Automotive Paint Booths

Cross draft and front air flow (3 models)

Air enters through filters in the front doors and travels the length of the cabin to a rear exhaust plenum. Simplest installation: no ceiling plenum to feed, no pit. The iDEAL PSB-AFCF23B moves 9,500 CFM at 0.5 in. static pressure on a single 24 in. tube-axial fan. The RGI ECO 24 uses a 30 in. fan with a 3 hp motor, drawing through 20 intake pads of 20 in. x 20 in. x 2 in. in the filtered drive-in doors and exhausting through 16 filters at the back wall. The ECO 24 XL keeps the same front-to-rear airflow in the extra tall body, but on different equipment: a 34 in. fan, a 7.5 hp motor, and 20 exhaust filters against the ECO 24's 16. The trade-off: overspray passes the operator and the vehicle before reaching the filters.

Semi down draft (7 models)

Air enters a filtered ceiling plenum, drops over the vehicle, and is drawn to a rear-wall plenum: downward flow without cutting a pit. The iDEAL PSB-SEMIDD26B is rated 12,200 CFM at 0.5 in. static pressure on a 30 in. fan. RGI covers this with the VECTOR 24 and VECTOR 24 PRO (rear-center plenum), the VECTOR T 24 and VECTOR T 24 PRO (corner tower plenum), and the extra tall VECTOR 24 XL and VECTOR T 24 XL.

Check the VECTOR and VECTOR T difference before you measure your bay. The VECTOR exhausts through the center of the back wall, which consumes interior length: the 24 ft. VECTOR gives 22 ft. 6 in. of work length inside a 24 ft. 4 in. shell. The VECTOR T moves that plenum into a corner tower and keeps the full 24 ft. in the same shell. For long-wheelbase trucks, that 18 in. is the spec to read, not the model name.

Side down draft (4 models)

Air comes down from a full-length filtered ceiling plenum and exits at floor level through filtered plenums on both side walls. RGI states on the DELTA pages that this is the solution for shops that cannot install a pit. You keep vertical flow with no excavation, at the cost of width: the DELTA 24, DELTA 24 PRO, and DELTA 24 XL are 16 ft. 4 in. wide outside against 14 ft. 4 in. for the ECO and VECTOR shells. The iDEAL PSB-SDD26B is the side down draft in that line, rated 14,000 CFM at 0.5 in. static pressure on two 24 in. fans, and carries the widest published outside width in this category, 17 ft. 8 in.

Full down draft (3 models)

Air enters the filtered ceiling plenum, flows vertically over the vehicle, and exits into a filtered exhaust pit in the floor. RGI states on the STEALTH pages that this is generally accepted as the best airflow style for controlling overspray and contamination. It is also the most demanding installation, since the exhaust path runs below the vehicle. The STEALTH 24, STEALTH 24 PRO, and STEALTH 24 XL ship with 2 exhaust filters and grids, extra filter rolls optional, and each page lists a Filtered Floor Plenum for Stealth Booth among the options. The pages do not say whether that plenum replaces the pit, so ask before you plan the floor. If excavation is off the table, RGI's own answer is the side down draft DELTA line, whose pages state that side downdraft booths are an economical solution for shops that are not able to install a pit.

Single wall, double wall PRO, and extra tall XL

The RGI booths come in three body types on one panel system: 18 gauge zinc galvanized steel, companion flanged, pre-punched at 6 in. on center, assembled with 1/4 in. nuts and bolts, no welding involved.

• Single wall (ECO 24, VECTOR 24, VECTOR T 24, DELTA 24, STEALTH 24 and the XL versions): one skin of 18 gauge panel with a gabled roof.
• Double wall PRO (VECTOR 24 PRO, VECTOR T 24 PRO, DELTA 24 PRO, STEALTH 24 PRO): same panel gauge, double wall. The DELTA PRO and VECTOR T PRO pages specify soundproof, fire-resistant stone wool insulation to cut noise and ambient heat outside the cabin while holding heated air inside. The VECTOR PRO page says the double wall is insulated without naming the material, and the STEALTH PRO page does not mention insulation at all. If you are buying the PRO for heat retention or for a booth that sits beside occupied work areas, ask for the insulation spec in writing on the model you are quoting.
• Extra tall XL (ECO 24 XL, VECTOR 24 XL, VECTOR T 24 XL, DELTA 24 XL, STEALTH 24 XL): interior height goes from 9 ft. to 12 ft., outside height from 11 ft. 6 in. to 14 ft. 6 in., and the drive-in opening from 9 ft. x 9 ft. to 9 ft. x 12 ft. This is the group for box trucks, ambulances, van conversions, and lifted vehicles.

Every RGI booth page here lists 24 ft., 27 ft., and 30 ft. shell lengths for the same model, so the length in the SKU is a starting point; the ECO XL, VECTOR T XL, and STEALTH XL pages add that increments of 5 ft. are available.

Fans, motors, and power

All exhaust fans here are tube-axial. The RGI booths specify aluminum spark-proof blades on a belt drive; the iDEAL booths specify UL listed Dayton fans with spark resistant blades and do not state the blade material or the drive type. Diameters run 24 in. to 34 in., and RGI motors from 3 hp to 10 hp, all three-phase as standard: 208-230/460 V, 60 Hz on RGI, NEMA rated 230/460 VAC, 60 Hz on iDEAL.

