Equipment Information
The Equipment that goes into your trailer is never one-size-fits-all. Our Equipment Specialists can help you determine the best equipment based on your needs and your budget.
Choosing a Generator
Smaller proportioners can be run on gasoline powered generators. Larger machines will require diesel generators. There are many factors to consider.
A gas-powered generator will use 2 gallons of fuel per hour. A gas-powered air compressor will use ¾ gallon of fuel per hour. A properly sized diesel generator will allow us to build a trailer with an electric air compressor. The diesel generator will use .8 of a gallon of fuel per hour.
Gas generators are air cooled and run at 3600 rpm making them much less efficient than a diesel generator that is water cooled and runs at 1800 rpm. Buying a gas-powered generator with your spray foam trailer you should expect to replace it after a few years of service. Diesel generators will last the lifetime of spray foam trailer.
While the diesel generator will cost more up front, in time it will pay for itself in fuel savings.
Generator options consist of entry-level gas-powered offering from Generac in the 15KW or 17.5KW model, Winco 22KW peak 19KW running, and diesel offerings that start at a 25KW and go up to 65KW.
A gas-powered generator will use 2 gallons of fuel per hour. A gas-powered air compressor will use ¾ gallon of fuel per hour. A properly sized diesel generator will allow us to build a trailer with an electric air compressor. The diesel generator will use .8 of a gallon of fuel per hour.
Gas generators are air cooled and run at 3600 rpm making them much less efficient than a diesel generator that is water cooled and runs at 1800 rpm. Buying a gas-powered generator with your spray foam trailer you should expect to replace it after a few years of service. Diesel generators will last the lifetime of spray foam trailer.
While the diesel generator will cost more up front, in time it will pay for itself in fuel savings.
Generator options consist of entry-level gas-powered offering from Generac in the 15KW or 17.5KW model, Winco 22KW peak 19KW running, and diesel offerings that start at a 25KW and go up to 65KW.
Proportioners
The job of the spray foam machine (proportioner) is to heat and pressurize the chemicals that make spray foam.
Spray foam machines are rated in pounds per minute for spray foam and gallons per minute for coatings. Most experienced spray foam contractors are spraying between 12 and 20 pounds per minute. Roofing foam is often sprayed at 30 pounds per minute.
The other consideration in choosing the right machine for your climate zone is heater size. You do not want to buy a machine that will force you to slow down and wait for the machine to catch up. A machine that can spray at 20 pounds per minute with 6,000-watt heaters may work in Miami, but you would not want to choose this machine in a colder climate. Even at less than 20 pounds per minute this machine will struggle when it is cold outside.
The other consideration when choosing the right machine is the transformer for the hose heat. Maximum hose lengths of 200 to 400 feet are possible but it is important to know if the machine you are buying is only able to support 200 feet of heated hose. The difference in the machines is how they create the pressure. They all have booster pumps. These pumps rely on the transfer pumps to bring the chemicals out of the 55-gallon drums and into the machine at higher volume and low pressure.
It is also important to properly size the transfer pumps. Most applications will require a T1 or T2 pump. These pumps are rated in gallons per minute. The T1 pump is capable of 2.5 gallons per minute and the T2 pump is capable of 5 gallons per minute. The T2 pump is taller than the T1 pump so the T3 pump is often a better choice because it is capable of 4.5 gallons per minute, and it is 3.7 inches shorter than the T2 pump.
Trailer height must be considered when building a spray foam trailer. A standard trailer with 6-foot ceilings is not tall enough to remove the transfer pump from the 55-gallon drum. The pump will hit the ceiling and the only way it will go in the drum is if you can tilt the 500-pound drum on its side. This is dangerous and not a good way to build a trailer. Our trailers are built with 7.5-to-8-foot ceiling heights for this reason. There is a Graco T4 transfer pump that has been made for short ceiling heights. This pump allows the top part of the pump to be removed when changing over to a new set of foam. The T4 pumps are expensive but this will allow shorter trailers to be used.
