F76+ Working Solution Shelf Life

[NortheastPhotographic]

Hi,
I'm getting a little sick of mixing XTol from powder. Anyone know how long F76+ lasts in its working strength? Our environment would be floating lid tanks under our Jobo ATL2500. So it's pretty protected from oxidation. Ideally given the volume we have I'd love to mix the full 15L at a time and just work through it over a couple weeks before I have to refill.

Currently we do XTol Replenished which is great of course, but yeah workflow wise the powder mixing is getting a little irritating.

 

[Alan9940]

I'd suggest contacting Clayton Chemical for this info. The product bulletin for F76+ says that it's ideal for automatic machine processing and they state a replenishment rate. Therefore, I'd guess that it's good for a while.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

This is the response I got from them:

"
Mark –

We are not familiar with the equipment you are using. But here is what our in-house chemist had to say:

It might last that long, but usage and exposure to air will definitely have an effect. Sounds like there is a lid on the tank which can minimize exposure to air, so it might last that long. Our developers tend to have more chemicals in them, so they have lasted longer. I am not familiar with the product that he lists, so he would just have to try the F76 and compare."

So, still unsure. The Jobo of course does not have machine replenishment so I'm not totally sure I want to do it in this case. I mean it would be faster than doing it with XTol because of the mix procedure but I'm still doing roll tracking a lot more and it's just kind of time consuming for very little economic benefit.

 

[MattKing]

How much replenisher are you using per month?
I ask, because X-Tol used to be available in larger packaging.
Of course, mixing up powder developer seems to be a great task for a student on work experience

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

How much replenisher are you using per month?
I ask, because X-Tol used to be available in larger packaging.
Of course, mixing up powder developer seems to be a great task for a student on work experience

3-4 5L mixes per month I think. I wish on the 2nd part! Haven't brought anyone on hah.

 

[MattKing]

Check with your local high school if they are looking for work experience opportunities for motivated students. If it is like up here, they get experience and school credits, and you get unpaid work in return for supervising and imparting knowledge and experience.
You will need to be fully in compliance with all safety rules - which of course you should be anyways!
And of course there is nothing stopping you from mixing up 15 or 20 litres at a time, if you have the space and the containers - mixing and storage.
I think you are seeing why HC-110 and its matching replenisher was so popular in its time . Too bad T-Max RS has been discontinued.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

Check with your local high school if they are looking for work experience opportunities for motivated students. If it is like up here, they get experience and school credits, and you get unpaid work in return for supervising and imparting knowledge and experience.
You will need to be fully in compliance with all safety rules - which of course you should be anyways!
And of course there is nothing stopping you from mixing up 15 or 20 litres at a time, if you have the space and the containers - mixing and storage.
I think you are seeing why HC-110 and its matching replenisher was so popular in its time . Too bad T-Max RS has been discontinued.

Maybe someday but looking after teens sounds like it's own kind of work...

 

[MattKing]

My wife used to place high school students in work experience and apprenticeship programs. That involved assisting the employers and students and monitoring the placements.
The apprenticeship programs meant that the students were able to complete at the same time their high school graduation and complete the first two years of their red seal certification process - while getting paid!
A lot of the recently certified trades people in our province have benefitted from that program.
In your case, it would probably be something like the unpaid work experience programs.
It may not be suitable for you, but it can be a great way of attracting loyal, dedicated and energetic employees who are eager to learn. A lot of students who participate end up being hired by their work experience employers after the placement ends.