Jobo CPE2 Plus: Do I need the E-6 Conversion Kit?

[nonuniform]

Just picked up a CPE2 Plus on eBay, and I'm planning to do some E-6 4x5 processing. I notice that there was an E-6 conversion kit that provided for a full 6-bath setup in the CPE.

If I don't have the conversion kit, am I going to hate myself later when I try to do a full 6-bath E-6 process?

 

[Erik L]

If you can find the conversion kit it's useful, otherwise just use the plastic graduates in their respective slots - I've been doing it that way for ever.
regards
Erik

 

[nonuniform]

Thanks! That pretty much confirms what I was thinking. I saw a conversion kit on eBay a while back, it didn't sell. You never know.

 

[Pupfish]

I never use the graduates, just the bottles, while doing E6 in my Jobo CPP2. This is because two 2509 reels in a 2551 require 560ml of chemistry, and the grads only go to 270ML. Less chance of cooldown, less risk of spillage, better time control when you eliminate pouring and container transfers.

I'm glad for the 6 bottle slots of the CPP2 and wish I had more for E6. There are 8 steps to traditional E6, I temper 4 1L first wash bottles in the in the tray while processing. The final rinse and a spare gallon of distilled rinse water (not temp critical) get tempered by the faucet in a little six-pack cooler.

 

[Iwagoshi]

Gang, I just started E-6 in a CPP. I'm using graduates 1-3 for 1st Dev, Reversal, Color Dev. I'm reusing (after rinsing out) graduate 4 for Pre-bleach, Bleach and Fixer. So far no problems but I've only done few rolls, is this method problematic?

4 of the 6 bottle slots are full of half liter bottles of rinse water. Bottle slots 1 and 2 have the Bleach and Fixer that could not be pre-staged in the graduates.

Also I noticed "cooldown" if I pre-stage the solutions in the graduates, about a 1-1.5* F less than the bath temp, any thoughts on this issue? I am now capping the graduates to see if they retain more heat.

Pupfish, I was just wondering how I was going to do multiple rolls (120) with the the 270ml graduates, thanks for the tip, are you using the 600 ml bottles?

 

[nonuniform]

I was thinking of using the 2551 drum as well, and noticed that the graduates are only 270ml. Hmm, well, if I don't find the conversion kit, I'll figure out some other hack.

 

[Pupfish]

No, 1L