Citric Acid Cleaning Solution Mix?

NortheastPhotographic

Advertiser
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
1,513
Location
Maine!
Format
Medium Format
I am trying to replicate Jobo Processor Clean. It was recommended to me that I use a citric acid solution. Photo Formulary sells powdered citric acid, I just need to know the mix ratio so I can make enough for various uses.

It used to be that you basically add the whole bottle of 'Processor Clean" to a circulating Jobo and leave it over night. How much citric acid and in what concentration?

How much for cleaning trays or tongs or archival slot washers?

Thanks!
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,620
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
It's totally non critical. For a typical Jobo processor, I'd put in a few tablespoons of citric acid and then let it run. This will take care of the scale. It'll go faster if you set the thermostat to 100F or so. After 2 hours or so most of the scale will likely be gone.

NortheastPhotographic said:
How much for cleaning trays or tongs or archival slot washers?
Click to expand...

Same. This really is no different than descaling your kitchen water cooker etc.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,036
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
koraks, is there any reason why acetic acid could not be used if it was cheaper and more easily obtained?

Thanks

pentaxuser
 
OP
OP

NortheastPhotographic

Advertiser
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
1,513
Location
Maine!
Format
Medium Format
pentaxuser said:
koraks, is there any reason why acetic acid could not be used if it was cheaper and more easily obtained?

Thanks

pentaxuser
Click to expand...

Do you have a source for "non-glacial" acetic acid? It's useful for regenerating C41 bleach but I can only find 60% and it's extremely expensive. So much so that I've gone back to just mixing fresh bleach from concentrate.
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,620
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
pentaxuser said:
koraks, is there any reason why acetic acid could not be used if it was cheaper and more easily obtained?
Click to expand...

No, that would work just fine as well. It just smells a bit more.
At a theoretical level, you might make a case for citric acid being a trivalent acid, which makes it kind of efficient on a weight for weight basis. But that would be 'splitting hairs' territory as far as I'm concerned. I just always use whichever is closest at hand.

NortheastPhotographic said:
Do you have a source for "non-glacial" acetic acid?
Click to expand...

Yup, cleaning vinegar. The unscented kind is generally cheapest and you don't run the risk of the perfume somehow affecting film if you use it for a stop bath.

NortheastPhotographic said:
It's useful for regenerating C41 bleach
Click to expand...
Well, it's useful for pH adjustment of the bleach especially if you don't use a stop bath. Regeneration is a different story; for a color bleach, this would involve (practically speaking) thorough aeration (e.g. bubbling air through it) and periodic addition of ammonium bromide. Replenishment with the official replenisher is generally more straightforward.
 
OP
OP

NortheastPhotographic

Advertiser
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
1,513
Location
Maine!
Format
Medium Format

Thanks, cleaning vinegar does not appear to be high enough concentration for bleach usage however. They suggest 90%.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,780
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
I received a reply from Omer Hecht from Catlabs says "1 cup of citric acid" for the 4.5 gallon tempering bath of the Jobo ATL 2200 will do the same thing as a treatment with Processor Cleaner II.
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
23,620
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
NortheastPhotographic said:
You have used it to regenerate Fujifilm Bleach for C41 processing or are you describing using it for cleaning processors?
Click to expand...

I've used it for pH adjustment in many things, including color developers. Not specifically for bleach as I recall, but it'll work there, too.

The only difference between cleaning vinegar and glacial acetic acid is concentration. You need to use more cleaning vinegar as a result to achieve the same effect. However, since the pH adjustment you need to do is generally quite limited, it's not a problem that you need to use a little more.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…