D-76 powder not dissolving..temperature?

[Dr Disco]

I have suddenly been having problems with my D-76 powder not dissolving. I did a search and it seems that it may be an issue with temperature. I live in SE Asia, and the room temperature is about 82 degrees most of the time. Would that prevent the powder from dissolving? I haven't had this happen before, but I've previously mixed the powder in a more controlled environment (this is my first attempt at a home dark room).

I am sure the answer is obvious, but most info I've found on this regards making the developer from scrath, which I'm not doing. Any info appreciated, as I am a newbie at this.

 

[Jon Shiu]

Are you saying you mixed it at 82 deg. F? (I think it's supposed to be around 130-140deg F).

Jon

 

[Ryuji]

Keep the whole mix in a closed container and keep it that way for a day or two. The powder should dissolve.

 

[glennfromwy]

The water needs to be around 125 degrees F. Add the powder slowly with lots of stirring. Within a few minutes it should all dissolve. Could your water be causing a problem? You may want to try distilled water.

 

[titrisol]

If you are not in a hurry just let it dissolve over a day or so.
The other way is to put the powder in a pice of cheesecloth (like alarge tea bag) on the top part of the water and let it stand overnight.

If you are in a hurry use hot water (40C - 50C) to dissolve the powder and top off with cold water.

 

[ricksplace]

If you are not in a hurry just let it dissolve over a day or so.
The other way is to put the powder in a pice of cheesecloth (like alarge tea bag) on the top part of the water and let it stand overnight.

If you are in a hurry use hot water (40C - 50C) to dissolve the powder and top off with cold water.

I use straight hot tap water (about 50C) and it dissolves easily. I then top off with cold water. Works every time. Dissolves in about 2 minutes. I do the same thing with Dektol. Don't do it with powdered fixer though. The water has to be colder for powdered fixer.

 

[clayne]

I use straight hot tap water (about 50C) and it dissolves easily. I then top off with cold water. Works every time. Dissolves in about 2 minutes. I do the same thing with Dektol. Don't do it with powdered fixer though. The water has to be colder for powdered fixer.

Same here. Although I heat up distilled water on the range for D-76 and use tap for Dektol. For fixer I just do it at room temp. XTOL as well (a nice advantage of it).

 

[SMBooth]

I just made the mistake of trying to dissolve at 20degC and came here to ask if I had a problem with the residue, but my question is already answered. Seem all is OK if I wait a couple of day for it to dissolve on its own. Thanks

 

[rustyoldbug]

I did the same thing with a batch of D-76 a while ago. I had been using Xtol and ended up with a bunch of free bags of D-76 and switched, first time I mixed I didn't get it up to temp - oddly the stuff that didn't dissolve NEVER dissolved. After a few weeks I poured it through cheese cloth and just used it.

 

[Bob F.]

So, Dr Disco - has it all dissolved yet? ...

 

[Ian Grant]

So, Dr Disco - has it all dissolved yet? ...

I think he's still waiting

 

[Vaughn]

I make sure our darkroom assistants do not do this with the Dektol. I find that the undissolved crystals in the Dektol that act like seed-crystals. Dumping the poorly-mixed Dektol into trays after it has been sitting in the full bottle for a week or so, the tray was filled with very pretty long crystals.

Vaughn

Keep the whole mix in a closed container and keep it that way for a day or two. The powder should dissolve.