How many power sockets do you have and...

I used my mom's garage and had 3 handy. Then I used the bathroom or kitchen. Had 1 plate in bathroom and 3 handy in kitchen.

Jamie A Cowan said:

Hey Internet friends...

How many power sockets do you have in your darkroom and..
how many would you want if you could start fresh?

I am building a darkroom and this is the list I have come up with so far.
NOTE: It's my first darkroom, what have I missed? (I would like to be future proofed).

1. Enlarger
2. Enlarger timer - does this get power from the enlarger?
3. Laptop (Digital processing)
4. Computer Display
5. Printer
6. Pakon 135 scanner
7. Drobo Hard drive
8. Wireless Router
9. Telephone iPhone charger (?)
10. Wakie-Talkie Charger station (to talk with the wife)
11. Air ionizer
12. Dehumidifier
13. Music - player / speaker
14. Safe lights x 2 or 3?
15. White Light ceiling rack
16. White light wet print viewing station
17. Light Table
18. Dry heat press
19. Dry mount Tack iron
20. Ventilation - maybe mains wired?
21. Film Fridge
22. Chemical heater tray
23. Neg Dry case

Click to expand...

Methinks you are putting too much "stuff" in your darkroom. What you have listed in your darkroom, I have in three rooms, including the darkroom. All the computer stuff is in a room in the house so the rest of the family can have access and it doesn't have to ever be absolutely dark. I would keep the darkroom strictly for developing and printing, with mounting, refrigerator, any item that emits a light when it is off, or on, like a cell phone, I have in an adjoining room. Concentrate on keeping the darkroom DARK. But you have the right idea mostly.......Regards!

I have 17 outlets. One in the ceiling 220v/20A for Durst, two ceiling for safelights (15A) and 14 round the counter tops (20A GFI breakers).

These things stay plugged in:
4 enlargers
2 air cleaners
3 safelights
1 phone/intercom
1 viewbox
1 view table
1 Vintage Pioneer power amp
1 Dust Vacuum

Processor, densitometer, etc don't stay plugged in.
No computer; though I wish I had some way to make an iPad screen safe. I'm the printer and I don't need to be plugged in.
Including the lighting, I have quite a few circuits, so I have an entire sub panel just for the darkroom (the smaller sub panel in the picture).

Instead of a ring-wiring under the ceiling and various vertical taps to the outlets one could have installed a horizontal cable-channel just above the table. Then one could locate easily outlets whereever necessary, even relocate them. The industrial version would be a wider channel where the outlets could be located even within...

(I'm disappointed, I expected your 1824 to have got a panel of its own... Does it fit into that room? Your ceiling seems at 2.50m. I thought from some older photo the ceiling was higher.)

@ IC_Racer

ic-racer said:

No computer; though I wish I had some way to make an iPad screen safe. I'm the printer and I don't need to be plugged in.

Click to expand...

How about this.
https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/stargazers-corner/red-light-filter-for-iphone/

@ic-racer - Nice diggs BTW, I remember seeing those photos somewhere before?

I don't intend to wire plugs for everything on the list, nor do I expect to cram the space full of gadgets, I just want to think about the placement and make sure I have enough in the future.

I see you have a mini vacuum plugged in as well. and you say 2 air cleaners, what are they and why (I assume for dust due to the exposed ceiling)?

Jamie

Nice set up ic-racer, however I would recommend a ceiling of sorts. I had a basement darkroom years ago, I also had a serious dust problem until I covered the exposed joists. Every time someone walked on the floor above it dropped crap everywhere no matter how good I tried to clean it. As for red covers on phones(or any other piece of gear) that's fine if you only print, but totally useless when you have film out to load into holders or daylight tanks. Scenario: phone laying on counter, you are loading film into your reel to process, the phone rings and lights up. You're screwed. BTW, if you wear a wrist watch, take it off before you load film.

Rick, will the glow of my watch (or any glow for that matter) affect film loading???