• The largest motor here is the 10 hp on the STEALTH 24 PRO, but horsepower does not follow the model name anywhere in this catalog, and the double wall PRO is not always the stronger fan. The single wall STEALTH 24 lists 5 hp and the STEALTH 24 XL 7.5 hp. The single wall DELTA 24 lists two 24 in. fans on two 3 hp motors while the DELTA 24 PRO lists one 30 in. fan on one 3 hp motor. The single wall VECTOR T 24 lists a 34 in. fan on 5 hp while the VECTOR T 24 PRO lists a 30 in. fan on 3 hp. Buy the PRO for the double wall, not for the fan, and confirm fan and motor per version.
• Only the iDEAL booths publish an airflow rating, 9,500 to 14,000 CFM at 0.5 in. static pressure. The RGI pages give fan diameter and horsepower but no CFM, so request that figure for the specific RGI model and length if a permit application needs it.
• RGI lighting is 4 ft., 4 tube LED T8 fixtures at 120 V, with the ECO 24 the only page stating a quantity, 10 fixtures; twelve more pages, the ECO 24 XL included, give the fixture type but no count, and the DELTA 24 XL page publishes no lighting detail at all. iDEAL uses T-8 fluorescent instead: 10 four-lamp fixtures with 40 GE 32 W, 5000 K lamps on the PSB-SDD26B and PSB-SEMIDD26B, 6 fixtures with 24 lamps on the PSB-AFCF23B, LED upgrade kit optional on all three.

Model comparison

RGI dimensions below are for the 24 ft. shell, since 27 ft. and 30 ft. versions are also offered.

Three points to settle before ordering. On the iDEAL PSB-SDD26B the feature list states 3 hp motors as standard while the specification table for the same booth states 2 HP-3PH-230/460VAC-60HZ; the specification table is the more reliable of the two, but confirm it on the quote. Several RGI marketing paragraphs cite series numbers (ECO 50, VECTOR 150, DELTA 250, STEALTH 350) and percentage gains between them that do not match the horsepower in the specification blocks of the SKUs sold here, so buy against the specification block and the model name. And the DELTA 24 XL is the one model publishing dimensions but no fan or motor detail; request those figures specifically.

What your building needs

• Floor area. Outside length runs from 24 ft. 4 in. on the 24 ft. shells to 30 ft. 4 in. on the RGI 30 ft. shells, with the iDEAL PSB-SEMIDD26B at 29 ft. 4 in. Outside width runs from 13 ft. 4 in. on the PSB-AFCF23B to 17 ft. 8 in. on the PSB-SDD26B. Add clearance for doors, ducting, and service access.
• Ceiling height. Standard RGI booths are 11 ft. 6 in. outside and XL booths 14 ft. 6 in.; the iDEAL booths are lower, 8 ft. 10 in. to 9 ft. 7 in. Those are booth heights only, with the exhaust stack on top.
• Floor. Only the STEALTH full down draft booths reference a filtered exhaust pit. Side down draft and semi down draft are the alternatives when a pit is not possible.
• Heat. Optional on most, but not all, of these booths. The RGI VECTOR, VECTOR T, DELTA and STEALTH pages list Heating for your Spray Booth as an option, and most of them link RGI's CureZone air make-up brochure. No options list in this category quotes a BTU rating for that heater, so get the rating in writing. On the iDEAL side, the semi down draft page states that the plenum kit (PSB-SEMIDD26A-PLENUM KIT ASY) is required before a direct gas fired air make-up unit can be installed, and that the Rammstein Air RS-1001 can be used to heat the iDEAL Semi Down and Side Down booths; the heater is not included with the plenum. The RGI ECO, the RGI ECO XL and the iDEAL PSB-AFCF23B cross flow pages list no heating option at all, so if you need a heated booth, do not start from those three.
• Compressed air. None of these 18 listings publish a compressed air requirement for the booth itself. Size your supply from your spray equipment, and request the figure per model if an inspector needs it documented.

Codes and listings

Thirteen of the fourteen RGI booth pages direct buyers to NFPA 33 and Chapter 24 of the International Fire Code for spray applications using flammable and combustible materials, and to NFPA 86 and Chapter 30 of the IFC for curing and drying; the STEALTH 24 PRO page publishes no code compliance block, so request it in writing on that model. On thirteen of the fourteen RGI booth pages, RGI states that many of its components and product lines are ETL and ETL-C listed as evidence of compliance with North American safety standards including UL, NFPA, and OSHA, and recommends consulting local authorities before purchase, since local requirements can differ from national codes; that statement does not appear on the STEALTH 24 PRO page. The iDEAL PSB-SDD26B states that it meets NFPA 33; the PSB-AFCF23B and PSB-SEMIDD26B state that they meet and/or exceed all applicable OSHA and NFPA 33 regulations. All three iDEAL booths use UL listed Dayton fans with spark resistant blades and include a manometer and solenoid valve. Thirteen of the fourteen RGI booth pages include a Mark Dwyer manometer kit, described on those pages as defining air flow pressure, and thirteen list a fire suppression system as an option. The two exceptions are different booths: the DELTA 24 XL page publishes no equipment detail, and the ECO 24 XL page lists only an optional ducting kit and no fire suppression system, so confirm both points on those two.