There are three primary differences in how the machines create the pressure. There are air driven (pneumatic) machines, electrical driven, and hydraulic driven machines available. The air driven machine will require a larger air compressor but will require less electrical power. The electric and hydraulic machines will require more electrical power and a smaller air compressor. The least expensive builds often involve an air driven machine because they can be built with a gas-powered generator and air compressor. These machines can produce the same foam as electric or hydraulic powered machines. The major difference is because these machines are entry-level, they do not have many of the features that the other machines have.
Spray foam machines are rated in pounds per minute for spray foam and gallons per minute for coatings. Most experienced spray foam contractors are spraying between 12 and 20 pounds per minute. Roofing foam is often sprayed at 30 pounds per minute.
The other consideration in choosing the right machine for your climate zone is heater size. You do not want to buy a machine that will force you to slow down and wait for the machine to catch up. A machine that can spray at 20 pounds per minute with 6,000-watt heaters may work in Miami, but you would not want to choose this machine in a colder climate. Even at less than 20 pounds per minute this machine will struggle when it is cold outside.
The other consideration when choosing the right machine is the transformer for the hose heat. Maximum hose lengths of 200 to 400 feet are possible but it is important to know if the machine you are buying is only able to support 200 feet of heated hose. The difference in the machines is how they create the pressure. They all have booster pumps. These pumps rely on the transfer pumps to bring the chemicals out of the 55-gallon drums and into the machine at higher volume and low pressure.
It is also important to properly size the transfer pumps. Most applications will require a T1 or T2 pump. These pumps are rated in gallons per minute. The T1 pump is capable of 2.5 gallons per minute and the T2 pump is capable of 5 gallons per minute. The T2 pump is taller than the T1 pump so the T3 pump is often a better choice because it is capable of 4.5 gallons per minute, and it is 3.7 inches shorter than the T2 pump.
Trailer height must be considered when building a spray foam trailer. A standard trailer with 6-foot ceilings is not tall enough to remove the transfer pump from the 55-gallon drum. The pump will hit the ceiling and the only way it will go in the drum is if you can tilt the 500-pound drum on its side. This is dangerous and not a good way to build a trailer. Our trailers are built with 7.5-to-8-foot ceiling heights for this reason. There is a Graco T4 transfer pump that has been made for short ceiling heights. This pump allows the top part of the pump to be removed when changing over to a new set of foam. The T4 pumps are expensive but this will allow shorter trailers to be used.
There are three primary differences in how the machines create the pressure. There are air driven (pneumatic) machines, electrical driven, and hydraulic driven machines available. The air driven machine will require a larger air compressor but will require less electrical power. The electric and hydraulic machines will require more electrical power and a smaller air compressor. The least expensive builds often involve an air driven machine because they can be built with a gas-powered generator and air compressor. These machines can produce the same foam as electric or hydraulic powered machines. The major difference is because these machines are entry-level, they do not have many of the features that the other machines have.
Air Compressors
Air compressors. It is very important in this industry that the customers understand the difference between a residential air compressor that is designed
to be used for 30 minutes and the properly built air compressors that are required for spray foam.
We need air compressors that are rated for continuous use. These compressors do not shut off. They run all day. It is very important to make sure the compressor can produce the CFM that is required for each application. This is especially important on pneumatic spray foam machines. We have seen many customers that want to use an air compressor that they already own instead of investing in the proper equipment. This never ends well.
We need air compressors that are rated for continuous use. These compressors do not shut off. They run all day. It is very important to make sure the compressor can produce the CFM that is required for each application. This is especially important on pneumatic spray foam machines. We have seen many customers that want to use an air compressor that they already own instead of investing in the proper equipment. This never ends well.
Speak to a Specialist
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Spray Foam Guns
Many people in this industry have a favorite gun. Graco has made spray foam guns for many years, and they had the best gun on the market until a couple of years ago. Spray foam guns. Many people in this industry have a favorite gun.
Graco has made spray foam guns for many years, and they had the best gun on the market until a couple of years ago. Carlisle launched the ST-1 gun, and it is currently the best gun on the market in our opinion. We are confident that Graco wants their market share back so they will be launching a new gun soon. If you have sprayed foam before and are familiar and comfortable with a certain brand of gun then that is probably the best gun for you. All the guns work very similarly.
