515 vs. 517 Airless Spray Tip: What Changes and How to Choose

At a glance, 517 looks like a step wider than 515. In the common code, it is not. Both start with a 5, so the nominal fan is 10 inches at a 12-inch standoff. It is the ending that changes the opening: .015 versus .017 inch. Keep that in mind if you expected a 517 to cover more width.

For a real job, the coating sheet is the first stop. It may allow both openings or call for one. If it sets a maximum of .015 inch, do not choose 517. If .017 inch is allowed but your sprayer's maximum rating is 515, the pump sets the boundary. A bigger opening gives capacity; it does not make the tip right by default.

One thing to check before ordering: 515 is not a full model number. It does not tell you which guard, seal or tip family you need. A Graco RAC X, a Wagner HEA and a generic reversible tip may use different fittings.

Read the code when you need to change one thing

Graco puts it simply: the first number, multiplied by 2, gives the nominal fan width. The last two digits are thousandths of an inch. Read 515 as 10-inch/.015; read 517 as 10-inch/.017. The code describes size, not pressure or guaranteed performance after wear.

If the fan width already suits the work and you need to change the opening, compare 515 with 517. If you want a narrower fan but the same .017 opening, compare 317 with 517 instead. The second pair changes the first digit, not the orifice.

Distance, wear and setup alter the real pattern. Use the stamp to narrow the choice, then check it on a test surface.

What the larger opening changes

A .017-inch orifice is larger than a .015-inch orifice, so a 517 can deliver more fluid than a 515 in the same tip family under comparable conditions. That may suit a coating whose data sheet calls for .017 inch, if the sprayer supports it. At the same travel speed and overlap, it can lay down a heavier film or cause runs rather than improve productivity.

The larger hole is not a direct promise of a particular flow rate or pressure. Tip design, pressure, fluid properties and equipment all matter. Do not transfer a flow or pressure value from one brand's 517 to another brand's product solely because the stamped digits match. Graco and Wagner both explain the code in terms of fan and orifice, yet their 515 products are separately specified for different spray systems and tip families.

A 515 is not a finish grade either. Standard, low-pressure and fine-finish families can share the size code while using different designs; the family name matters too.

Start with the coating maker's published tip range

Look at the product data sheet for the exact paint, primer or coating before choosing between the two. It may specify a tip orifice range, a spray method, pressure conditions or equipment limitations. When the sheet calls for .015–.017 inch, both codes may fall inside the stated orifice range, but that still does not decide the tip series or the sprayer compatibility. When the sheet calls for a maximum of .015 inch, a 517 is outside that stated opening range even though its fan width is the same.

Graco's general chart gives .015–.019 inch as a suggested range for latex paint and .013–.015 inch for oil-based paint; its chart also lists different ranges for stains, heavy latex and block filler. Treat that as Graco guidance for initial screening, not a universal prescription for every coating sold under those names. A manufacturer's current data sheet for the specific product takes priority. "Latex" or "primer" alone may not tell you enough: solids, viscosity, texture and the sprayer's allowed application all matter.

If the data sheet is unavailable, ask the coating maker for the recommended orifice and spray method. Do not thin the material or force it through an undersized tip unless the manufacturer permits that setup.

Check the sprayer's maximum tip rating

The pump must support the tip you plan to use. Graco tells buyers to check the sprayer's tip rating and says a sprayer supports smaller tips up to its maximum rating. Read that number from the exact machine manual or product page. If the machine's maximum tip ends at 515, do not assume it can run a 517 because both begin with a 5. A larger orifice asks for more output, and the pump may fail to maintain the pattern at the required rate.

For multiple guns, check whether the rating applies to one gun or the combined tips. Graco warns that this changes the capacity calculation; the equipment manual sets the limit.

If the pump struggles, the pattern collapses or the coating pulses, increasing pressure is not the only possible response. Graco lists an oversized tip, low pressure, and a worn or malfunctioning pump among possible causes of a heavy or rounded spray pattern. Diagnose the actual cause before buying a larger tip or turning the pressure control higher.

Choose fan width for the surface, not the 515/517 comparison

Because the first digit is 5 on both tips, neither one gives a narrower nominal fan than the other. If the work area is too wide or too narrow, compare a different first digit in the same compatible series. Graco's code guide uses a 317 and a 517 to show how the same .017 opening can be paired with a narrower or wider fan. That is a more direct way to change fan width than swapping 515 for 517.