Jamie

Jamie A Cowan said:

Rick, will the glow of my watch (or any glow for that matter) affect film loading???

Jamie

Click to expand...

It has happened to me, took quite a while before I figured out what caused the ghosting on my film, turned out to be the luminous dial of my wrist watch. Also had an issue with the luminous face of a GraLab 300 timer until I covered it up. I have black tape on the switch of my air cleaner to block the red "on" indicator.

The last of the six darkrooms I set up had about 20 outlets. One of them powered several items: a voltage regulator powered the enlarging timer which in turn powered a safelight and a Variac which powered two enlargers. There were many other items: several safelights, a room light, two clocks, a baseboard heater, a radio, a cassette player, a mounting press, a tacking iron, and more. Most of the outlets were in use. The wet side was protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter. Power for the room light, the baseboard heater, and the enlargers came from one power panel circuit breaker. I had to install another circuit breaker for the wet side. This had the advantage of lights still being available in the darkroom if one breaker tripped. It's much easier to install what seems like an excessive number of outlets when setting up a darkroom than to add them later. Power strips can be used for temporary outlets, and seem to become permanent.

Rick A said:

Nice set up ic-racer, however I would recommend a ceiling of sorts.

Click to expand...

Photos are a little old, but the areas over some of the counters have been covered for those exact reasons.

Instead of a ring-wiring under the ceiling and various vertical taps to the outlets one could have installed a horizontal cable-channel just above the table.

Click to expand...

I had considered that but those don't meed the local electrical code. The wiring in the darkroom is all 'Hospital Grade' with all the circuits in metal conduit.

(I'm disappointed, I expected your 1824 to have got a panel of its own... Does it fit into that room? Your ceiling seems at 2.50m. I thought from some older photo the ceiling was higher.)

Click to expand...

The big Durst does not have its own panel, but it has its own dedicated circuit breaker in the panel. I can get within 3 cm of full head extension before the head hits the rafters.
The Durst is on wheels, so I have had it at different locations throughout the years. The darkroom has changed and times have changed since I took that picture; the era when one could obtained an enlarger like that for $500 is now long gone.

Jamie A Cowan said:

@ic-racer - Nice diggs BTW, I remember seeing those photos somewhere before?

I don't intend to wire plugs for everything on the list, nor do I expect to cram the space full of gadgets, I just want to think about the placement and make sure I have enough in the future.

I see you have a mini vacuum plugged in as well. and you say 2 air cleaners, what are they and why (I assume for dust due to the exposed ceiling)?

Jamie

Click to expand...

I had a Honeywell HEPA aircleaner then my neighbor was selling a new Delta electrostatic woodworking shop air cleaner he did not need. I bought that but kept the Honeywell also. I just put them at opposite ends of the darkroom.

Jim Jones said:

The last of the six darkrooms I set up had about 20 outlets. One of them powered several items: a voltage regulator powered the enlarging timer which in turn powered a safelight and a Variac which powered two enlargers. There were many other items: several safelights, a room light, two clocks, a baseboard heater, a radio, a cassette player, a mounting press, a tacking iron, and more. Most of the outlets were in use. The wet side was protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter. Power for the room light, the baseboard heater, and the enlargers came from one power panel circuit breaker. I had to install another circuit breaker for the wet side. This had the advantage of lights still being available in the darkroom if one breaker tripped. It's much easier to install what seems like an excessive number of outlets when setting up a darkroom than to add them later. Power strips can be used for temporary outlets, and seem to become permanent.

Click to expand...

Is your wall supply regulated.?
What is the advantage of the Variac.?

Rick A said:

BTW, if you wear a wrist watch, take it off before you load film.

Click to expand...

If you wear a Fitbit or the like make sure you leave it outside the darkroom. They have a habit of lighting up at the most inappropriate time.