The best part of the Carlisle ST-1 gun is the removable mixing tip. Most guns need to be completely taken apart to get to the mixing chamber but with the ST-1 gun the tip can be removed and exchanged for another size or you can clean out the mixing chamber while the tip is removed.
We sell Graco, PMC, and Carlisle guns and we recommend buying spare parts for whatever gun you choose. There is nothing worse than not being able to finish a job because of a $1 o-ring that you do not have. With each gun we have a spare parts kit that includes the common items you will need to maintain your gun. There are some parts that you may want to add like the cannon tip that is available for the ST-1 gun. This comes in .5” or 1” and will allow you to get foam into hard-to-reach places.
Graco has made spray foam guns for many years, and they had the best gun on the market until a couple of years ago. Carlisle launched the ST-1 gun, and it is currently the best gun on the market in our opinion. We are confident that Graco wants their market share back so they will be launching a new gun soon. If you have sprayed foam before and are familiar and comfortable with a certain brand of gun then that is probably the best gun for you. All the guns work very similarly.
The best part of the Carlisle ST-1 gun is the removable mixing tip. Most guns need to be completely taken apart to get to the mixing chamber but with the ST-1 gun the tip can be removed and exchanged for another size or you can clean out the mixing chamber while the tip is removed.
We sell Graco, PMC, and Carlisle guns and we recommend buying spare parts for whatever gun you choose. There is nothing worse than not being able to finish a job because of a $1 o-ring that you do not have. With each gun we have a spare parts kit that includes the common items you will need to maintain your gun. There are some parts that you may want to add like the cannon tip that is available for the ST-1 gun. This comes in .5” or 1” and will allow you to get foam into hard-to-reach places.
Trailers
One of the most important parts of building a spray foam trailer is properly sizing the equipment with the generator and air compressor.
Other factors must also be considered. If you are in a climate where it gets cold, you will want to make sure the trailer you purchase has been properly designed. In tropical climates we do not need to be concerned about the temperature of the chemicals we are spraying. If the temperature gets below 70 degrees, we will need to design a trailer that is built for this climate.
Spray foam chemicals need to be heated to 70-85 degrees before they can be sprayed. Some can be sprayed at 70 and some will require 85 degrees. This is why our trailers are built with 3 doors in the front and a ramp or barn doors on the back of the trailer.
The front part of our trailers is sectioned off with a partition wall that will allow the generator and air compressor room to remain open while the back part of the trailer can be completely closed. This helps us keep the chemicals warm when it is cold.
We also insulate our trailers with closed-cell foam. This helps keep the heat in and makes the trailer much more rigid. We also offer in-floor heat as an option, make sure your chemicals are heated properly and you get the best yield possible.
On our trailer builds with the in-floor heat we install a small hose door so the heated hose can be feed through the door and the door can remain closed keeping all of the heat inside the trailer. We also install outside outlets with this option that will allow the customer to heat their foam by plugging in a regular extension cord. This will allow the customer to keep the trailer completely closed and locked and maintain the temperature of their chemicals overnight.
Other factors must also be considered. If you are in a climate where it gets cold, you will want to make sure the trailer you purchase has been properly designed. In tropical climates we do not need to be concerned about the temperature of the chemicals we are spraying. If the temperature gets below 70 degrees, we will need to design a trailer that is built for this climate.
Spray foam chemicals need to be heated to 70-85 degrees before they can be sprayed. Some can be sprayed at 70 and some will require 85 degrees. This is why our trailers are built with 3 doors in the front and a ramp or barn doors on the back of the trailer.
The front part of our trailers is sectioned off with a partition wall that will allow the generator and air compressor room to remain open while the back part of the trailer can be completely closed. This helps us keep the chemicals warm when it is cold.
We also insulate our trailers with closed-cell foam. This helps keep the heat in and makes the trailer much more rigid. We also offer in-floor heat as an option, make sure your chemicals are heated properly and you get the best yield possible.
On our trailer builds with the in-floor heat we install a small hose door so the heated hose can be feed through the door and the door can remain closed keeping all of the heat inside the trailer. We also install outside outlets with this option that will allow the customer to heat their foam by plugging in a regular extension cord. This will allow the customer to keep the trailer completely closed and locked and maintain the temperature of their chemicals overnight.
