CPP-2 question

I just got a CPP-2 and I am a little confused by the overflow elbow for the cold water solenoid. The manual says that the lower trough should be filled to the shoulder of the bottles or, on the CPP-2, until the water starts to come out of the overflow elbow.

This seems to be quite a big difference to me. It looks like the CPA allows the water to cover much more of the bottles and thus, I would assume, controls the temperature of the chemistry more effectively.

If I am not using the cold water solenoid, then why can I not simply block the overflow elbow and get the same water level as the CPA-2?

The elbow on the back of the machine is an overflow to keep you from overfilling trough and damaging the electronics. If you use the cold water solenoid valve and the machine calls for water, it can overfill the machine. I have never filled my CPP-2 to the point of overflowing (that I know of). I don't need cold water hooked up. To save time I usually warm bottles (very carefully) in a microwave. Then I fill the unit with water very near to the target temperature. This lets me set up in about 10 minutes.
If you use TOO HOT water when you fill the machine, you will trip the thermal overheat breaker. So be careful. I use my unit sitting in an 8 foot sink.

IF YOU ARE WARMING BOTTLES convection will take care of heating the solutions. You don't need to cover entire bottle.

Fabulous machines,

If you have any questions or need manuals, parts, advice etc contact Catlabs in Boston area.

Best Mike

I fill my CPP-2 with 18L of water, per the manual. I never paid much attention to the water level after filling, but IIRC the water level is somewhere near the shoulder of the bottles, without the pump running, and about 1/2 the bottle with the pump running. I've run mine this way for 20+ years and never had any issue with temp of the solutions in the bottles. And, FWIW I have the overflow elbow covered with plastic wrap with a rubber band to keep it in place. I did this mainly because my unit is on a rolling cart that gets moved around. When the water is at its upper most level (pump not running) it can splash out when moving the unit around.

Thanks, fellas. That helped.

I put the fill hose in and let it run until I hear water coming out the overflow drain. I fill with 24C water and mix the chemistry with 24C water; the unit is ready to go almost immediately.

I fill to the overflow level if I want the tank and the proper temperature. That is important for color work, not necessary for black & white which does not need the temperature so tightly controlled.

Thanks for the input. I just souped a bunch of negatives last night and all is well. I miss my old ATL-3 but I think that the CPP is better suited to my space.