My darkroom has two dedicated circuits. One circuit controls the two enlargers, Durst L138S and AC800, which have 500 watt voltage stabilizers and the phone and anything that needs power while the darkroom is not in use. The second controls all of the other accessories. The light switch outside the door controls the plugs on the circuit. When I am done in the darkroom shutting off this light switch shuts off everything on this circuit. The first plug inside the darkroom is a CGIF plug and controls all the plugs downstream so if there is a problem it shuts that circuit down. I set this up about 30 years ago and has worked well over the years.

ic-racer said:

I had a Honeywell HEPA aircleaner then my neighbor was selling a new Delta electrostatic woodworking shop air cleaner he did not need. I bought that but kept the Honeywell also. I just put them at opposite ends of the darkroom.

Click to expand...

This is the first time ever I learn of a darkroom being equipped with air particle filters!
When I read you remark I thus thought you meant plain air-exchangers, thus pure ventilation.

CMoore said:

Is your wall supply regulated.?
What is the advantage of the Variac.?

Click to expand...

Living in a rural area, line regulation was sometimes poor. Items like grain driers could pull the voltage down noticeably when printing. The Variac was to run expensive enlarger bulbs a little under the rated voltage for a considerably extended life.

the electrical sockets should be ABOVE the tables, sinks etc - chest height!

In terms of plugs / outlets I have 36 in 10x two gang boxes and 4x four gang boxes, all gfi on the wet side. These are spread across 3 separate 20A breakers, one specifically for computer equipment that includes 220TB of diversified RAID storage.

The space is ample at 13’ x 35’ feet. There are also 10x led can lights for white light in the ceiling that run the length of the room.

Two hundred and twenty! Ouch.

...and 36 sockets. (Are they full)?

My studio has a fridge and a microwave from an unknown Chinese firm. Since they are small, they made a special box for them in time to shoot, so they are not visible and they do not interfere with the work. I use several lamps similar to these. Electric floor heater. Another free socket for charging the phone or to heat tea. Perhaps this is all I use in my studio.

My friend also offered to use the generator to save energy, but I'm afraid it will make noise and distract me and the models.

I have 26 sockets in my darkroom on two 230V 16A circuits. Not all of them are in use of course, but it's nice to always have an available socket without having to use some kind of extension. I think a good rule is to figure out how many sockets you will need, and then double that number. You never know how many sockets you might need in the future.

Trond

AgX said:

This is the first time ever I learn of a darkroom being equipped with air particle filters!
When I read you remark I thus thought you meant plain air-exchangers, thus pure ventilation.

Click to expand...

I've decided to add both a Honeywell Quietcare True HEPA Air Purifier 17000-S AND an ionizing electro discharge eliminator DC anti-static ionizer. The pair will get my new darkroom closer to a clean room environment. The electrostatic anti-static ionizer will prevent dust from sticking to negatives and equipment, and the HEPA air cleaner will remove the dust completely. I've only read about one other lab that uses this pairing but was mighty impressed. Of course I'm also having proper exhaust built in the the darkroom as part of the new home construction.

As far as outlets I'm building 20 outlets into my new 14x14 foot dedicated darkroom, and several more in my print finishing area (Seal 210M/Tack etc) in a separate space immediately adjacent to the darkroom, and a bunch of other quad outlets in my digital darkroom which is close by but located in a separate dedicated space away from by wet darkroom - so in all I probably have close to 32 sockets.

Mike

I think we all would be very interested in learning whether that air purifier has significant impact. The use of a ionizer directly of the film trip is not uncommon. Over here though I saw it presented at Photokina, but must think hard in what darkroom supplier's catalog such actually was listed.

Jamie A Cowan said:

I have a loooong list, including lightproofing, which is first on the list.

The fun starts next week.


