90 PSI = 6
Therefore, yous need i/6th the volume of air at 90 PSI
lx Cubic Feet * 1/6th = ten Cubic Feet
ten Cubic Feet = 283 Litres
This case is to give you a basic idea of the capacity needed.
Distance You'll be Using the Spray Gun From the Compressor (Hose Length)
Long hoses will effect in pressure drop, which is not desirable. I could not find whatever recommendations in any of the spray gun manuals, but it can generally be recommended that the hose length should not exceed beingness merely long plenty to serve the working expanse.
Any hose length over 25 feet will result in a pressure drop that volition need to be compensated for to ensure that the spray painting gun is receiving the correct operating pressure.
For further information on air hoses visit our Air Compressor Hose & Tube Guide.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is a good size air compressor for spray painting?
A expert size air compressor would be in the range of xiv-18 CFM with a large enough tank (e.thousand. 60 gallon) to supply your spray gun.
How many CFM do I demand for a paint gun?
Depending on the boilerplate air consumption of the paint gun itself, yous typically volition require an air compressor that can steadily output effectually fifteen CFM and possibly more to handle the paint gun.
Reader Questions and Responses
What size air compressor do I need for spray painting?
by jan
(nc)
I got a spray gun and its rated at for 30psi inlet 10 psi at 13 cfm.
I got a spray gun and its rated at for 30psi inlet 10 psi at 13 cfm.
Will a 3hp compressor with a 30gal tank handle this
Response:
CFM for paint gun
Well Jan, since you can get about 4 CFM of compressed air at 90 PSI for each horsepower of electric motor size on the compressor, your compressor should, theoretically, give yous about 12 CFM at 90 PSI.
Even so, if you are running your 3 HP compressor on a 120 volt supply line, and then yous sure are non getting that 12 CFM at ninety PSI, since, in my opinion, at that place isn't enough power in a 120 volt line to power your compressor motor enough to give you that menstruum and pressure.
Why not accept a expect at some of these pages to understand in principle how to size an air compressor.
- How to size an air compressor
- Air tool CFM
- Departure between SCFM for tools and compressors
Anyway, depending on what y'all are doing with your spray gun (besides painting that is), I hateful, if it is air brush work with intermittent use, and you accept dialed your regulator down to the minimum operating pressure for the gun that gives you the spray yous want, you will be able to piece of work with your 3HP compressor. You lot volition, depending on how much spraying you want to practise at 1 time, likely take to end periodically and let the compressor catch up.
Tin this CP compressor run a HVLP pigment sprayer?
past elda
(dawson pa)
Can i use a HVLP paint sprayer with central pneumatic 2hp 8 gal air compressor? What size air compressor to paint a auto?
Response:
The answer is aye, of class you can, just you lot may not be happy with the effect.
A HVLP paint sprayer uses low pressure air, and information technology has a minimum compressed air supply period rate at that low pressure level to operate properly, and that is the info that you take non supplied.
What is the pressure requirement of your HVLP paint sprayer, and what is the flow requirement in CFM?
Knowing this information, and as well the output of your air compressor, will assistance you determine if you lot can run your HVLP paint sprayer.
Without that info, your question cannot be answered accurately.
A 2HP air compressor equally shown "should" be able to deliver three-5 CFM at 90 PSI or thereabouts, if that helps.
What catamenia and force per unit area do you need for the sprayer please?
If y'all accept any questions regarding what size air compressor yous demand for a spray painter, please leave a annotate below with a photo if applicable then that someone tin assist you!
What Size Air Compressor Do I Need For Painting,
Source: https://www.about-air-compressors.com/spray-gun-and-air-compressor-size/
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