How to Get Dry Air to an HVLP Gun

Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours taping, masking and prepping a car for a perfect paint job, just to have water spit out the tip of the spray gun while you're laying down the paint, ruining the panel. A good paint job requires a good air source, and one that's free of any lubricants or water. By installing a desiccant system, you will filter all of the water, oil and contaminants out of the line and make the air dry and perfect for applying paint.

Instructions

1

Drain the air compressor. There is a draincock on the bottom of the air tank that can be turned with your hands. Allow all of the air to drain out of the tank, so there is no pressure left in the system.

2

Find a suitable location to mount the desiccant system. This is going to be within three feet of the outlet from the air compressor. Have a solid mounting place such as the wall. Mount the desiccant system to the wall using the clamp provided with the desiccant system, the drill and Phillips-head screws. Screw the clamp to the wall and mount the desiccant system to the clamp using the drill.

3

Disconnect the air hose from the air compressor using the open-end wrench set. Hold the 3-foot long section of air hose in one hand at the fitting end, and wrap the teflon tape tightly around the fitting on the end using your hands. The teflon tape should make two full revolutions around the fitting. Do this to both sides of the air hose, as well as the longer section of air hose that was previously connected to the air compressor.

4

Install the 3-foot long section of air hose to the inlet of the desiccant system and the outlet from the air compressor using the open-end wrench set. Then install the air hose that was originally connected to the air compressor to the output of the desiccant system.

5

Turn on the air compressor and let it build up pressure. Listen to hear any leaks in the connections you just made, and if you hear some, drain the tank again, disconnect the leaky fitting using the open-end wrench set, re-wrap the teflon tape around the fitting and reinstall the line.