Water temperature regulator

[Anscojohn]

[[*]Pig blanket
*****
What, prithee tell, is a "pig blanket?"

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

[jeroldharter]

[[*]Pig blanket
*****
What, prithee tell, is a "pig blanket?"

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

There have been several APUG members write that they use electric pig blankets purchased from farm supply companies. They are waterproof and lie in the sink under the trays providing some warmth and keeping the chems at the proper temperature in cooler climates.

[MattKing]

[[*]Pig blanket
*****
What, prithee tell, is a "pig blanket?"

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

Try this thread started by MurrayMinchin:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/3...tml#post417581

Matt

[MurrayMinchin]

Gee, and I hoped people would remember me for my photographs

Murray

[MattKing]

Gee, and I hoped people would remember me for my photographs

Murray

That and a deft hand with thread titles, Murray

Matt

[Tim Boehm]

I really like Photo Therm baths:

http://www.phototherm.com

but they're expensive. I got one on ebay for $33US. They also have deep models so you can
submerge tanks and drums.

[ZoneIII]

I'm not sure why you would want a heater of any kind for your purposes. Unless the ambient temperature of the room you will be working in is very cold, it's not necessary. In fact, more people have a problem getting their water temperature down to the proper temperature than up to it when processing b&w film - people living in hot climates, for example.

The ambient temperature of my darkroom is coincidentally almost always withing one degree of 68 degrees so I'm lucky. But I still control the temperature of my water using a Leelal mixing valve. However, for years, I got by without using one so if you are developing film infrequently, a mixing valve is more of a luxury than a necessity. A large water jacket evens out minor temperature shifts from your tap water supply. I will attach a picture of my mixing valve setup.

Another option for you that can work extremely well is possible if your room temperature is between, say, 65 and 75. If it is, you can just let your chemistry stabilize at room temperature and then compensate for the temperature using time/temperature charts.

The only time I ever heat water is when processing color film which I have just got back into doing recently. For that, I just picked up a Jobo processor but I don't use the heater in it because I found it to be much less stable than a tempered water heater that I also have. That thing keeps my chemistry to withing 1/20th of a degree F even though it is rated for plus or minus 1/4 degree accuracy. I realize that you don't have a Jobo, but for the info of anyone here that does who may be interested, what I do is hook up the "out" line of the heater to the drain valve of the Jobo and then the "in" hose goes into the main (lower) bath though one of the bottle openings. I may add an second valve to the processor to attach the "in" hose to because this works so well. My temperature control is now spot on rather than varying about plus of minus 1 1/2 degrees like it does with the Jobo heater. I'll attach a picture of my heater as well.

But, again, unless the room you process in is very cold (low 60s or lower), you have no real need for a heater that I can think of. You are much more likely to have to get the temperature down than up when processing b&w film.

[Mike Wilde]

I use a microwave to tune the temp of a developer to the start point that I want. My stock concentrated developers and pre-boiled and cooled distilled water sit on the basement floor, and are frequently something like 62F in February. I don't have the patience to wait for 42 minutes or so for film to develop at that temp.

I have an older microwave that my wife kicked out of the kitchen for a newer one. It is on a shelf mounted above the dryer in the laundry adjacent to the darkroom.

I pop the mixed developer into the (plastic or bakelite) tank, and heat the works in the microwave, 10 seconds at a time, and stir with a dial termometer to chech how the heating is going. Once up to temp, I am back into the darkroom, and pop the loaded film holders or reels out of the dark drawer into the tank, start the timer, and away we go, periodically agitating.

The microwave is my best friend these days, as I am fiddling with PMK and 777, neither of which are sub 10 minute development processes unless you are in the mid 70's.

[jfish]

Does anyone know of a good but inexpensive water temperature regulator? I was wondering if there is such a thing without spending $600 USD on a regulator and having to hook it up to the pipes in my house.

I seem to recall seeing a device where you would dip a metal prong(?) into a pitcher of water to control the temperature. Is there such a thing? I have no problems letting a device warm/cool liquids to the proper temperature for several minutes while I do other things.

Thanks,
Ray

Edit: I'm just doing B&W... no color.

I have a unit, well more than 1, like david b's attached photo except mine has a large black adjusting dial just below the dial thermometer and is used to adjust the temp. It is made by Delta and was in my pro lab.

Send me a PM if you are still interested.

[Vincenzo Maielli]

Premise that the temperature control in BW developing and printing is not an issue so pressing as it happens in colour developing and printing, indeed all systems commomly marketed are more or less expensive: fixed systems same Delta, thermostatic basins same Nova or Jobo, warming trays same Kaiser... I solve this problem in a very simple and cheap manner: i have bought a thermo regulator for aquarium, that i place submerged in a capable bucket, to draw on the water i need from time to time.
Ciao.
Vincenzo