I have only worried about a second exit in rooms where there was severe danger, such as the previously mentioned earthquake, fire, or on a boat using a deck hatch. The breakaway cut in the wall makes sense. I like it. My five year old basement 11’x13’ darkroom, only has one door, but two of the walls are framing and wall board so I could break out if needed. Thank you for the good idea.
When wiring plan for twice the number of outlets you think you will need. That is how many I required over time. Make them Ground Fault. I don’t know if you use the same term in the UK. It means all power is instantly shut down if the is a short circuit. Water and electricity can be nasty.
If you have not already looked through it, there are great ideas on the sticky thread “Darkroom Portraits”, 853 posts at this writing.
John,
I think the device your are talking about is called an RCD (Residual current device) basically grounds everything if it senses a problem. The sort of thing you would use on an electric garden mower in case you cut through the cable.. I have one already lined up
John,
I think the device your are talking about is called an RCD (Residual current device) basically grounds everything if it senses a problem. The sort of thing you would use on an electric garden mower in case you cut through the cable.. I have one already lined up
Andy
Great. Hate to lose a member building a darkroom.
Here each community establishes codes for construction and electrical requirements. Our community requires ground fault outlets in bathrooms and kitchens where water and electricity are used together. There probably aren't enough darkrooms to have an established code, but I could easily be wrong there.
Here each community establishes codes for construction and electrical requirements. !!!Our community requires ground fault outlets in bathrooms and kitchens where water and electricity are used together. There probably aren't enough darkrooms to have an established code, but I could easily be wrong there.
John Powers
refer to
ARTICLE 530 Motion Picture and Television Studios and Similar Locations
I now have the room built. Plasterboard up,insulation in, more sockets than I can wave a stick at. I have wired for 3 red lights and will be using 3 old kodak beehives I have, they are on a seperate switch/location to the main light. I have also put a white spot light over sink location on a pull cord, for when I want to look at the finished print. RCD sockets in the sockets nearer to the sink. I have put a double rcd on the backwall of the sink but at ceiling height, to be well away from water. (not quite sure what it will be used for yet, possibly for the nova heaters...) This weekend will be taping the joints, getting ready for decorating. I'm not going to plaster over it, instead I have found some polystyrene veneer wall paper that I will underline with. then over line with lining paper and paint.
I want to build a 6-7 ft sink. Any suggestions of anything I could convert (ie old water tank) that I can get in the uk. before I go down the marine ply route...?
Having a second exit would be a smart thing to do although I suspect that few home darkrooms have that feature (I know that mine doesn't). I'm not familiar with the code requirements in London. You may find that there is a regulatory requirement for a second egress.
I note that you have your door swinging out. That's smart - free's up space in the darkroom, and in the event of an emergency, it's easier to force a door open if you are pushing in the direction of the swing.
The second exit doesn't have to be a formal door. After all, the objective is to have a way to get out in the event of a fire. So designing a section of the wall such that it can be easily broken through if the main door is blocked might be satisfactory.
Interestingly, I recall seeing either a TV program or a movie many years ago in which a photographer in England converted a backyard WWII-era bomb shelter into a darkroom. The point of the story was that someone murdered the photographer by replacing some of the chemicals with something that generated a toxic gas, and then jammed the door so that it could not be opened from inside the darkroom.
Last edited by Monophoto; 12-05-2009 at 10:55 AM. Click to view previous post history.
Looking at your sketch, I see a hallway leading to the darkroom. Is the hallway and darkroom on the same elevation, could you knock out that wall and make the hallway part of the darkroom? One entrance btw, otherwise you will lose valuable counter space.
At least you have an adjacent laundry area for print washing if you need it. I have to transfer my prints to another building to get running water, though it isn't much trouble.
Adv Reply
Originally Posted by and36y
