TETRA APS 400 Black Air Pump

Product detailed description

TETRA APS 400 Black Air Pump is a stronger air pump for fluid beds and lead coating paints. Within the SAF fluid bed system, it is the safer and more reliable choice compared with the smaller APS 100, especially when you want the paint to fluidise properly instead of only moving slightly inside the cup.

The purpose of the air pump is to deliver enough airflow into the fluid bed to lift the coating material and create a smooth fluidised layer. A preheated lead casting can then be dipped briefly into the paint, allowing the coating to bond more evenly to the surface than with ordinary dipping in a non-fluidised cup.

TETRA APS 400 Black makes the most sense for powder paints for lead. Compared with APS 100, it offers a much larger airflow reserve, so it can work reliably not only with the small Amigo Fluid Bed, but also with the Powder Paint Fluid Bed Medium and the larger Powder Paint Fluid Bed XL. The stronger airflow is especially useful with larger cups, higher paint volume or powder paints that need more air to fluidise properly.

In the smaller Amigo fluid bed and Medium fluid bed, APS 400 can also lift heavier rubber coatings for lead. This is the key difference compared with APS 100, which is suitable mainly for very fine and lightweight powder paints. If you want to work with rubber coating in a smaller fluid bed and do not want to move straight to a larger compressor, APS 400 is a much more usable and reliable option.

For the XL fluid bed, APS 400 is suitable mainly for powder paints. Thanks to its higher output, it can fluidise powder paint even in a larger cylinder and can also be used in setups with the XL extension cup. However, if you plan to work regularly with rubber coating in the XL fluid bed, larger castings and higher material volume, we recommend a stronger compressor such as the Hailea ACO-208 Compressor for Rubber Coating.

Correct connection of the two outlets is important. TETRA APS 400 Black has two air outlets. With fluid beds that have two air inlets, the outlets can be connected directly. With fluid beds that have only one inlet, such as Medium or Amigo depending on the setup, it is best to use a suitable splitter or connector to combine both air outlets into one hose leading to the fluid bed. This allows you to use the airflow from both outlets and deliver more air into the single inlet.

The airflow intensity should always be adjusted with the regulating valves on the hoses. Correctly adjusted airflow should lift the paint evenly, not blow it out of the fluid bed. Fine powder paints usually need less airflow, while heavier powder paints or rubber coatings in smaller fluid beds require more air.

When does TETRA APS 400 Black make the most sense?
– when you need stronger airflow than APS 100 can provide,
– for powder paints in Amigo, Medium and XL fluid beds,
– for heavier or harder-to-fluidise powder paints,
– for rubber coatings in smaller Amigo and Medium fluid beds,
– when you want a more versatile air pump for several fluid bed sizes,
– when you do not want to use a large compressor for every coating session.

APS 400 is a good choice for anglers and home makers who no longer want to rely on the most basic small air pump. If you coat lead more often, switch between different fluid beds or work with coatings that need more air, APS 400 gives much more confidence than APS 100.

Recommended basic workflow
1. Connect the air pump to the fluid bed according to the setup you use.
2. With a fluid bed that has one air inlet, combine both APS 400 outlets into one hose using a suitable splitter or connector.
3. Pour a suitable amount of lead coating paint into the fluid bed.
4. Use the regulating valves to set the airflow so the paint is lifted evenly.
5. Preheat the lead casting to the correct working temperature.
6. Dip the casting briefly into the fluidised paint and let the coating melt onto the surface.

TETRA APS 400 Black Air Pump is recommended as a stronger and more reliable air source for SAF fluid beds. For powder paints, it can be used from the small Amigo fluid bed through Medium up to the XL fluid bed. In smaller fluid beds, it can also handle rubber coatings, while for regular rubber coating work in a larger XL setup, the Hailea compressor remains the best choice.

→ All detailed technical information can be found below in the Product Parameters table.

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