# How long can a sprayer 'sit' with out use before needing to pull the trigger?



## Worker Bee (Jun 2, 2017)

A total newb question for sure...

How long can my sprayer sit, before I run into issues? with latex or oil... at say 75F.

30 minutes? hour? its a graco 390... a newb sprayer lol


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

A long time as long as there are no small leaks to keep it cycling. I try to turn it off if I know I will be doing other stuff for awhile but forget and leave it on and charged for hours. It is best to turn it off and depressurize it. A good pump is pretty tough.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

I've been known to let it sit over night (or a few if I'm spraying for several days, in a row). Machine off, pressure out, gun in a bucket of water. Keep the wet stuff wet and you shouldn't have any problems. Stinger in the bucket, bucket sealed, etc...

I never leave it over the weekend though... I at least cycle some water through and give it a quick clean if I know I'm getting back into it on Monday...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

If it’s going to be awhile (overnight) I wrap my gun in a plastic bag. 

For the kind spraying I do (doors, cabinets, etc) I typically work out of a one gallon container (plastic Folgers coffee can). I take a gallon ziploc bag, cut one corner off it and insert the stinger through the hole. Then slip the bag over the top of the can and start spraying. The bag keeps debris out of the strained paint and keeps the paint and stinger from drying out when it’s sitting.


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## sayn3ver (Jan 9, 2010)

Like said above, with acrylics, if you keep them wet shouldn't have any issues. 

I'll leave my gun in a Ziploc with the nozzle in water. I typically clean the tip and guard out at the end of the day or in-between coats if there's down time or at the least in a cup/bucket of water. 

Think about paint in a can. Lid on it'll last years. Not recommended for a sprayer but you get the idea. 

I would use your best judgement. A 5 gallon and stinger will get misted with water and bagged if it'll be hours or overnight. If a few days I'd lid the material and stick the stinger in a 5 of water.

Now I'm paranoid I'll cycle all the material out of the hose after mixing my material bucket before spraying the next day. If the tints tend to separate I imagine they will do that in the hose too so I'll shoot the material without a tip back into the material bucket and get freshly mixed material. Maybe overkill for some situations but you never know. It's like not boxing your paint. Probably ok for non critical situations but why risk it?


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I'll release the pressure and throw the entire gun in a bucket of water over a weekend.

Risk/reward.

Sprayers are reasonably inexpensive. I don't want to deal with the cleaning mess until job is done. I've had to have a couple re-packed, but it was 2 years between re-packing. I'll take that.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I dont think it will hurt the sprayer any if its left in paint, as long as the gun goes in water. You need to be careful on big jobs, that you dont blow out your filters by not cleaning them after X amount of gallons being run through though. Im pretty bad about just throwing my tips and stuff in water till the job is done, and cleaning them out at the end. I do try to make sure I clean the filters every so often though.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I have a floating aquarium of spray tips in "brush cleaner" whatever that is. It's probably acetone and ?

They always work fine when I need one.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

I agree with quite a few of the comments in the thread. What I typically do for an exterior spray session is try to keep material in the shade and if that is not possible keep the paint covered. If say taking a break for lunch or maybe an unexpected run I will toss the gun into a 5gal bucket of water and turn the pump off. Unless your rig has issues it should be a non issue as it is a sealed system. I personally try not to leave a pump over night but that is just my personal preference. 

As to a indoor scenario it is essentially the same minus the shade part lol.


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## Worker Bee (Jun 2, 2017)

whats a stinger?


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

Stinger is the material pick up tube. I have always called them a donkey dick.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

Turn the tip 90 degrees, seal the paint bucket with intake in, no pressure, good for couple of months if needed.


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