I'm not going to comment on the merits (or not) of PreKote, but there are a couple of things I think need exploring.
In the comments made by the disappointed user, he said two things that caught my eye.
One is that "
He said they have had paint peeling within 4 months of application". That's quite a stretch to assign the cause directly to PreKote itself. There are SO many things that can be done wrong in the application process that I wouldn't take a single anecdotal comment like this and assume that the PreKote was the problem. If it were, then EVERY use of PreKote would be reported as problematic, and that's not the case as far as I know.
Of course, when something goes wrong, it's always handy to blame something else other than our own carelessness for the problem.
If this same painter has problems with PreKote over and over, but others don't, well; like I said...
There may very well be other unintentional problems that are being introduced into their paint system that they haven't figured out yet. (I mention elsewhere how a guy spraying ArmorAll 50 feet or more away from a paint area can literally destroy a paint job. So what other "stuff" might these people have around that might be causing problems?...)
It's also important to know exactly WHERE the peeling is taking place.. does it peel to bare metal?.. between the PreKote and the primer?... between the primer and the paint?... just around corners and sharp edges?.. or on leading edge surfaces?
Once you know the exact layer and location where delamination (that's pro-talk for "peeling"
) is happening, then you are just BEGINNING to investigate the cause of the problem.
Then here's some more questions to ask:
1. Were the color coats "pushed" where one was applied on top of the next before proper flash time? Or did they wait too long between coats of ANY of the sprayed liquids?
Pushing sprayed coats (of primer or paint) can trap solvents, and that is a common cause of paint failure in "production" paint facilities where time IS money.
Waiting too long between coats can prevent proper "involvement" between the coats that you need, but more likely, it CAN allow contaminants to settle into the paint between coats.
2. Were any non-approved thinners used at ANY time in ANY of the sprayed substrates? Some painters think that "thinner is thinner" and dump anything they find on the bench into their paint cup if they need to cut viscosity.
3. Were the correct hardners and reducers used that were recommended by the manufacturer for the temperature that day?
4. In production shops, short shelf-life chemicals get used up pretty fast so this is not usually a problem, BUT, could the hardner used in the paint have been past it's shelf-life?
And that's only the beginning of investigating causes of paint failure. The list can get quite long, and yes, the list will include how the PreKote was used as well.
Also, he says: "
He also said the Prekote application manual requires
special water (distilled or de-ionized or something like
that)for the rinsing process. It sounds like the articles were a bunch of
propaganda. It's use in the AF is being mandated in the tech orders.
The manufacturer is covering two bases here. First, using DI or RO water is a VERY good idea for rinsing because it is "possible" that minerals in local hard water can create big-time problems. This doesn't go for just PreKote, but this also applies to ALL other conversion systems as well. He should have been taking the same precaution (or more appropriately, at least knowing about the possibility of MAYBE needing DI or RO water for rinsing) when he used to use Alodine.
The second base that the manufacturer is covering is that, by making that statement, they are making it clear that they will not be responsible for the improper use of their product, and rinsing their product with water that could CAUSE a problem would be improper use of their product.
For the most part, we won't normally come across problems with hard water, but it CAN happen so if you think you live where the mineral content of your water is high, then you'll want to avoid using it for rinsing.
I just had to say something here because I have years of experience dealing with painters who made blaming anyone else but themselves (for their problems) into a fine art.
Free Hint: When in doubt, read the P-Sheet... and BELIEVE IT!
Vern
RV7-A