Proco 301

The way that Proco 301 is used depends upon your system and how you want or need the product to work. A different type of booth may require Proco 301 to be added in a different way but basically providing that the chemicals are added, and our directions followed then the system will work.

We will give one example here and that is of a standard wet-back spray booth* with a tank capacity of 1000-litres of fresh water and where both Proco 301 & Proflo+ is being used. The first thing that needs to be done is to establish the correct concentration of products within the booth water. The concentration needs to be approximately 1% of Proco 301 and 0.4% Proflo+ (this can vary depending upon different types of paint) so 10-litres of Proco 301 and 4-litres of Proflo+ would need to be added to the booth water before any painting is started.

After this, there is a daily addition of Proco 301 which needs to be kept as close as possible to the working concentration so that the biocide levels are correct and so that it is strong enough to keep the paint from going hard and sticking. Most customers with this type and size of booth will clean the water on a weekly basis which entails stopping the booth and undertaking a titration of the booth water to establish how much Proco 301 and Proflo+ is required to be added. Once this is done, the products are added, and the paint skimmed from the surface. The booth water is now clean, and production started.

This weekly treatment and the removal of the paint should only take 10-15 minutes and we do train the operators how to do everything.

*Just so that we are all talking about the same thing, we are classing a wet-back booth a one where the water is pumped, from the tank, to the top of the screens and into the area behind the screens where it then flows back to the tank.

Do I have to empty the water from my spray booth before using Proco 301?

This is a very common question to which the answer is maybe. If your booth water contains a small amount of paint build-up and doesn't contain any chemicals other than your paint overspray, then there is a very good chance that we can start using Proco 301 without having to change your booth water. If, however, the water has a large amount of overspray within it or contains chemicals other than your paint then we would recommend changing the booth water and starting with fresh water.

The pipes & nozzles are always blocking, will using Proco 301 reduce this?

Proco 301 will certainly reduce blockages both within pipes, pumps and nozzles. Proco 301 does three things to your booth water and the overspray within it; firstly, Proco 301 stops the paint from sticking within the system, secondly Proco 301 (when mixed with Proflo+) allows the paint to float so that it can be easily removed from the water and thirdly the paint is kept soft until removed. Blockages will be reduced and even eliminated as the paint is soft and will not stick.

The water pressure within my booth has reduced over time. Will Proco 301 help?

Our products can improve water pressure and the general operation of your booth in many ways. Proco 301 will, over time, soften hard paint with your booth meaning that gradually the internal diameter will increase so the water flow will improve. This means that paint in hard to reach areas such as within pipes and pumps will be removed and the booth will slowly return to its original operational state. Providing that Proco 301 is used correctly and as directed, you will not have new paint building-up and blocking your booth and, slowly, existing paint will be removed. However, the booth can be totally cleaned within a couple of days by using one of the products from our range of descalers. By adding this to your booth water, and allowing it to circulate for a few shifts, paint will be softened very quickly allowing to totally clean the booth within a few days.

Will using Proco 301 stop my booth water from smelling so bad?

Proco 301 contains an active biocide which will kill bacteria within the water. Basically, it is this bacteria that is causing the smells as the paint, within the water, starts to break-down. But, it is not the biocide alone that will stop the smell as the Proco 301 system will allow you to remove all of the paint build-up in the first place. Therefore, if you are removing the paint then there will not be any in the water to start breaking down which means no smells.

I use a mixture of water-based and solvent-based paint in my booth. Is this the right product?

If you are using a mixture of different types of paint within the same booth then we normally recommend using Proco and not Proco 301. Everything else stays the same so you will still use Proflo+ and Promousse if you are experiencing foaming.