How Do I Measure Performance Of My Portable Paint Booth?

You don’t need a super large paint booth every day, and that is where our 42″ portable paint booth comes in handy.  Tabletop or Bench-top paint booths, as these portable enclosures are more commonly known, are a reliable solution, when conventional exhausting unrealistic to install.  Just like the rest of Spray Tech/Junair’s products, our tabletop paint booth is ETL listed and follows our high set of standards.

Filteration System in a Portable Paint Booth

Our tabletop paint booth doesn’t have a ducting exhaust system, it uses a three-stage filtration system to filter out the pollution and release it back into the air.  All of the filters are needed to ensure that your tabletop paint booth operates accurately. The first set of filters, apprehend 99% of wet overspray. Behind the first set of filters, is the second set of filters that are woven and pleated.  These filters catch any residual (damp or dry) particles. These filters also have two manometers, which will signal when it is time to switch out the filters. The last stage and final set of filters are made up of activated carbon. These final filters are there to catch any volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  The filtered air becomes reinstated back into the workplace. The tabletop paint booth is constructed of galvanized steel, comes in two sizes (either the 42” single-wide or 84” double-wide), and assembled quickly. We can also pre-assemble it and send it to you. Spray Tech/Junair also offers custom designs and upgrades.

Measuring airflow in your booth

Exhaust/filtration and airflow are a critical part of your shop’s paint booth.  Your exhaust/filtration system must meet specific OSHA and EPA guidelines, along with other safety guidelines, such as NFPA 33, which all of our filters and exhaust systems do.  You should monitor your exhaust system to make sure it is working correctly; since over time, parts can become clogged, wear out, or even break. One way to monitor your booth is by measuring its airflow.  You can do this by using a simple tool such as a vaneometer or a more precise instrument such as a kanomax 6800 anemometer.  A vaneometer is a convenient, compact air velocity reader, that will read low velocities. KanoMax 6800 anemometers, is a more precise and accurate handheld air velocity reader.  It will also give you readings of your temperatures and humidity. You will want a tool that can measure between 0 feet per minute (FPM) and 200 feet per minute; since normally downdrafts and side downdraft have roughly a 50 FPM and a cross-draft has roughly a 100FPM.  For downdraft and side downdraft, FPM depends on its length and width; while cross drafts FPM is based on its width and height. 

Using the Vaneometer effectively

When you measure the airflow, (or air velocity), you should take multiple readings throughout your portable paint booth.  If your enclosure has proper airflow, you should receive similar readings throughout the cabin. You, also want to make sure that you have the appropriate tool for your booth.  For example, with a vaneometer, the air should flow across the vanes; however, if the booth has a downdraft airflow, the designs of the two usually are not compatible. After you take your readings, you should compare them to the standards of your specific booth.  If your readings are off, you should check your booth for any potential problems. 

Performance checklist for a Portable Paint Booth

The performance of your portable paint booth is one of the most vital aspects of your shop; since, if it goes down, you lose productivity. One way to keep your booth up and running is by performing inspections and frequent maintenance on your booth. 

Checking and Replacing Airflow Tools

It is vital to make sure that your tools for checking airflow are working correctly.  If your veneometer or anemometers are not working correctly, you could have the wrong airflow levels, which could be hazardous.  Also, when you use your airflow tools, and you see that your numbers are not at the right levels, it can give you an indication that something is wrong.    

Checking and Replacing Filters

An essential part of maintenance is checking and replacing your filters.  These filters can clog up, which can cause multiple problems from safety hazards to extra costs for operating.  Depending on how you use your booth, should determine how often you change your filters. If you use your booth a lot for a shorter period, then you should change your filter more often.  Also, you should keep track of when you change a filter, this way, you know exactly when you replaced it last. 

Checking Your Booth Fan

You need to check your fan to make sure that there is no blockage or backup on the fan blades.  Checking the belt on the blower to make sure it is tight enough or needs replacement is another good idea.  You should also check the fan’s motor, over time the motor parts will wear out and will have to be replaced.  If you noticed this before the motor becomes too worn, you could potentially be saving yourself time and money (you will be able to fix the motor on a day the shop is closed, and you would have to worry about if it breaks, what else it could break as well).  

Cleaning Your Booth

You should clean your booth daily, or at least have it on a cleaning schedule.  By keeping a clean booth, you reduce overspray buildup, keep your work quality, keep your employees safe, and keep your booth running efficiently.  When cleaning your booth, make sure you follow all shut down procedures correctly; this way, you do not cause your booth to malfunction. Also, your employees should wear proper safety equipment when cleaning the booth.  Cleaning your booth is another way for your employees to notice if there are any minor problems that could become larger ones over time. 

Inspections

At least once a year, you need to do a full inspection of your booth.  However, if your booth does numerous projects in a year, you should increase the number of comprehensive inspections you do a year.  Another good idea is once a month or when you are cleaning your booth is to give your booth a quick once over to see if you can spot any minor problems.

Using your checklist and completing these tasks multiple times a year, can potentially help to ensure the quality of your work and the safety of your employees and shop.  Spray Tech/Juniar’s portable tabletop paint booth offers you a safe solution when you can’t use a conventional exhaust system.  

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