Personal Protective Equipment
You will need to cover your skin while spraying foam. We are mixing 2 chemicals to make spray foam and you want to protect
your skin from these chemicals. Spraying foam overhead will often result in foam covering the person spraying it. We also use head socks to keep the foam out of
our hair. You will also want some disposable nitrile gloves that are 7-9 mil thick and while spraying you will want another set of gloves that are coated in polyurethane.
You will need to wear a 3M respirator with the proper cartridges and 720CFM of air movement or a fresh air or cold air system. The fresh air system is designed to blow ambient temperature air into your mask through an air line that is 100’ feet away from where you are spraying. The cold air system will blow refrigerated air into your mask through a 100-foot airline. The fresh air and cold air systems are available with one full face mask or two full face masks. They are also available with a hood instead of the mask, but the hood does not normally work well with spray foam.
You will need to wear a 3M respirator with the proper cartridges and 720CFM of air movement or a fresh air or cold air system. The fresh air system is designed to blow ambient temperature air into your mask through an air line that is 100’ feet away from where you are spraying. The cold air system will blow refrigerated air into your mask through a 100-foot airline. The fresh air and cold air systems are available with one full face mask or two full face masks. They are also available with a hood instead of the mask, but the hood does not normally work well with spray foam.
Cleaning Chemicals
Chemicals we use include silicone release spray, brake cleaner, grease for our guns, air tool oil, Throat seal lubrication fluid, and gun cleaning solution.
Silicone release spray is often used on our gun, mask, and anything else we do not want to risk having foam adhere to. We always need to be mindful of overspray but in some situations, we have to spray something that is so close to a window, door, or other fixture that we want to spray silicone release spray on these items so if we do get overspray on them it will be easy to get off.
Brake cleaner is used to clean parts of our gun and we will normally want to buy it by the case as we use a lot of it in this business.
New guns come with a grease gun and Graco makes a good clear grease that we coat internal parts of our spray foam gun with when rebuilding it to make sure it functions properly.
Air tool oil is used a drop or two at a time with all our air powered equipment.
All machines except for the new Carlisle IS-30 and IS-40 use a throat seal lubrication that will need to be changed out frequently so you will want to make sure to keep it on your trailer.
Gun cleaning solutions are available from Global Specialties. They offer Surf X Flush that works great as a gun cleaning solution. In addition, a flush pot system with mineral oil or TSL fluid is often used to flush the chemicals out of the spray foam gun at the end of the day. This will keep the ISO (A side chemical) from hardening inside the gun overnight. Customers that use a flush pot can go longer before they need to rebuild their gun.
Silicone release spray is often used on our gun, mask, and anything else we do not want to risk having foam adhere to. We always need to be mindful of overspray but in some situations, we have to spray something that is so close to a window, door, or other fixture that we want to spray silicone release spray on these items so if we do get overspray on them it will be easy to get off.
Brake cleaner is used to clean parts of our gun and we will normally want to buy it by the case as we use a lot of it in this business.
New guns come with a grease gun and Graco makes a good clear grease that we coat internal parts of our spray foam gun with when rebuilding it to make sure it functions properly.
Air tool oil is used a drop or two at a time with all our air powered equipment.
All machines except for the new Carlisle IS-30 and IS-40 use a throat seal lubrication that will need to be changed out frequently so you will want to make sure to keep it on your trailer.
Gun cleaning solutions are available from Global Specialties. They offer Surf X Flush that works great as a gun cleaning solution. In addition, a flush pot system with mineral oil or TSL fluid is often used to flush the chemicals out of the spray foam gun at the end of the day. This will keep the ISO (A side chemical) from hardening inside the gun overnight. Customers that use a flush pot can go longer before they need to rebuild their gun.
Foam Cutting Tools
Some jobs will require a full cavity fill. You will need to cut any excess foam that sticks out beyond the studs. Open-cell foam is easy to cut but closed-cell foam is much more difficult. You can cut open-cell foam with a curry comb, Sawzall with an adapter or a scarfer. The curry comb is not going to help you with closed-cell foam.
