Industrial Paint Booths

The five airflow layouts

Crossdraft: RGI ECO CARGO

The ECO CARGO draws clean air through filters built into the front drive-in doors, moves it lengthwise down the cabin, and exhausts through a filtered plenum in the back wall. It is the only model where the doors are the intake: filter drive-in doors with a 12 ft x 14 ft opening, roll-down available. RGI offers its crossdraft booths in solid back, drive-through, and reverse flow designs, pressurized or non-pressurized. Crossdraft carries overspray horizontally past the vehicle rather than down away from it, the trade for the simplest structure and the lowest listed price here.

Semi-downdraft, rear-center exhaust: RGI VECTOR CARGO

The VECTOR CARGO takes fresh air through a filtered ceiling plenum and pulls it down and back into a centered exhaust plenum in the rear wall, so overspray leaves the paint zone on a diagonal instead of straight across it. Doors are double-wall tri-fold with observation windows, 12 ft x 14 ft, in the same 16 ft 4 in. outside width as the ECO. One note: the summary line on this listing puts the intake filter bank on the rear-center exhaust plenum, while the General Specifications section has air entering at the ceiling and leaving at the rear wall. The specification section is the reliable one.

Semi-downdraft, corner tower exhaust: RGI VECTOR T CARGO

The VECTOR T CARGO is the tower version of the same idea: ceiling intake, then down into a corner tower exhaust plenum at the back wall rather than a centered one. At equal length the listed fan, motor, and light count match the VECTOR CARGO, and so does the 16 ft 4 in. outside width, so the tower is a decision about where the exhaust lands in your building. Note that the VECTOR T is priced on its own per-length scale, from 49,500 USD at 30 ft to 77,000 USD at 55 ft, while the VECTOR publishes one price for the model. Roll-down and drive-through doors are listed.

Side downdraft, no pit: RGI DELTA CARGO

The DELTA CARGO uses a full-length filtered ceiling and exhausts at floor level through plenums on both sides. RGI describes this as the layout for shops not able to install a pit: vertical airflow without cutting concrete, at the cost of a wider footprint, 20 ft 4 in. outside instead of 16 ft 4 in., because the side plenums sit outside the working width. Fan layout on this model changes more than on any other with length: two 30 in. fans up to 40 ft, four 24 in. fans from 45 ft up.

Full downdraft with floor pit: RGI STEALTH CARGO

The STEALTH CARGO is the full downdraft. Air enters through a full-length filtered ceiling plenum, flows vertically over the vehicle, and exits into a filtered exhaust pit in the floor. RGI describes downdraft as the airflow style generally accepted for the best control of overspray and contamination, and the geometry is why: nothing off the gun crosses the panel you just sprayed to reach an exhaust. The cost is civil work for the pit. Read its detailed specification sheet as the 40 ft build: the block is titled model RGI-TDD400SW, and the shorter Stealth lengths use one fan rather than two.

Size, footprint, and building requirements

Working width and height are identical on all five at 16 ft by 16 ft, and outside height is 17 ft 6 in. on the 40, 45, and 50 ft models of every one of them. That height decides whether the booth fits your building at all, and you still need clearance above it for the roof duct and damper cap.

• Outside width: 16 ft 4 in. on the ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T. 20 ft 4 in. on the DELTA, which carries filtered exhaust plenums on both sides at floor level, and 20 ft 4 in. on the STEALTH, whose listing notes that the exhaust vent location makes the booth wider.
• Usable interior length: published interior lengths run 38 ft 6 in. to 48 ft 6 in. on the ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T, and 40 ft 6 in. to 50 ft 6 in. on the DELTA and STEALTH, for the 40, 45, and 50 ft models. All five are also ordered at 30, 35, and 55 ft; interior dimensions for those three are not published on the listings, so request the drawing.
• Check both length figures before you pour: on the DELTA and STEALTH listings the published inside working length (40 ft 6 in., 45 ft 6 in., 50 ft 6 in.) is longer than the published outside length (40 ft 4 in., 45 ft 4 in., 50 ft 4 in.). Confirm both figures on the stamped drawing for your model before pouring or laying out the bay.
• Drive-in door opening: 12 ft x 14 ft on the ECO, VECTOR, VECTOR T, and DELTA. The STEALTH spec sheet lists a 9 ft x 9 ft tri-fold opening, smaller than the other four despite the same 16 ft interior height, so confirm it on a Stealth quote before ordering.
• Personnel door: a 3 ft x 7 ft side access man door with observation windows on all five.
• Floor: only the STEALTH exhausts into a pit in the floor. The DELTA exhausts at floor level through side plenums and the ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T exhaust at the rear wall, so none of those four is listed as requiring a pit. Floor and foundation specifications are not published on these listings; request the engineering sheet for your model and length.

