TETRA APS 400 White Air Pump

Product detailed description

TETRA APS 400 White Air Pump is a stronger air pump for fluid beds and lead coating paints. Compared with the smaller APS 100, it offers much more airflow reserve, making it a better choice for anglers and home makers who want more reliable and stable fluidisation when coating lead castings.

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 White has two air outlets and a total airflow of 2 × 200 l/h. The two outlets are one of the most important advantages of this model, because they allow you to work with much more air than with the basic APS 100. The setup also includes two air regulators, so the airflow can be fine-tuned according to the fluid bed and coating material being used.

For powder paints for lead, APS 400 is a very good choice across the smaller and medium SAF fluid bed system. It can be used with the Amigo Fluid Bed, the Powder Paint Fluid Bed Medium and also with the larger Powder Paint Fluid Bed XL. In the XL fluid bed, APS 400 makes the most sense mainly for powder paints, where it provides much stronger and more stable airflow than APS 100.

In smaller Amigo and Medium fluid beds, 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 use 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 regular rubber coating work in larger volumes, especially in the XL fluid bed, with larger castings or longer coating sessions, we still recommend a stronger compressor with more reserve. For this type of setup, the better choice is the Hailea ACO-208 Compressor for Rubber Coating. Rubber coating is heavier than fine powder paint, creates more resistance and requires a more stable airflow when used in larger amounts.

Correct connection of the two outlets is important. With fluid beds that have two air inlets, both outlets of the air pump 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 stronger airflow.

When does TETRA APS 400 White 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 need two air outlets and more airflow reserve,
– when you want a more versatile air pump for several fluid bed sizes.

APS 400 is a good choice for anglers and home makers who no longer want to rely only on the most basic small air pump. If you coat lead more often, switch between different fluid beds or work with coating materials 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 White 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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