You will probably want to invest in the Sawzall with the offset technology adapter. There is another version of the Sawzall foam cutting blade and adapter, but it is more difficult to use because it will put the saw at angle while you are trimming the foam. It is also easy to break the shaft of the saw with the regular adapter. You must be careful not to hit concrete or studs while using it. The scarfer does a great job shaving the foam and the results are normally impressive, but it makes a mess so unless you have a removal vacuum the offset technology adapter is normally the best option because it will allow you to shave the excess foam off in sheets that are easy to clean up.
You will probably want to invest in the Sawzall with the offset technology adapter. There is another version of the Sawzall foam cutting blade and adapter, but it is more difficult to use because it will put the saw at angle while you are trimming the foam. It is also easy to break the shaft of the saw with the regular adapter. You must be careful not to hit concrete or studs while using it. The scarfer does a great job shaving the foam and the results are normally impressive, but it makes a mess so unless you have a removal vacuum the offset technology adapter is normally the best option because it will allow you to shave the excess foam off in sheets that are easy to clean up.
Removal Vacuums
Removal vacuums are often used to take the old insulation out of the house before we spray it with foam.
We sell the cool machines vacuums. The 16 hp gas vacuum with a vacuum saver cover is highly recommended. You will need hoses with this item. They are available in an economy package or a deluxe package. These vacuums will suck the old blown in insulation out and deposit it in 4’x6’ disposable removal bags that are sold separately.
We sell the cool machines vacuums. The 16 hp gas vacuum with a vacuum saver cover is highly recommended. You will need hoses with this item. They are available in an economy package or a deluxe package. These vacuums will suck the old blown in insulation out and deposit it in 4’x6’ disposable removal bags that are sold separately.
Learn More about Your Favorite Brands
Carlisle Fluid Technologies
Intellispray Spray Foam Systems. No more off-ratio jobs. Faster warm up for faster start times, Control and monitor remotely.
The newest technology available is the Carlisle IS30. This machine is capable of 30 pounds per minute and uses newer technology that allows contractors to start spraying within 10 minutes of showing up on a job site. Most machines will take 30 minutes to get the hose heated up to temperature in cold conditions. This machine has a large touch screen, it has flow meters that track the exact amount of chemicals that are used, the machine automatically adjusts temperatures and pressures to ensure that the foam being sprayed is on ratio. It also has a cellular connection that will allow techs to access the machine in the field if there is ever an issue. This is the latest technology available today.
Click to download:
IntelliSpray IS30 Literature
IntelliSpray IS30 Manual
IntelliSpray IS30 Quick Start Guide
ST1 Spray Foam Gun. Spraying foam just got easier. Smooth pattern, lightweight, easy to maintain for more uptime.
Click to download:
ST1 Literature
ST1 Manual
ST1 Quick Start Guide
ST1 Parts Selector
Intellispray Spray Foam Systems. No more off-ratio jobs. Faster warm up for faster start times, Control and monitor remotely.
The newest technology available is the Carlisle IS30. This machine is capable of 30 pounds per minute and uses newer technology that allows contractors to start spraying within 10 minutes of showing up on a job site. Most machines will take 30 minutes to get the hose heated up to temperature in cold conditions. This machine has a large touch screen, it has flow meters that track the exact amount of chemicals that are used, the machine automatically adjusts temperatures and pressures to ensure that the foam being sprayed is on ratio. It also has a cellular connection that will allow techs to access the machine in the field if there is ever an issue. This is the latest technology available today.
Click to download:
IntelliSpray IS30 Literature
IntelliSpray IS30 Manual
IntelliSpray IS30 Quick Start Guide
ST1 Spray Foam Gun. Spraying foam just got easier. Smooth pattern, lightweight, easy to maintain for more uptime.
Click to download:
ST1 Literature
ST1 Manual
ST1 Quick Start Guide
ST1 Parts Selector
PMC
American-made spray foam and pural component polyurethane systems give you the power, performance, and dependability your business demands.
The PMC PH-2 is hydraulic, it is capable of 28 pounds per minute and can support up to 410 feet of heated hose with a 120-volt transformer. It can be built with 7500-to-14,000-watt heaters but electrical demands above 7500 watts will require a diesel generator or power management. The PMC PH-2 includes a pressure imbalance controller and a countdown stroke counter. These features will help ensure the foam that is being sprayed is on ratio and will help make sure we avoid running out of foam.
