Graco Ultra Paint Sprayers: Which Model to Buy

This guide is for homeowners and contractors trying to work out which Graco Ultra sprayer fits their jobs. It covers the Ultra handheld airless sprayers, the Ultra QuickShot II and the Ultra 490 XT, which is the one in this range built for whole rooms and whole houses.

You will find a side-by-side spec table from Graco, setup and cleanup steps, tips and pump parts, and what to do with a sprayer during a Canadian winter. Specs come from Graco's product pages and manuals.

Which Graco Ultra sprayer fits your job?

Start with the size of the work. The handhelds and the QuickShot II are small, light and quick to set up. They suit cabinets, doors, trim, furniture and small rooms. The Ultra 490 XT is a stand-mounted sprayer with a hose and gun. It suits walls, ceilings and repeat work.

Graco lists these pressures and tip limits for each model. Handheld flow rates are not published by Graco, so they are marked as such.

At 31 lb, the 490 XT Stand is light enough to lift into a van or carry up stairs.

Corded, cordless or UltraMAX

The corded Ultra needs an outlet but has no battery to charge. The cordless Ultra and UltraMAX run on 20V DEWALT MAX batteries. Graco says a battery sprays about 1 gallon per charge and takes 35 minutes to charge, so a second battery matters on bigger jobs. Graco lists two batteries with the UltraMAX and the QuickShot II.

The UltraMAX adds ProControl II pressure adjustment and ships with 210 and 514 tips. The Ultra Cordless ships with a RAC X FF LP 514 tip. All three handhelds use 32 oz FlexLiner bags, and the cordless models also take 42 oz bags sold separately.

Setup and first spray

These steps follow Graco's Ultra Cordless owner's manual (3A4476). Read the manual for your own model first, as steps differ.

1. Insert a FlexLiner bag into the cup support, tighten the lid, and fill the cup through the funnel with strainer.
2. Check that the prime knob points down to PRIME, then install the battery or plug in the corded model.
3. Open the VacuValve cap and squeeze the bag until no air bubbles show. Keep squeezing while you pull the trigger for 10 seconds, then close the cap.
4. Set the speed control to its lowest setting and test on scrap cardboard. Raise it gradually until the pattern is even.
5. Hold the sprayer 10 to 12 inches from the surface and keep passes steady.

To relieve pressure, turn the prime knob down to PRIME. Do this before you stop, clear a tip or service anything.

For the Ultra 490 XT, Graco's manual (3A9095) has you use a hose of at least 25 ft and a 12 AWG or heavier extension cord. It also has you fill the throat seal liquid port each day you spray, and flush with water or mineral spirits until the fluid runs clear.

Tips, filters and pump parts

Handhelds only accept tips up to 0.016 in. For smooth finishes, Graco's RAC X FF LP (fine finish low pressure) tips are the match, and the store carries the RAC X FFLP tips. Graco's tip numbering is general: the first digit doubled is the fan width in inches, and the last two digits are the opening in thousandths of an inch.

Graco's handheld manual pairs filters with tip size. Tips of 0.014 in and larger are for paint and use the black pump filter. Tips of 0.012 in and smaller are for stain and use the blue filter. Spare Ultra handheld tip filters come in 3-packs.

If a tip stops spraying well, the airless tips collection has replacements. Graco says tips must be cleaned or stored in cleaning fluid right after use so material does not dry in them.

Triax II replacement pumps

Ultra handhelds use a Triax II triple-piston pump with ProConnect, Graco's on-the-job pump replacement system. Each model takes a different pump:

• 17P185 fits the Ultra Corded 17M359.
• 17P186 fits the Ultra Cordless 17M363.
• 17P187 fits the UltraMAX Cordless 17M367.

Graco's replacement kit manual (3A4788) covers the swap. Check the stock status on the product pages before you plan a repair.

For the Ultra QuickShot II, the store carries QuickShot and QuickShot II mesh filters. For a QuickShot pump, ask our team to confirm the right part for your model.

Cleaning and winter storage

Do not leave water in the sprayer. Graco's handheld manual says water left in will corrode and damage the pump, and that pump damage will occur if fluid freezes in the pump.

Clean the handheld

1. Relieve pressure, then remove the cup assembly and pump filter and wash the parts in warm water.
2. Fill a clean cup half full of cleaning fluid. Circulate it by pulling the trigger with the sprayer upside down for 15 seconds at speed setting 10.
3. Refill and spray cleaning fluid in the UNCLOG position for 15 seconds. Repeat as needed.
4. Clean the tip and guard with a toothbrush.

Store it for winter

1. With the sprayer upside down, pour about 2 oz of Graco Pump Armor into the pump opening.
2. Attach the cup assembly and pull the trigger until fluid leaves the tip, about 1 second.
3. Turn the prime valve to PRIME and back to SPRAY.

Graco gives a storage range of 32 to 113°F (0 to 45°C) and an operating range of 40 to 90°F (4 to 32°C). In a Canadian winter, that means the sprayer should come in from an unheated garage, truck or shed. The operating range matters too: Graco rates the handheld for spraying between 40 and 90°F.

The QuickShot II has Graco's Quick Flush mode, which Graco says cleans 2X faster, and a 32 to 113°F storage range. For the 490 XT, follow the flush and throat seal steps in manual 3A9095.

Common mistakes

• Using a tip that is too big. Handhelds stop at 0.016 in. Thick primers and heavy coatings call for the 490 XT, which takes tips up to 0.025 in.
• Skipping the cardboard test. Set the pressure or speed on scrap first, then raise it until the pattern is even.
• Short hoses on the 490 XT. Graco says not to spray with a hose shorter than 25 ft.
• Leaving paint or water in the pump. Flush right after use and finish with Pump Armor before storing.
• Buying for the wrong size of job. Handhelds are for small projects. Graco recommends about 50 gallons of use a year for the Ultra Corded.

Not sure which model fits? Ask our team and tell us what you paint most.

FAQ