Booth accessory in this category

The RGI Air Force Express Blower (1 Unit) is the one non-booth item: a mobile tower on wheels with a handle, built from 18 gauge powder coated steel panels punched at 6 in. on center, carrying 6 adjustable stainless steel nozzles of 2 in. diameter rated at 2,900 CFM each. Its stated purpose is to flash waterborne basecoat faster by disrupting laminar airflow and creating turbulence in the booth. It includes an extra long power cord and a noise suppression top cover, and is sold per unit.

Frequently asked questions

Which airflow type should I buy?

Work backwards from the building. If you can cut a pit, full down draft (STEALTH) gives vertical flow with floor-level exhaust. If you cannot, side down draft (DELTA, iDEAL PSB-SDD26B) keeps downward flow and exhausts through both side walls instead. It does not cost you width against the STEALTH: RGI publishes 16 ft. 4 in. outside for the DELTA and the STEALTH alike, and the STEALTH pages add the note that the exhaust vent location makes the booth wider. The 14 ft. 4 in. shells are the ECO, VECTOR and VECTOR T. Semi down draft (VECTOR, VECTOR T, iDEAL PSB-SEMIDD26B) sits in the middle. Cross draft (ECO, iDEAL PSB-AFCF23B) is the least demanding on the building.

How big a booth do I need for a full-size pickup or a box truck?

Every booth here has a 13 ft. or 14 ft. interior width, so length and height decide. The standard RGI booths give 9 ft. of interior height with a 9 ft. x 9 ft. drive-in opening, which suits cars, pickups, and SUVs; the iDEAL booths run 8 ft. 6 in. of interior height on the cross flow and 9 ft. 3 in. on the semi and side down draft, and do not publish a drive-in opening, so ask for it before you measure for a tall vehicle. For box trucks, ambulances, and van conversions, the RGI XL models raise interior height to 12 ft. and the opening to 9 ft. x 12 ft., published on the ECO XL, VECTOR XL, VECTOR T XL and STEALTH XL pages; the DELTA 24 XL page does not publish an opening. On length, remember that rear-plenum models such as the ECO 24 and VECTOR 24 give 22 ft. 6 in. of usable length inside a 24 ft. shell.

Can I run one of these on single-phase power?

All booths here ship with three-phase motors as standard. Thirteen of the fourteen RGI booth pages list a 1 Phase Upgrade, and all three iDEAL pages list a 1 Phase Electrical Configuration. The exception is the ECO 24 XL page, whose only published option is a ducting kit; the ECO 24 page does state that its optional items "can be added to all spray booths on the ECO line", so confirm single-phase availability for the XL in writing before the quote is final. Either way the configuration has to be specified when the booth is ordered.

Is the exhaust ducting included?

No. Ducting is an optional kit, and the diameter depends on the model: 30 in. on the ECO 24, VECTOR, VECTOR PRO, VECTOR T, VECTOR T PRO, VECTOR XL and VECTOR T XL pages, and 2 x 24 in. on the DELTA 24, DELTA PRO, DELTA XL, STEALTH, STEALTH PRO and STEALTH XL pages. The ECO 24 XL page lists a ducting kit without a diameter and runs a 34 in. fan, so get that size in writing. Note that RGI lists the same 2 x 24 in. kit on the DELTA PRO and on all three STEALTH booths even though those run a single 30 in. or 34 in. fan; only the DELTA 24 has two 24 in. fans, and the DELTA XL page publishes no fan at all. Confirm the duct diameter against the fan on your quote. On iDEAL: 25 in. for the PSB-SDD26B (2 required) and the PSB-AFCF23B, 31 in. for the PSB-SEMIDD26B. On the thirteen pages that detail it, the RGI kit is 2 plain ducts, 1 service door duct, 1 roof flashing, and 1 damper cap; the ECO 24 XL page publishes no contents for its kit. Controls with magnetic starter and door interlock switches, fire suppression, and powder coating inside and out are listed as separate options on thirteen of the fourteen RGI booth pages; the ECO 24 XL page lists a ducting kit and nothing else. Drive-through doors are offered as a priced option on the DELTA, STEALTH and VECTOR T pages; the ECO 24 page mentions drive-through as an available cross draft configuration but does not price it as an option, and the ECO XL, VECTOR and VECTOR XL pages do not list it at all, so confirm that one by model if you need to drive straight through.

How hard is assembly?

These booths ship as panel kits. RGI panels are pre-punched at 6 in. on center and assembled with 1/4 in. nuts and bolts, with the hardware set, door foam seal, latches, handles, and bottom seal included. iDEAL uses precision punched panels with 5/16 in. bolt and nut assembly and includes hardware, sealant, and a control panel. No welding is required on either brand, but ducting, electrical connection, and any pit or heater work are site trades to budget separately.