My first attempt at using a PaintPod was rather inauspicious... Can you help?

[purpleturtle]

Despite its rather mixed reviews, given the amount of painting we need to do all at once, I thought I'd give a Dulux PaintPod a go. Got a deal combined with an offer, so financially not quite as painful as it could have been.

Have tried to use it this afternoon, and been spectacularly unsuccessful. The paint was sucked all the way up the tube to the roller handle, and then it just sat there. Couldn't get any paint out at all. I think I had followed the instructions properly.

In the end, pressed for time, I gave up on it for today and set it to clean, which it seemed to do as you would expect. The water has got through - why not the paint?

Can anybody point me in the right direction to getting it working properly? Although I can give up and do it by hand the PaintPod paint is a bit thin for conventional use and it'll take ages.

(Disappearing to collect DC, but will be back)

[AuntieMonica]

will ask DH when he comes in from work, he has 'insider knowledge'

[purpleturtle]

Oh brilliant, thank you.

[whydobirdssuddenlyappear]

Perhaps the trigger on the handle isn't working properly.

[purpleturtle]

I wondered about that. Is the mechanism for pumping paint, which is operated by the trigger, separate from the paint squirting mechanism, do you think? And if it is, and it doesn't work, I'm going to have to take it back, aren't I?

I don't have time!

[Mollymax]

I borrowed a friends paint pod, it seemed to take ages to bring the paint up to the roller, then lots of rolling to get the paint started.
Apparantly there is a knack to it, i was very frustrated with it to start with, but i admit it got easier.

[purpleturtle]

So do you just have to listen to that horrible noise for ages? The paint was right up to the handle and then didn't come through any further - does that sound like your experience, Mollymax?

[gregssausageroll]

have you checked you tube for a video?

[purpleturtle]

Hadn't thought of youtube. Thanks for that suggestion.

[whydobirdssuddenlyappear]

If I remember rightly, the horrible noise isn't continuous, as you don't need to have the trigger down all the time. It does take a while to load up too, as Molly said.

[AuntieMonica]

Have spoken to DH, he says have you checked the batteries in the paint gun?

[purpleturtle]

I have checked that there is a battery there(!), as it was brand new out of the box today. Then I assumed that the battery was working, as something does happen when I press the trigger, and I didn't think it would if the battery was dead. Shall I try a new battery, in case the one I've got's been kicking around a while?

[katz]

we have one of these - however nothing useful to add as not used it for ages. Was going to suggest the battery in the brush bit.

I seem to recall it being really straight forward and quick, although i got stuck with the cutting in which still takes as long!

[purpleturtle]

Changed battery in handle. Today's performance worse than Thursday's. Have given up on it, and will be taking unopened PaintPod's back to exchange for normal emulsion that covers walls. In the time it took to run the clean cycle today I'd painted a wall with a normal roller!

[noranamechange]

thats not good - probably worth taking the whole thing back and saying it doesn't work. Ours was hassle free and quick, we loved it.

[southeastastra]

they sound awful , just use a bog stsndard roller, refilling it only takes seconds

[katz]

I asked DH and he doesn't remember it taking ages to get paint into the roller, he loved it but like a said above i got stuck with the cutting in which took the normal length of time.