Mixing D76 Powder without temperature

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Dec 23, 2010

One generous APUGer sent me D76 for 3.8 liters developer. It writes mixing temperature might be 50 , 55 celcius. I have no temperature at hand and I am thinking to prepare 1.9 liters hot boiling water than mix 1.1 with water and get the 50 degrees heat.
Is exact temperature is very important for mixing powder D76 in to it ?

Umut

Kevin Kehler · Dec 23, 2010

I use hot tap water to mix my D-76, as hot as the tap will give me. The key is to stir enough and to have the water hot enough to dissolve all of the crystals/powder in the package. In theory, you could use 1 degree water but it would take months to properly dissolve. I recommend using tap water and making sure you stir it until all the crystals dissolve; if after 10 minutes there are still undissolved portions, put the container in the sink and start pouring hotter water around it to bring the temperature up hot enough to dissolve the remainder. On a side note, with the water in my city, I can never get ID-11 to fully dissolve, there is always some left on the bottom.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Dec 23, 2010

Thank you Kevin ,may be my city water have the same problem , I dont know. I wont risk it and use bottled water.

jeffreyg · Dec 23, 2010

I heat a liter of water in a Pyrex measuring pitcher in a microwave oven for three minutes then gradually add tap water and powder for ID11 which should work the same for D76.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

mwdake · Dec 23, 2010

You don't say what the temperature of the non boiling water will be.

Mixing 1:1 probably won't give you 50C.
Mixing liquids of 2 different temperatures is based on heat lost from the hot one and heat gained by the cold one.

Here is a link to a calculator that may help you find the correct ratio.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/mixing_water.htm

msa · Dec 23, 2010

Hot tap water works for me, too.

In the last 3 apartments I lived in, plus this house, all the water heaters were set either in the 50-55 CC range or so close to it that the D-76 dissolved just fine, and never came out of solution afterwards.

I can tell you that I've seen it work as low as about 46 C and above 55 C as well.

You don't have to boil the water, merely scalding hot is enough.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Dec 23, 2010

1900 grams of 100 celcius degrees water plus 1900 grams of 15 celcius degrees water makes 57 celcius water. I think this is the best way.

Thank you all.

bblhed · Dec 23, 2010

To mix D-76 I just use my hard acidic (Ph of 5) water at the temperature that comes out of the tap and it works fine for me. I just fill the jug about 3/4 of the way, add powder, then top off with water to one gallon [3.8 liters], shake for a few minuets, let stand overnight and if there is any powder left in the morning I shake it again. This has worked every time for every powered chemistry I have made.

I would avoid using boiling water because you could burn yourself, and really it isn't worth it just to make up some D-76, it isn't like the Kodak recommended mix temperature is a magic number that will change the way the D-76 works, it is just the warmest they want you hearing it to make it dissolve easily, exceed that temperature and you may find out that there is a magic temperature where D-67 can be destroyed.

Photo-gear · Jul 22, 2012

I must have been distracted but, as the hot tap water wasn't warm enough (48 C) I put some water to boil... I waited a moment and poured some 800 cc of water in a container. The reading gave 56 C, so I poured the powder in. After mixing it all, I took another temp, check that out, and, to my surprise, the reading was around 60 C, maybe more !!! I thought "Holy s(...)!".
Now I wonder whether I spoiled this batch or not...
What could happened if the mixture was prepared with too hot water??

PhotoJim · Jul 22, 2012

I don't think 60 C should be a problem. My hot tap water in the darkroom is about 45 C and I find I have no problems, either. I can fully dissolve everything in my water.

Steve Smith · Jul 23, 2012

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
I am thinking to prepare 1.9 liters hot boiling water than mix 1.1 with water and get the 50 degrees heat.

That would give you about 60 degrees as your tap water is probably around 20 rather than 0 but I'm sure it's close enough.

Steve.

Newt_on_Swings · Jul 23, 2012

I would think it advisable buy a simple thermometer. It is a useful thing to have when you start developing. Depending on how warm your dev gets at room temp, you timing may be different.

Steve Smith · Jul 23, 2012

That's a good point. You are going to need a thermometer once you start using the developer so you might as well have one to mix it.

Steve.

MartinP · Jul 23, 2012

Note that there are thermometers with different ranges, intended for different purposes! I have one covering 15 to 35 Centigrade with a very precise scale (intended for black-and-white standard temperatures) and another for colour work that goes to 50 Centigrade.

If the OP buys a thermometer randomly it might be sub-optimal for one purpose or the other, or perhaps he already has a perfectly good thermometer which doesn't measure up to 50C. The suggestion to use "hot" tap water is perhaps the most practical - and is probably what most of us do(?).

jm94 · Jul 23, 2012

I just use hot tap water... In the UK the standard for a hot tap is 60C optimally but of course that varies mine is a biT cooler whereas my boyfriends is like near enough boiling!

Hope this helps

Photo-gear · Jul 23, 2012

I finally developped one roll yesterday (Kodak 125 Plus-X) with the fresly made D-76. It turned out OK. Here, a shot as an example:

http://hpics.li/5d6e93b

cmacd123 · Jul 24, 2012

My understanding of the need for "hot" water is just to allow the powder to dissolve easier, I don't believe that the exact temperature is all that critical. I just use hot tap water, but my tap water is from the City of Ottawa and is supposed to be in the top ten for North American Cities

mjs · Jul 25, 2012

Hot tap water works fine for me, too.

Mike

Mixing D76 Powder without temperature

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