Length is not limited to the three sizes with published dimensions. All five booths are ordered from a 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or 55 ft menu on the product page. The VECTOR, VECTOR T, and DELTA listings also state increments every 5 ft are available, and the ECO listing states special sizing is available. The DELTA page links a drawing for a 65 ft by 18 ft by 16 ft booth with heater and mixing room, so builds longer than 55 ft are quoted rather than ruled out.

Electrical, ducting, and lighting

Exhaust motors on all five are 208-230/460V, three phase, 60 Hz, belt drive, turning tube-axial fans with aluminum spark-proof blades. Fan count, fan diameter, and motor horsepower all step up with booth length, so read the row for the length you are buying, not the model. The ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T run a 34 in. fan on a 5 hp motor from 30 to 40 ft, a 42 in. fan on 7.5 hp at 45 and 50 ft, and a 42 in. fan on 10 hp at 55 ft. The DELTA runs two 30 in. fans from 30 to 40 ft and four 24 in. fans from 45 to 55 ft. The STEALTH runs one 34 in. fan on 5 hp at 30 and 35 ft, two 34 in. fans on 2 x 3 hp at 40 and 45 ft, and two 34 in. fans on 2 x 5 hp at 50 and 55 ft. The table below gives every step. A single-phase upgrade is listed on the VECTOR, VECTOR T, DELTA, and STEALTH, but not on the ECO CARGO option list, so ask before assuming a single-phase shop can run any model.

Fan and motor by booth length

Ducting is an option on every model, sized per model: 34 in. for the ECO, 30 in. for the VECTOR and VECTOR T, a two-piece 24 in. kit for the DELTA and STEALTH. Each kit: two plain duct sections, a service door duct, roof flashing, and a damper cap.

Lighting is 120V LED using 4-tube T8 fixtures, 8 ft on the ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T, 4 ft on the DELTA and STEALTH. Every model includes a Mark Dwyer manometer kit for reading airflow pressure, which tells you when filters are loaded. CFM ratings, compressed air requirements, and floor or foundation specifications are not published on these five listings; request the engineering sheet for your model and length if a permit or an insurer needs them.

Filters: the recurring cost

Filter counts follow the intake design. The ECO carries 24 exhaust filters with 24 grids plus 24 intake pads at 20 in. x 20 in. x 2 in., the high intake count a consequence of the filters living in the doors. The VECTOR and VECTOR T each carry 24 exhaust filters with 24 grids plus 6 intake filter pads at 20 in. x 20 in. x 2 in. The DELTA carries 30 exhaust filters with 30 grids plus 12 pads at 37 in. x 117 in. x 2 in. The STEALTH carries 2 exhaust filters with 2 grids, extra rolls optional, plus the same 12 large pads. Diffusion media is 1 in. thick and scrim backed on all five, and only the DELTA and STEALTH listings specify ceiling diffusion media. The listings do not state the filtered ceiling area, so ask for the ceiling plenum drawing before comparing intake coverage across layouts.

Construction and code compliance

All five share the same shell: 18 gauge prime quality zinc galvanized air-tight steel panels, companion flanged and pre-punched at 6 in. on center for assembly with 1/4 in. nuts and bolts, single wall, gabled roof. RGI states the weld-free design avoids the weak points and corrosion welds introduce, with heavy-duty latches, brass bushings, hollow rubber seals, and adjustable hinges standard.

Code language is identical on all five listings. NFPA 33 and Chapter 24 of the International Fire Code cover spray applications using flammable and combustible materials. NFPA 86 and Chapter 30 of the IFC cover curing and drying, which is what you are doing the moment you add heat. Many RGI components and product lines are ETL and ETL-C listed, which RGI describes as proof of compliance with North American safety standards including UL, NFPA, and OSHA. RGI adds that local requirements can vary from national codes and recommends consulting local authorities before purchasing.