Click to download:
PMC PH-2 Proportioner Literature
PMC PH-2 Proportioner Manual
PMC AP2 Spray Gun Literature
PMC AP2 Manual
PMC PX-7 Literature
PMC PX-7 Service Manual
PMC Xtreme Literature
PMC Xtreme Manual
American-made spray foam and pural component polyurethane systems give you the power, performance, and dependability your business demands.
The PMC PH-2 is hydraulic, it is capable of 28 pounds per minute and can support up to 410 feet of heated hose with a 120-volt transformer. It can be built with 7500-to-14,000-watt heaters but electrical demands above 7500 watts will require a diesel generator or power management. The PMC PH-2 includes a pressure imbalance controller and a countdown stroke counter. These features will help ensure the foam that is being sprayed is on ratio and will help make sure we avoid running out of foam.
Click to download:
PMC PH-2 Proportioner Literature
PMC PH-2 Proportioner Manual
PMC AP2 Spray Gun Literature
PMC AP2 Manual
PMC PX-7 Literature
PMC PX-7 Service Manual
PMC Xtreme Literature
PMC Xtreme Manual
Graco
Designed for your business, including software and hardware enhancements for better spray performance, remote access to controls and unmatched jobsite data.
The electric driven Graco E-20 is capable of 20 pounds per minute and has 6,000 watt heaters. While this is a good choice in a tropical climate, it is not a good choice for colder climates.
The Graco E-30 is capable of 30 pounds per minute and can be ordered with 10,000 or 15,000 watt heaters. It has a maximum hose length of 310 feet. This is a very solid machine that has pressure imbalance shutdown, a touch screen, can track how much chemicals were used daily, will log any error codes, has barrel levels showing on the touch screen. This is a great machine for companies that have multiple crews because it tracks how much product was used daily. It will require a diesel generator.
Click to download:
Graco Proportioner Literature
Graco E-30 Operating Manual
Graco E-20 Electrical Diagram
Graco Ratio Monitoring
Graco Hoses, Guns, and Accessories Literature
Graco AP Fusion Manual
Designed for your business, including software and hardware enhancements for better spray performance, remote access to controls and unmatched jobsite data.
The electric driven Graco E-20 is capable of 20 pounds per minute and has 6,000 watt heaters. While this is a good choice in a tropical climate, it is not a good choice for colder climates.
The Graco E-30 is capable of 30 pounds per minute and can be ordered with 10,000 or 15,000 watt heaters. It has a maximum hose length of 310 feet. This is a very solid machine that has pressure imbalance shutdown, a touch screen, can track how much chemicals were used daily, will log any error codes, has barrel levels showing on the touch screen. This is a great machine for companies that have multiple crews because it tracks how much product was used daily. It will require a diesel generator.
Click to download:
Graco Proportioner Literature
Graco E-30 Operating Manual
Graco E-20 Electrical Diagram
Graco Ratio Monitoring
Graco Hoses, Guns, and Accessories Literature
Graco AP Fusion Manual
JHPK
Industry leading technology, offering fewer clogs/less down time. Built for the professional spray foam contractor
The JHPK H-30 is capable of 30 pounds per minute and has 9000- watt heaters. It can support up to 310 feet of heated hose.
The H30 has gauges on the front of the machine that will need to be monitored by a helper. The stroke counter can be used to ensure we stop before we are out of foam.
Click to download:
PK3 Owner's Manual
PK3 Parts Selector
H30 Owner's Manual
H30 Parts Selector
Industry leading technology, offering fewer clogs/less down time. Built for the professional spray foam contractor
The JHPK H-30 is capable of 30 pounds per minute and has 9000- watt heaters. It can support up to 310 feet of heated hose.
The H30 has gauges on the front of the machine that will need to be monitored by a helper. The stroke counter can be used to ensure we stop before we are out of foam.
Click to download:
PK3 Owner's Manual
PK3 Parts Selector
H30 Owner's Manual
H30 Parts Selector
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