Gralab 525 digital enlarging timer

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2020

I've got one of these, and as far as I can tell, it works correctly -- by trial and error, I found settings that keep the safelight on until enlarging exposure starts, switch it off while the enlarger lamp is on, time the enlarger lamp, sound metronome beeps once per second while the time is running with a longer beep when time runs out -- and let me manually switch on the lamp (for focusing). Yet there are a significant number of settings that I don't understand, not least the apparent presence of two memories, as well as "dual" modes that don't do anything obviously different or functional.

I've also seen many old threads various places of people looking for the manual for this timer. Did anyone ever find one? If not, can anyone give more details on how to use the other 245 knobs, besides "On-Off/Volume" and "Tuning"?

MattKing · Nov 9, 2020

When I print in my Darkroom Group's shared darkroom, I always have to ask for help with the 525 timers .

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2020

MattKing said:
When I print in my Darkroom Group's shared darkroom, I always have to ask for help with the 525 timers .

Well, as noted, I found settings that will work like my old square gray Gralab, plus metronome beeps (for dodging, I presume) and quick easy settings from a tenth of a second up to tens of minutes. I'll probably figure out additional features over time, but it'd be quicker if I had a manual...

Rick A · Nov 9, 2020

The dual mode is handy for split grade printing, program the time for each channel for the contrast grade and the timer switches from A to B , all you need do is change filtration and print.

bdial · Nov 9, 2020

you can also use the second channel for things like burning-in. I have one, though i’ve not used it for some time, it got retired when i bought an f-stop timer. I didn’t get mine with a manual either, and i don’t remember all the specifics in using it. Have you tried contacting GraLab? Their website is a little sparse nowadays from when i last checked, but they might be able to assist.

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2020

bdial said:
Have you tried contacting GraLab? Their website is a little sparse nowadays from when i last checked, but they might be able to assist.

Never occurred to me they might still be operating. Darkroom timers are very much a printing-specific device, and there isn't all that much printing going on any more (and most of it is by folks who've had the equipment they want for years).

I'll give 'em a Google.

EDIT: But, of course, Gralab was never just darkroom timers. You name it, they make timers for it. Their contact form is broken, but I found a mailto: link and sent an email to their service department. Hopefully I don't get back something like "We don't know how that model works, either. Can you help us figure it out?"

MattKing · Nov 9, 2020

Gralab actually still sells two darkroom timers.
The instructions for the 451 might help a bit - they are on the website's listing page for the timer.

MattKing · Nov 9, 2020

And lo and behold, they have a link to the instructions for the slightly more complex 545 timer on the Accessories page: http://www.gralab.com/products/index.asp

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2020

Thanks, @MattKing I downloaded the 545/645 manual you pointed to -- not sure it'll help, it's got a very different control panel, but it might be just punch buttons replacing the slide switches I have. I'll read through it when I have time (not tonight, I'm scanning negatives and bedtime is in half an hour).

bdial · Nov 9, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
...EDIT: But, of course, Gralab was never just darkroom timers. You name it, they make timers for it. Their contact form is broken, but I found a mailto: link and sent an email to their service department. Hopefully I don't get back something like "We don't know how that model works, either. Can you help us figure it out?"...

Back when I was in high school, my dad took me on a tour of a steel factory with his professional society, in one area, there were a couple of the ubiquitous square Gralabs hung on a wall, covered in grime, used for some portion of their processes.
(this was well before the “modern” era of process automation)

mshchem · Nov 9, 2020

One thing. The older ones with mechanical switches don't forget where the decimal place is when you turn it off. All my stuff is running off of a Metrolux II or the Beseler controllers for the RGB Universal 45 heads.
The 450??? Gralab that doesn't have so darn many buttons are the one I would use.

Donald Qualls · Nov 10, 2020

mshchem said:
One thing. The older ones with mechanical switches don't forget where the decimal place is when you turn it off. All my stuff is running off of a Metrolux II or the Beseler controllers for the RGB Universal 45 heads.
The 450??? Gralab that doesn't have so darn many buttons are the one I would use.

Current model appears to be the 451. I know nothing about it, just saw it a couple places on the Gralab site when I was looking for contact information last night.

mshchem · Nov 10, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Current model appears to be the 451. I know nothing about it, just saw it a couple places on the Gralab site when I was looking for contact information last night.

Yes, that’s correct. The first fancy not mechanical timer I bought was the 451, it's the one that has multiple functions. The 450 is more of a basic timer, Gralab made these with membrane switches, and the punch button mechanical switches.

