“kV” is the symbol for kilovolt. One kilovolt = 1000 volts. It is a unit of measure indicating how much electrical charge an electrostatic powder gun can produce. The kV value adjustment changes the charging for powder particles as they pass through the electrostatic spray gun. The higher the setting, the stronger the charge.
High kv settings are best for panels and flat shape metal pieces. A high kV setting can increase your transfer efficiency which means more powders are attached to the part, and also allow you to increase the distance between the gun and the part or use an extension tube. This can help you get very uniform coverage on flat surfaces. In some cases, excessively high kV settings can cause "orangle peel" or“back-ionization.”
Lower kV settings are suitable for Faraday cage areas, which means the more detailed and complex the part, the lower the kV setting, parts such as profiles, heat sinks, rims which have deep corners. What's more when working with some special material like metallic powders, it is also requires lower kv setting.
Professional powder coating guns from COLO typically have a maximum voltage setting of 100 kV. A good starting point is a setting of 80 to 100 kV for applying the first coat to large panel parts.
When handling with Faraday cage areas, turn down the voltage to 40-60kv
When applying a second coat or multiple coat, a lower kV setting 20-30kv can give the optimal results.
