P: Catalyst pump will not build pressure; flows back into bottle when priming.

S: Inspect the relief valve on catalyst pump and adjust to a higher setting if needed. If you have the SSP-190-01 or LPA-190-01 Catalyst pump, the relief valve will be part # 21195-00 (see fig. 3). If you have the SSP-190-02 or LPA190-03 Catalyst pump, the valve will be part # 21197-00 (see fig. 4).

S: Inspect and replace pump seals if damaged. Inspect and clean foot valve in pump. Inspect needle valves for any leaks and service as needed.

P: Spray tip keeps plugging on Indy gun.

S: Inspect and replace as needed the pick-up wand and pump filters. Inspect surge bottle for contamination and clean or replace if needed.

P: Catalyst pump drops pressure while spraying.

S: There may be an insufficient amount of catalyst in feed line, inspect feed line to pump and maintain a full amount of catalyst in line. Inspect and clean foot valve housing inside catalyst pump and replace the seals inside pump as well. Inspect and clean catalyst needle valve at gun and repair as needed.

P: Catalyst pressure increases while spraying.

S: Inspect catalyst hose for kinks or damage. Inspect and replace as needed the Auto catalyst valve at gun. Inspect and clean spray tip of gun catalyst ring.

P: Catalyst pump holds pressure while spraying, but falls to zero when trigger is released.

S: Inspect lower seat in catalyst pump for debris and clean as needed.

P: Air appears to be bubbling back into the catalyst bottle when spraying.

S: Carefully inspect the inner liner of the catalyst hose for breaks and replace line as needed

P: There is air in the resin line.

S: Make sure connections on pick up tube are tight and filters are clean. If possible, raise temperature of material to lower the viscosity. Inspect pump seals for wear and replace as needed.

P: Material is leaking into or around the lube cup housing.

S: Make sure to change pump lube in cup regularly and pumps are stopped in the down position at shut down. Inspect the polyester o-ring on pump shaft as well as the seals and replace as needed.

P: Material pump takes a good upstroke and then dives down.

S: If material is cold, try warming to lower the viscosity. Spray tip may be too large for material cycle rate or cycle rate may be too fast for specific material. Decrease cycle rate and decrease spray tip size. Inspect pump foot valve for debris and clean as needed.

P: Resin pattern “winks”.

S: Inspect surge bottle for debris and clean as needed. Inspect filter screen and clean as needed. If material is cold, try warming to decrease viscosity.

P: Why does the Indy Chopper system have a bigger psi gauge vs. the Indy-X chopper?

S: Internal mix systems must use a higher pressure gauge 0-1000psi (20178-00) due to the internal mixing pressures that it has to meet when the Catalyst comes in contact with Resin. There must be a very close balance of pressure for the two Materials to give consistent mix.

On 11:1 Ratio Material pumps we will use the LPA-190-01 or the SSP-190-01 both of these catalyst pumps use the use the 21195-00 safety relief valve which is set to open at 950psi, in fact you must never run the air pressure to the air motor above 85psi due to the fact that the resin pump at 85 X 11= 935psi and at higher air pressure the safety relief valve will open dumping catalyst back to the supply bottle and resulting in non-uniformed mix.

On the optional 20:1 Ratio Material pump used on internal mixing of Gel-Coat we then do a factory modification on the LPA-190-01 or SSP-190-01 we remove the 20178-00 and 21195-00 then replace it with a higher pressure Gauge and Safety relief, the 20639-03 gauge is now 0-2000psi and the 21195-01 which is now set to open at 1950psi. And again the air motor should not go above 95psi of air pressure 95X20=1900psi (even on the HVRP 17:1 ratio pump internal mix system we change to the higher psi gauge and safety relief valve).

External mix system we use a 0-200psi Gauge (20639-02) on all LPA-190-03 or SSP-190-03 Catalyst Pumps

Many years ago a 0-100psi gauge was used, but had many problems with the dial becoming broken (sprung) do to the fact that the 21197-00 safety relief valve set opening pressure is 100psi.(so we changed it to the 0-200psi gauge prevent this from happening)

On any Material pump 11:1, 20:1, 13:1(G2) and 17:1(HVRP) when it is using any external mix gun we mix low pressure air to Atomize with the catalyst which then exists from the guns front two tips and enters the material spray pattern.