[]Blackout material ( + paint mat white and Black) window size = x cm
[]Fan Ventilation
[]Sink
[]Shelves
[]Work tops
[]Cupboards for storage
[]Storage for family
[]Rubber floor
[]Lighting - Unsafe White Light
[]Light box table
[]Red light / Safe Light
[]Paper safe
[]Light box
[]Inercom - walkies Talkie
[]Print viewing station - easel or magnets

Wet
[]Hot and cold plumbing Water outlet (warm cold 20 degrees) Photography sink
[]Dev. Stop. Fix. trays
[]Tongs
[]Squeege Negs
[]Glass and window cleaner
[]Water Filter
[]Print washer (Gravity Works $300 ebay) Patterson 9.5x12 washer $130
[]Drying racks (upside down with nets)
[]Drying Clothes line with pegs
[]Drying shelves
[]Negative dry locker - Drying wardrobe

Equipment Large

[x]Enlarger Leitz V35 [x] 40mm F2.8 Enlarger Lenses
[]Enlarger timer
[]Foot switch ?
[x]Easel (4 bladed easel) vs multiple size paper easel.
[]Glass (flat weight for paper when printing Contact prints) - Anti newton ring Glass
[]Grain focuser - Peak
[]Loup 10x or 12x enlargement
[]Negative ion generator (Dust)
[]Heat press / Dry mount
[]Dry-mount tack iron
[]Dry mount paper
[]Film fridge

Equipment Small

[]Light tight ‘photo bag’ Dark bag (changing bag)
[]Film leader retriever - ($16,99) Matin & Jack the hat
[]Film cartridge cassette opener $12.99
[]Photographic paper
[]Wall at an angel for sticking prints
[]Print (full size squeegee)

[]Film hanging clips
[]Printing trays - x3 plastic different colours
[]Tongs x 3 differing colours
[]Anti static little brush
[]Canned air - Scuba tank

Chemicals

[]Apron
[]Developer (Rodinal Agfa)
[]Stop
[]Fix
[]Gloves
[]Chemical bottles (consertenaed bottles)
[]Measuring cylinders - chemical mixing
[]Thermometer
[]Funnel measuring cylinder
[]Paper weights
[]Paper
[]Paper Vault
[]Tank - Patterson black plastic tank
[]Fixer (TF4) and TF5 photographers formulary 1 part tf4 3 parts water
[]Big gallon bottles (Glass)
[]Syringe
[]Darkroom clock
[]Contact sheet (box)
[]Storage
[]Book way beyond Monochrome- research

Matt cutter
Paper Cutter
Cutting Matts

Click to expand...

Jamie,

Sounds like an awesome darkroom. I'm also in the process of building a new darkroom as part of a new house literally being framed as I write this with a completion date around March. This isn't my first rodeo (darkroom); for 50 years I've put up with makeshift darkrooms with too much dust and working around all kinds of limitations, so I decided to take what I have amassed over the years and take my new darkroom to a whole new level - focused on eliminating as many blockers and inhibitors to quality, efficiency, and comfort as I can. So here's my new extreme darkroom to be:

Space construction
Room: Dedicated 14x14 foot room being constructed behind my walk-our basement (e;g partially underground). Nine foot smooth finished ceiling.

Light tight: Dedicated room has no windows, It's off a larger section that also has no windows and hallway to the main floor providing a natural light trap.

Heating and Cooling: Indirect dedicated HVAC unit with Ionizing feature. Also dehumidifies.

Exhaust: Dedicated exhaust fan built into ceiling with wall switch.

Humidity/Moisture Control: Properly insulated and fully finished/painted dry-wall, ceiling, moldings etc.

Dust and static elimination: Vinyl flooring, Honeywell Quietcare True HEPA Air Purifier 17000-S air purifier and a Yuchengtech electro discharge static eliminator DC anti-static ionizer (has the added benefit of eliminating odors).

Water supply: Built in h/c water lines and drain where sink is located.

Water temp control: HAAS digital Intellifaucet K375 - wall mounted above sink counter

Storage: Built in kitchen lower cabinets with Formica countertop and backsplash

Electrical: Multiple outlets on every wall (approximately 20); quad outlets on dry/enlarger side. Outlets placed above counter height where cabinets/counter are in addition to standard lower outlets (all GFI).

Darkroom Gear:
Note: I take great pride that all of my gear is maintained in new or like-new/pristine condition; even gear I've had for decades.