A 10-inch pattern can suit broad flat surfaces but may be awkward on trim, frames or edges where overspray control matters. A narrower fan can give more control; a larger fan can reduce passes on broad areas. Follow the coating instructions for film thickness and overlap rather than choosing by room size alone.

Test on cardboard or a panel using the sprayer's specified distance and technique. Check for an even fan and coating build; if edges are heavy or the film sags, adjust by the equipment and coating instructions.

Same digits do not guarantee the tip will fit your gun

Before ordering, identify the tip family and guard interface. Graco's RAC X LTX515 product page specifies use with a RAC X HandTite tip guard. Graco also lists a separate Contractor Flat Tip 515, part 269515, for a Silver Plus airless gun. The shared 515 code does not make those two products the same shape or interchangeable with every spray gun.

Wagner likewise describes its HEA 515 as designed for Wagner Control Pro and Titan ControlMax sprayers. That is a product-family statement, not proof that every 515 from another maker fits those machines. If you have an Avanti, Titan, Wagner or third-party gun, look up the exact gun and guard manual and match the replacement tip family. A listing that says "fits all brands" is a seller claim until the manufacturer or actual part documentation confirms it.

Send the supplier the full gun model and photos of the tip and guard. Ask for the tip family, exact guard fit, and whether the seal or guard is included. Do not order by colour alone; coding varies by series.

If the 515 pattern looks wrong, inspect before changing size

A 515 should not produce a thin, concentrated stream when it is clean and operating in the intended setup. First confirm that the tip is oriented in the spray position rather than the reverse position used by a reversible model to clear a clog. If the pattern has tails, a narrow fan or uneven edges, use the troubleshooting steps for the specific sprayer and coating. Pressure, partial blockage, the gun filter, pump condition, coating temperature and viscosity, and distance can all affect the result; the tip code is only one part of the system.

For cleaning, changing or servicing a tip, follow the equipment maker's pressure-relief procedure. Airless systems operate at high pressure and can inject fluid under the skin. Graco manuals explicitly call for pressure relief when installing, changing or cleaning tips. Never put a hand or finger in front of a suspected blockage, and do not loosen a pressurised guard to test it.

When a tip is worn out

A worn tip can make a good size choice behave like the wrong one. As the orifice wears, the opening grows and the fan width narrows; the sprayer may use more coating while laying it over a smaller area. Graco advises replacing a tip when the fan width is about 25% less than it was when new. That is a manufacturer rule of thumb, not a life estimate in hours or gallons: abrasive coatings and work conditions change wear rate.

Keep a new-tip test pattern or the manufacturer's reference available so the crew can compare the fan over time. If the fan is smaller or heavier down the centre, replace the tip with the same code and series before deciding that the job needs a 517. Changing to a larger orifice to compensate for wear can conceal the maintenance issue and produce a heavier coating.

Clean and store the tip as its maker directs. Do not use a hard pick or drill that could alter the orifice. Reversing is only for reversible models and does not replace pressure relief.

Equipvia may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through this link. The link resolved to Product ID 1600382256184 during review. CPS resolution does not verify the seller's technical claims, the tip's dimensions, affiliate eligibility, or commission attribution. Check the actual selected variant and current terms before ordering.

The listing's attributes identify model H708 and a broad 211–655 size range, with a stated maximum pressure of 3,000 PSI and a material description covering stainless steel, carbide and polypropylene. It does not clearly identify the selected 515 or 517 variant, the tip family, or the exact gun and guard fit. Before buying, ask for a photo of the exact marked tip, the tip-family and guard designation, orifice and nominal fan data, and a written compatibility statement for your sprayer model. Do not treat the 3,000 PSI field as an operating recommendation; follow the maximum rating of your actual gun and sprayer.

Bottom line

Choose between 515 and 517 by the coating's published orifice range and the sprayer's capacity, not by expecting a different fan width. Both are nominally 10-inch fans at the standard 12-inch reference distance; 515 has a .015-inch opening and 517 a .017-inch opening. Then verify the tip family and guard against the exact gun model, test the pattern, and replace worn tips when fan width degrades.

A CPS link landing on the right product page does not prove that the variant will fit your sprayer.