Model comparison

On the ECO, VECTOR, DELTA, and STEALTH listings one price is published for the model; the length you choose is quoted. The VECTOR T is the exception and carries a published price per length: 49,500 USD at 30 ft, 55,000 USD at 35 ft, 60,500 USD at 40 ft, 66,000 USD at 45 ft, 71,500 USD at 50 ft, and 77,000 USD at 55 ft. Published prices are the base configuration. Ducting, powder coat, controls, heat, fire suppression, and freight are quoted on top. Length is priced on the listing only for the VECTOR T (49,500 USD at 30 ft up to 77,000 USD at 55 ft); the other four publish a single price for every length, so confirm the price for the length you need before ordering. All five are plus-shipping items: freight is confirmed with you after the order.

Included versus optional

Each booth ships with the panel shell, drive-in and man doors, LED fixtures, exhaust fans with motors, manometer kit, the listed filters, and the hardware set. These are options, quoted separately:

• Powder coat in ultra white inside and out, covering wall panels, door frames, floor channels, and ceiling panels. All five.
• Control package: magnetic starter with on, off, and reset, plus an interlock valve with door limit switches governing the spray cycle. All five.
• Ducting kit, sized per model. All five.
• AMU heater. All five: it is offered as Optional AMU Heater in the order form of every model, including the ECO CARGO. The VECTOR, VECTOR T, DELTA, and STEALTH listings also link the RGI CureZone air makeup unit brochure.
• Single-phase upgrade and fire suppression system. Listed on the VECTOR, VECTOR T, DELTA, and STEALTH; neither appears on the ECO CARGO option list.
• Drive-through doors. Listed as an option on the VECTOR T, DELTA, and STEALTH. The ECO description notes RGI builds its crossdraft booths in drive-through versions, but drive-through is not on the ECO CARGO option list or order form, so ask before assuming it.
• Filtered floor plenum for the STEALTH, sold under paint booth accessories.
• Freight. Required on all five, confirmed with you after the order.

Frequently asked questions

Which airflow layout should I choose?

Work backwards from your building. No pit and no width to spare: the crossdraft ECO CARGO or the rear-exhaust VECTOR CARGO, both in a 16 ft 4 in. envelope. No pit but width available: the DELTA CARGO, vertical airflow through floor-level side plenums at 20 ft 4 in. A pit you can build, and high-value work: the STEALTH CARGO full downdraft.

What is the largest vehicle these will take?

The working envelope is 16 ft wide by 16 ft high on all five. Published interior length reaches 48 ft 6 in. on the 50 ft ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T and 50 ft 6 in. on the 50 ft DELTA and STEALTH; all five are also built at 55 ft, but interior dimensions for that length are not published, so request the drawing. Measure the drive-in opening too: 12 ft x 14 ft on four models, listed at 9 ft x 9 ft on the STEALTH.

Do I need three-phase power?

Standard motors on all five are 208-230/460V three phase, 60 Hz. A single-phase upgrade is listed on four of the five models, the exception being the ECO CARGO. Lighting is 120V. Size the disconnect and starter from the horsepower for your length, not from the model: on the ECO, VECTOR, and VECTOR T that is 5 hp up to 40 ft, 7.5 hp at 45 and 50 ft, and 10 hp at 55 ft.

Is heat included?

No. An AMU heater is quoted separately on all five booths; it is offered as Optional AMU Heater in the order form of every model, including the ECO CARGO. Adding heat also moves the booth into curing and drying, which these listings tie to NFPA 86 and Chapter 30 of the IFC, so settle that with your local authority at the same time.

Can I get a size other than 40, 45, or 50 ft?

Yes, and you do not have to ask for the two ends. All five booths are ordered from a 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or 55 ft menu on the product page; the listings publish full dimensions only for the 40, 45, and 50 ft models. The VECTOR, VECTOR T, and DELTA listings also state increments every 5 ft are available and the ECO listing states special sizing is available. The DELTA page links a drawing for a 65 ft by 18 ft by 16 ft booth with heater and mixing room, so builds longer than 55 ft are quoted rather than ruled out.