AgX · Nov 10, 2020

I am completely ignorant on this timer, but does not tell this thread enough?
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...g-for-a-copy-of-an-instruction-manual.141962/

Donald Qualls · Nov 10, 2020

AgX said:
I am completely ignorant on this timer, but does not tell this thread enough?
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...g-for-a-copy-of-an-instruction-manual.141962/

It pretty well recaps what I've already figured out, just getting to the point I could be confident the color head works. I'm still in the dark about the "Dual" and "Inverse" settings, as well as the "Outlet Change" button and the rightmost positions for the Enlarger and Safelight switches.

Which is to say, I can use it, and I'm confident I can get good exposures with it, but it clearly has other features I might or might not gain something by using, if I knew what they do.

Jim Blodgett · Nov 11, 2020

Is it possible you could use two enlargers with a single timer? Switching back and forth with seperate settings for each?

Donald Qualls · Nov 12, 2020

Jim Blodgett said:
Is it possible you could use two enlargers with a single timer? Switching back and forth with seperate settings for each?

I won't say it's not possible, but there's only one enlarger outlet and in other timers I've used, the safelight outlet contacts weren't rated for the kind of power draw an enlarger lamp wants (which is to say that I don't think you could safely run a second enlarger on that outlet).

Rick A · Nov 12, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
It pretty well recaps what I've already figured out, just getting to the point I could be confident the color head works. I'm still in the dark about the "Dual" and "Inverse" settings, as well as the "Outlet Change" button and the rightmost positions for the Enlarger and Safelight switches.

Which is to say, I can use it, and I'm confident I can get good exposures with it, but it clearly has other features I might or might not gain something by using, if I knew what they do.

It's not "inverse" it's intv for interval, the mode switch activates the channel memory setting so the timer can automatically switch between memory 1 and memory 2. Switch to memory 1 setting and program time desired. switch to memory 2 and program desired time. switch mode setting to "INTV" and the timer will change for you, no need to manually switch between 1 and 2. Move setting to dual and it stays on memory 2

Donald Qualls · Nov 12, 2020

Thanks, @Rick A . I'm not sure I'm following that completely -- does the timer make the two exposures without further intervention, or does it just automatically switch memories between each exposure, for ease of things like split grade printing?

Jim Blodgett · Nov 12, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
I won't say it's not possible, but there's only one enlarger outlet

Yeah. I'd say you would need seperate timer-to-enlarger connections.

Rick A · Nov 12, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Thanks, @Rick A . I'm not sure I'm following that completely -- does the timer make the two exposures without further intervention, or does it just automatically switch memories between each exposure, for ease of things like split grade printing?

It switches between intervals and you initiate . Make exposure via memory 1, at end of time it switches to memory 2 and holds until you are ready, hit start and memory 2 runs, at the end of time sequence it switches back to memory 1 setting

Donald Qualls · Nov 12, 2020

Rick A said:
It switches between intervals and you initiate . Make exposure via memory 1, at end of time it switches to memory 2 and holds until you are ready, hit start and memory 2 runs, at the end of time sequence it switches back to memory 1 setting

Thanks. That makes more sense than the other way -- gives time to change filtration between exposures. And explains why I didn't see any effect on that setting -- I hadn't set Mem 1 and Mem 2 at the same time without clearing them before switching.

Any idea what the "Change Outlet" button does?

MattKing · Nov 12, 2020

Probably switches the safelight and enlarger outlets.
For flashing perhaps?
(please no references here to the discussion going on in the "Soup" thread )

Donald Qualls · Nov 12, 2020

MattKing said:
Probably switches the safelight and enlarger outlets.
For flashing perhaps?
(please no references here to the discussion going on in the "Soup" thread )

I thought that initially, and tested it -- nope. You can learn more about print flashing from the Naked Photographer, but not, so far, on the Soup thread...

MattKing · Nov 12, 2020

Does it switch the timing, so that it turns the outlet off during the timed interval?

Gralab 525 digital enlarging timer

Donald Qualls

MattKing

Moderator

Donald Qualls

Rick A

bdial

Donald Qualls

MattKing

Moderator

MattKing

Moderator

Donald Qualls

bdial

mshchem

Donald Qualls

mshchem

AgX

Donald Qualls

Jim Blodgett

Donald Qualls

Rick A

Donald Qualls

Jim Blodgett

Rick A

Donald Qualls

MattKing

Moderator

Donald Qualls

MattKing

Moderator

Gralab 525 digital enlarging timer

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency