Advice Please: Shelf life for undiluted Ilford developer?

[ryca]

hi all

advice please

i bought some Ilford LC29 whilst studying photography at uni back in 2009.

now 4 years on, I need to process a couple rolls of HP5 i recently shot and was wondering if that undiluted bottle of LC-29 would still be ok to use or do i need to replace it with some new?

also, what about the stop & fixer.... would they still be ok, or replace them?

only used about 10rolls worth of chemicals from all bottles back then and have since been stored in original Ilford bottles, in a cupboard, indoors.

thanks!

 

[markbarendt]

Ilford says

ILFOTEC LC29
36 months in full tightly capped bottles.
6 months in half full tightly capped bottles.

 

[palewin]

The easiest answer is for the stop bath, which lasts pretty much indefinitely. You can get a good sense for the developer by its color, since as it oxidizes it turns darker and darker brown. If it is clear or light yellow, it should be fine. Fixer is trickier since there is no color change, and fixer life varies by formula, so I don't have any recommendations.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Ryca,

As palewin says the stop bath will be fine, fix 'should' be OK, but its four years old and partly used, if it had not been opened pretty sure it would be OK, the problem is if it does not fix you could lose your film, sounds daft but by a new fix and have it ready if your film does not clear. LC29 ...do not use it and risk your photographs, if you must, do one film first to see if its OK but only if its a 'straw' colour, anything darker than straw dump it.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[ryca]

thanks for the advice guys

pulled them out last night to look at it and the LC29 is definitely not straw color... it's pretty dark brown! i think i better invest in a new bottle just for my assurance.