Pre-Diluted Water-Based Removable Coating – 5 Gallon Pail (Cortec® VpCI®-389 D)

Description

VpCI®-389 D is VpCI-389 supplied pre-diluted to spray viscosity. It leaves the same dry, slightly tacky removable film rated for harsh outdoor exposure, and the 5-gallon pail is the size for a pressure pot or a small dip tank at the end of the line.

VpCI-389 D is for the shop that wants the VpCI-389 film without a mixing step. Cortec supplies the coating already reduced with water to spray viscosity, so it goes from the pail to the pressure pot or dip tank as is. Do not thin it further and do not add water to a tank to stretch it; top up with more VpCI-389 D. The cured film is the same translucent, waxy, slightly tacky VpCI-389 coating with excellent UV resistance, and it comes off the same way with an alkaline cleaner and a pressure washer. In the Cortec Product Consultation Guide VpCI-389 is rated 4 (outside, uncovered storage) on carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, galvanized steel, copper, brass and solder. It is low in VOC and water cleanup, so it can replace a solvent-borne waxy coating without touching the air permit.

Typical applications

• Harsh, outdoor, unsheltered environments
• Multi-metal protection
• Temporary equipment protection
• Unpainted machined surfaces on finished equipment awaiting shipment or installation
• Equipment, castings and fabrications stored in open yards
• Export and transit protection for machinery
• Dip tanks at the end of a fabrication line where nobody wants to measure water
• Preservation of idle or mothballed equipment

How to apply VpCI-389 D

1. Surface preparation. The substrate must be free of grease, oil, dirt, fingerprints, drawing compounds, rust inhibitors and anything else that would affect adhesion. Cortec recommends VpCI-440 or a similar phosphatizing pretreatment on production lines, and a minimum of NACE No. 3 / SSPC-SP6 commercial blast on structural steel. No wash primer is needed on aluminum or galvanized steel for this product.
2. Mixing. Power-agitate the pail or drum to a uniform consistency with a squirrel-cage or drill mixer. Do not add water; VpCI-389 D is supplied at working viscosity.
3. Conditions. Apply between 45 and 90 °F (7 to 32 °C) with the surface at least 5 °F (2 °C) above the dew point.
4. Equipment. Spray, roll, brush or dip. HVLP or conventional spray: 0.009 to 0.021 in tip, 45 to 55 psi air and 10 psi fluid, 3/8 in ID fluid hose no longer than 50 ft, dual-regulated pot at gun height. Airless or air-assisted airless: 0.015 to 0.035 in tip, 1,800 to 2,500 psi, 3/8 in ID hose (a 1/4 in whip is fine) no longer than 100 ft.
5. Film build. Aim for the VpCI-389 target of 1.0 to 2.0 mils (25 to 50 µm) dry. Because the product is pre-reduced, wet film per pass is thinner than with the concentrate; check DFT on the first parts and adjust passes rather than guessing from the concentrate’s wet-film figures.
6. Drying. Water-based and fast: VpCI-389 is dry to touch in 10 to 60 minutes at ambient conditions and fully cured in 3 to 7 days; expect the pre-diluted product to behave the same way. Force-drying at 150 °F (65 °C) for 15 to 20 minutes is acceptable on a line.
7. Cleanup. Clean tools with water while the coating is wet; once dry, remove the film with a VpCI-41x alkaline cleaner.
8. Removal. For a film at the recommended 1.0 to 2.0 mil DFT: spray the surface generously with VpCI-414 at 60 % in water (the coating-removal strength on the VpCI-414 data sheet), let it sit 10 to 15 minutes, then power-wash at 115 to 160 °F (46 to 71 °C) and 50 to 300 psi. Repeat until the coating is gone.
9. Storage. Keep the container sealed, do not let it freeze, and do not store above 100 °F (38 °C).
10. See the Cortec coatings application guides and comparison table for the shared spray, prep and storage instructions across the Cortec coating range.

Where it fits in the Cortec line

VpCI-389 D is the ready-to-spray form of VpCI-389; buy the concentrate when you run enough volume to reduce it yourself and want control over viscosity. VpCI-391 is the water-based sibling that dries fully non-tacky and can be welded through, VpCI-368 is the solvent-based waxy coating and VpCI-369 the oil-based one. EcoSpray VpCI-389 covers touch-up from a 16 oz pump bottle. The remover is VpCI-414, and rusted steel should be treated first with VpCI-422 rust remover or converted with CorrVerter. Browse the full Cortec VpCI line.

Field notes

A St. Paul, Minnesota plastics molder had machine cooling chambers nearly closed off by rust. The chambers were cleared by circulating an 8% descaler for about three hours, corroded parts dipped in VpCI-422 and VpCI-423 for eight hours and rinsed, then sprayed with EcoSpray VpCI-389 for a waxy protective film that also eased reinsertion. (Cortec Case History #050)

A grain and fertilizer terminal operator on the Ohio River found loaders moving deicing salt and fertilizer looked ten years old after one year and were replaced every 2 to 3 years. Once a year each loader is power-washed with an alkaline cleaner to neutralize the salts, dried and oversprayed with VpCI-391 everywhere except the glass. The program has run a decade with no permits needed for the low-VOC coating. (Cortec Case History #735)

A Southeastern U.S. construction-equipment maker had loaders and skid steers sitting outside 6 to 12 months around dealer shipment, and the old oily rust preventive stayed sticky, collected dirt and could wash off. After testing VpCI-391 on fiberglass cabs and paint from about 2017, it goes on unpainted parts, bolt heads, hydraulic boxes, rims and tubing; no appearance complaints, and most dealers leave it on. (Cortec Case History #776)

Specifications

Film	Dry, slightly tacky, removable
Removal	Use a VpCI-41x series alkaline cleaner/degreaser
Salt spray (ASTM B117)	600 hours
Humidity (ASTM D1748)	1,000 hours
VOC (ASTM D3960)	0.1 lbs/gal (12 g/L)
Volume solids	18.5%
Coverage	298 ft²/gal @ 1.0 mil DFT (7.3 m²/L @ 25 µm)
Type	Water-based removable (temporary) coating, pre-diluted VpCI-389
Form	Ready to use; do not dilute further
Recommended DFT	1.0–2.0 mils (25–50 µm)
Recommended WFT	2.7–5.4 mils (67.5–135 µm)
Flash point	180 °F (82 °C)
Dry to touch / dry to handle	10–60 min / 20–60 min
Application	Spray, roll, brush or dip
Surface preparation	Clean and contaminant-free; NACE No. 3 / SSPC-SP6 on structural steel
Application temperature	45–90 °F (7–32 °C), surface 5 °F above dew point
Cleanup	Water while wet; remove the dry film with a VpCI-41x alkaline cleaner
UV	Excellent UV resistance
Metals	Carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, brass, solder
Consultation guide rating	4 – outside, uncovered storage (VpCI-389)
Removal procedure	VpCI-414 at 60% for coating removal, let stand 10–15 min, then power wash at 50–300 psi and 115–160 °F (46–71 °C)
Shelf life	2 years
Storage	Original packaging, indoors, out of direct sunlight, 40–100 °F (4–38 °C)
Size	5 Gallon Pail
Shipping weight	45 lb (20.4 kg)
Availability	In stock
Cortec product number	12300529

Solvent Recycling Systems is an authorized Cortec® distributor. See the full Cortec VpCI line, browse the VpCI product selection guide, or contact us for volume pricing and lead times.