Film processing control (color and B&W): Phototherm Sidekick SSK8 with automatic and precise water temperature control, programmable processing, and automatic cleaning. Multiple 4 and 8 reel drums with 4x5 inserts.

Film drying: Custom-built film drying cabinet – Prinz warm air timer/blower with plastic sleeve dual encased inside a portable wardrobe with filter.

Print processing control (color and B&W): Fujimoto CP32 programmable digital transport processor with wash/dry module and automatic replenishment unit. Processing up to 11x14 inch prints in color or B&W.

ULF Print processing (20x24): Jobo 3063 tank and pump with Stark Universal Manual Processing Roller Base. (I might upgrade to a Jobo CPP3 to handle Series 3 tanks at some point). Other methods for up to 30x40"

Focus control: Peak Model 1 grain Focuser for edge to edge precision. Also an LPL focus arm extension on enlarger for large prints.

Borderless easels: Two vacuum easels, first up to 16x20 with magnetic strips for print positioning and second custom vacuum easel up to 30x40 with vacuum pump and foot switch. Alao various size conventional borderlless and 4 blase Saunders easels

Enlarger time and exposure control: RH Designs Analyzer Pro f-stop analyzer/timer.

Large print 4x5 enlarging: LPL 4550 XLG K&IF VCCE enlarger with reversible head. Variety of carriers, masking attachments etc.

Dedicated 6x7 enlarger: LPL670/7700 MXL with anti-newton glass and glass-less carriers, fine focus control, etc.

Optics: Collection of flawless Componon-S enlarging lenses up to 4x5. Will pick up a Rodagon-G APO150mm eventually for my largest prints if I ever come across one.

Color analyzer: Jobo Colorstar 3000 with an extremely rare Mitchell Colorbrator to auto-program the Colorstar in a single step.

Semi-automatic film and print processing: Jobo CPP2 with a wide variety of drums and accessories

Safelight: Oversized NuArc ceiling-mount Safelight NuArc DLB1325 Bubblite.

Print mounting: DK 115Vac 1350W 11.3A Masterpiece Dry Mounting (Seal 210M) dry mount press with tacking iron located in a second dry area with mounting and framing in a dedicated space just outside the darkroom.

Trimmer: Large RotoTrim

Materials refrigeration (film etc): Small dedicated utility refrigerator.

Additional manual processing support: Collection of various steel tanks/reels and processing trays for up to 20x24. For large prints up to 30x40 large hyponic trays mounted on hyponic stands (usually used for plants) with electronic siphon for draining.

Negative/transparency viewer: Tabletop color-balanced portable light box.

Print Drying: Stack N Dry Floor Drying Rack (up to 20x24) and Premier Model T2-C Electric Print Dryer.

Auto Print Washing: Versalab Archival Print Washer 16x20 with 20x24 adaper

Misc: GraLab 900 timer with foot switch, GraLab Model 300 timer, variety of traditional tools (print burn/dodge kit, tongs, graduates, funnels, clips, manual and digital thermometers, PrintFile proofer, color chart, color viewing filters, etc).


Digital Darkroom
Sheet film Scanning: Epson V850 Pro Scanner: With BetterScan film holders for up to 8x10 and wet film attachment. Also does smaller formats well (though I miss my dedicated Nikon Super Coolscan 9000 some).

Digital Proofing and Printing: Epson 7880 24” wide format 8 ink printer on stand – located just outside of darkroom door opposite print finishing/mounting area.

Digital Darkroom: Six core 4.6Ghz 64GB Intel custom tower with SSDs, Photoshop CS, Lightroom, PhotoMechanic etc.) and 24” 3K monitor color balanced via Spyder5 Pro.

Other elements to make the darkroom inviting – a place you want to be
Seating: Full size leather sofa on far wall

Entertainment: 60-inch LED flat panel TV mounted on opposite wall. Classic Harmon/Kardon receiver and high-end speakers wall mounted with Bluetooth connectivity for iPhone.

Intercom: Portable wireless phone system