Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

[Guest]

Alright so I'm done messing around with the syphon feed cabinet. I went out and got a 40lb pressure pot like the one I previously got rid of. I just can't seem to get these things figured out.

It has 4 valves:

1 - Main air in
2 - Air from top of pot to bottom
3 - Air + Sand at bottom to hose
4 - Tip/Nozzle

I set the pressure to about 50-60 and let the tank fill up, I see the gauge on the pot reach about 55psi and I open the valve on top, then the valve on bottom. Then I hit the trigger and it works great for about 5 seconds. Then it stops shooting media, only air. I kick the pot or shake it and it spits media out for another 10 seconds, then all over again. What am I doing wrong?

Any help will be really appreciated! I have projects waiting and figuring out this blasting tonight would be a GREAT help. Thank you!

[BeeBob]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

What media are you using? The 1st time I tried my P pot it worked just like you're saying. The problem was the media. The media size was not all the same and big chunks were getting stuck and clogging the line. I was using some left over ( new in bag and dry ) pool filter sand, I even put it thru a strainer as I loaded the can. Then I was going to change the AO out of the siphon blast and tried the "old" AO in the pot. Worked great, after I got the diff control levers figured out! So check your media for moisture and screen it at least once before loading it up, see if that helps.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

Media is Aluminum Oxide 70 grit straight out of the container. It was screened on its way into the pot through the funnel. I just can't figure it out. This stuff works GREAT for about 10 seconds, then it's just air. It's hell on my compressor when it does that too, instead of pushing media through the hose is basically all air and it drains the tank QUICKLY. I've had to cycle my compressor at least 4 times in the last 20 minutes. This is really frustrating.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

ARRG! This stuff works incredibly well when I'm shaking the pot! But I can't do an entire wheel with just one hand inside the cabinet and the other on the pot.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

Alright so I think I'm getting a hold of this thing. It seems like a lot of it has to do with valve control. I'm starting by pressurizing the tank to about 90psi, then opening the air valve on the back of the unit about 3/4 of the way, then opening the nozzle, then the valve at the bottom about 1/2 way. This seems to work the best so far.

Here's my other dilemma. How are you guys running the hose from the pot to the inside of the cabinet? I went through the dust collector hole for testing but this is obviously not going to work. Are you guys just drilling out the original air supply for the siphon and running it through there?

[BeeBob]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

I'm rarely using my p pot so I use it outside with the old AO. If you're not going to use the siphon feature anymore, then yeah I'd just drill the hole out for the bigger hose ( make sure you don't have jagged edges in the metal! ). Some are drilling an extra hole for it so they can still use the siphon feature.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

After seeing how fast the pressure pot is working I doubt I will want to use the siphon at all, but since I've already invested into a new gun and have it working well I might as well keep it and just drill a separate hole. Grab a nice grommet for it and throw the hose through there.

How much pressure do you run to the pot? I'm running 80-90 now and it seems to work better, although I go through A LOT of media. Went through 40lbs of it in less than 5 minutes So I'm sure I'm still doing something wrong.

It does work much faster though. I was able to blast an entire 18" wheel in about 15 minutes. That's about an hour faster than before!

I'll mess with it some more tomorrow. Look forward to hearing about what you guys are doing with your setup and seeing any pictures.

FYI, it's the 40lb HF unit.

[BeeBob]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

I think I'm running @ 60-70 psi to the blaster. Sounds like you might still need some fine tuning on the media/air control. My new bigger blast cab will be a dual use, like you I already have the "kit" for making my own...might as well use it!

[WhistlerCowboy]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

I have the same problem with mine,works great for about 5 seconds then if you shake the hell out of it pot it keeps shooting the media.Its a EW blaster with dry/new 80g glass bead but i figured i was getting too much moisture so just picked up an air dryer to see if that helps.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

I think I'm running @ 60-70 psi to the blaster. Sounds like you might still need some fine tuning on the media/air control. My new bigger blast cab will be a dual use, like you I already have the "kit" for making my own...might as well use it!

I'll try a lower PSI tomorrow. I have a few other things I wanna try tomorrow, including the install of a deadman valve instead of the POS that came with it.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

I have the same problem with mine,works great for about 5 seconds then if you shake the hell out of it pot it keeps shooting the media.Its a EW blaster with dry/new 80g glass bead but i figured i was getting too much moisture so just picked up an air dryer to see if that helps.

Let me know if you figure out what's wrong with it. I'm hit and miss so far, most I have gotten out of it was a couple of minutes. Then shake it and it never recovered. Shut off all the valve and start over, then it last a couple more minutes.

[BeeBob]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

Damp is not good and will do the same thing...clog it up!

[BeeBob]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

That was one of the few high $$ buys at HF that has worked out for me...their air drier with the 3 yr extended warranty. I have not had a prob with water on the "out side" of the drier since the beginning of last year. I have valves everywhere and the ones "before" the drier have water/mist come out when I drain it at night. The drains after the drier don't have any water/mist at all.

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

Ive been dealing with the same problems the past 5 days. What I have figured out is You got to have dry air for sure and you have to adjust the media valve on the bottom. I bought one of the small inline filters with the little pink beeds, attached it to the intake of the blaster. That seem to really help. Also the process of pressurizing, make sure the only valve turned on is the one pressurizing. If any waters gonna get in thats when it normally get in. The last valve you open is the one at the bootm. My biggist problem is my compressor is to small 3.5 horse 11 gallon tank,7cfm. The smallest nozzle I can find is 9cfm. I feel your pain

[Guest]

Re: Someone show me how to use a pressure pot!

Hey Beebob, don't you have the PA setup?

You guys having issue's with your pot blaster, might want to go look at this link. I have this done and I works better then ever. Takes a little work, but then we are DIY'ers, right.

PA Blaster