The Material pumps Size does not matter when using external mix Guns, we always use the LPA-190-03 or SSP-190-03 catalyst pumps.

The reason that the 21197-00 is at 100psi and not higher is that on the older LPA type Guns we used the hose inside the hose design which is rated at low pressure 150psi and can, over a period of time, become weaker and break.

Fluid Proportioning pumps

P: Ram that drives the fluid pumps keeps hanging up in mid stroke.

S: If using a hydraulic unit, there are trip switches located at the top of the hydraulic ram, one upper and one lower. When the ram makes contact with the upper switch its change over occurs to the down stroke and when the ram makes contact with the lower switch, the change over to the up stroke occurs. If the trip switches are out of alignment, it will cause the ram to stall. This can be verified by manually activating either the upper or lower switch causing the ram to move. If this alignment issue occurs, simply loosen the upper and lower bolts (4 total) and slide the entire assembly forward to allow a better contact to be made.

S: If using a pneumatic system, clean and inspect the spool valve and air lines that carry the air signal or use a rebuild kit for repair (see your user manual for the proper repair kit for the air motor used).

P: One pump looses pressure and the other pump increases in pressure.

S: See pump troubleshooting guide below. Prior to pump troubleshooting, make sure transfer pump filters (when used) are clean, gun filters are clean, auxiliary filters (when used) are clean, gun porting is clean and proper alignment is checked, all air lines are clean and are at recommended settings.

P: Material is leaking heavily from the top of the pump.

S: Replace the felt wipers in the solvent cup located at the top of the pump (see fig.5). When replacing the felt wipers, make sure to lubricate the new felt wipers with DBP (Di-n-Butyl Phthalate) or other suitable lubricant. This will ensure the new felt wipers will properly displace the material away from the top of the pump and clean the shaft as it moves through its' cycle.

P: Pump was recently rebuilt, after a day it began leaking material from top of pump.

S: If the pump shaft has damage, or any scratches deep enough to be felt with a fingernail, it will need to be buffed clean and smooth. Remove shaft from pump, polish with a buffing wheel to remove any blemishes. Replace packing in solvent cup.

P: Hydraulic pressure will not increase or decrease as needed.

S: Inspect the sun-valve that controls the hydraulic pressure for debris or contamination and clean if needed.

Pump Troubleshooting (refer to fig.5 for standard pump design)

While there are many different material pumps used in GlasCraft machines, the following troubleshooting tips will work with each of them. Please consult your system user manual for the make and model pump that is used by your system.

If pump looses pressure on the up stroke:

Upper ball/seat damaged or debris is caught in seat.

Inner cylinder and/or seal damaged.

If pump looses pressure on the down stroke:

Lower ball/seat damaged or debris is caught in seat.

Transfer Pumps

P: Transfer pump operates normally for a few strokes then stops cycling.

S: Make sure to regulate 100psi to both transfer pumps. If air is regulated at the correct pressure, inspect lower ball and seat of pump for damage or debris. The lower ball and seat can be cleaned with a “clean” solvent such as Acetone. Also inspect material feed lines for blockage or damage.

P: When the air feed is open, the pump will cycle quickly but not pick up material.

S: Dial air feed for transfer pump down to zero. Open valve and slowly dial up the air pressure. At about 20psi the pump will start to operate and should begin to pick up material on about the third stroke of the pump. Once the pump is primed, dial up the air pressure to full (100psi).

P: Changed drum sets, now the transfer pumps will not pick up and feed the material

S: Dial air feed for transfer pump down to zero. Open valve and slowly dial up the air pressure. At about 20psi the pump will start to operate and should begin to pick up material on about the third stroke of the pump. Once the pump is primed, dial up the air pressure to full (100psi). It is important to remember when changing drums, keep the transfer pump vertical so it will not loose its' prime.

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5