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Multitone RC paper

You could try to bring the contrast down a bit by flashing the paper
 
Don_ih said:
Try a cheap LED 40-watt equivalent bulb. Just make sure there's no lettering on the end. Go for a "warm" one.

See what the result is.
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I bought two opal 40 watt, 2700k, LED bulbs. I put in the bulb, turned on the enlarger and the light on the baseboard looked like it was uniform. However, when I turned off the light there was an issue. Whether it was after focusing or after the timer ran out; the light doesn't turn off completely. The bulb stays on at like 1/4 power and remains on until you kill the plug. I have no clue what could be going on.

I put the original bulb back in.
 
What About Bob said:
The bulb stays on at like 1/4 power and remains on until you kill the plug.
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That suggests there's still power going to the bulb when there should be none. An enlarger, particularly one that uses a regular bulb, is a very straightforward thing, electrically. It's on or off. You should investigate what that source of electricity is.

Some LEDs glow for a few seconds after the power is switched off - but nowhere near 1/4 the power. That doesn't seem to be what you're describing.
 
You might want to try a circuit tester on your wall outlet and even your enlarger timer.

Something is not right there...
 
I'm using a Paterson model 2000D electronic timer connected to a Saunders C6600 enlarger. Using a regular PH140 the light turns on and off.
 
What About Bob said:
Using a regular PH140 the light turns on and off.
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That doesn't mean it's not getting power - it would only mean the power is not enough to illuminate it. The enlarger should be getting no power at all when the timer turns it off.
 
Ok I am lost. The voltage stated for this timer is 230V? +/-10% at 50/60hz and 5 amperes. Uhmm I am in USA. My line is 115/120V I bought this off from eBay in 2019.
 
It's been rewired, I guess - which might just mean someone replaced the cord - and might also mean didn't hook it up exactly right. It wasn't made for North America.
 
There is a PTP745 and a PTP745JC version. I have the former. When I ordered it through eBay it was somewhere west of me in the states. huh

So does this mean I need to buy a new timer? This one is actually good too.
 
What About Bob said:
So does this mean I need to buy a new timer?
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If it's working, then I guess it's ok. Wherever it came from must have adapted it. But I think you should try to figure out why it's still supplying power to the enlarger when it's off. When things are spurious in one way, they tend to be spurious in other ways. I'm not sure I'd want to leave it plugged in unattended.
 
A multi-meter is your friend here. Connect it to your output and see if it turns off completely.
 
I have always unplugged it when not in use because there doesn't appear to be an on and off switch on the unit even though the instructions make it sound like there is.. Unless i am missing something.
 
Ansel Adams lost a darkroom (burned down) due to a faulty piece of equipment.
 
I don't know what kind of enlarger you have but I would consider using neutral density filters under your lens. I keep a few in my darkroom with various holders to lengthen exposures at times. Just use good quality camera filters and it will work. Bright to focus and compose and dim enough to dodge and burn.
 
What About Bob said:
Thanks grain. I will give that a try. I might also need an 00 filter to hold back the blacks. This paper is very fast.
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Isn't it fixed grade paper? If yes, 00 filter won't do anything. If no, its the answer to the whole problem.
 
I,m following this because I bought some 5x7 Multitone vc pearl and Arista vc pearl, aka Foma to compare against some Agfa vc pearl I have in the freezer and still good. I use color head enlargers so I have no idea what settings to use for Multitone. I have the chart for Agfa so I will start there. Any thoughts folks?
 
I rechecked my records of purchases. The enlarger I bought in 2019 was from eBay but the Paterson timer was bought from Adorama which they got from eBay. The description on their site states 120V 60hz but apparently this is not what I got. Also I paid only $49.95 for it. Now it is $259.95!!
 
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Many of these newer household bulbs have an afterglow, and don't immediately go dark when turned off.
Second, that nail polish experiment was a very bad idea indeed. Smokey the Bear would not be happy.
Third, never use any device labeled differently than your actual line voltage. That doesn't make Smokey happy either.
 
What gets me is the specs in the manual says 230V 50/60hz but yet on the Adorama site it states 120V 60hz on the spec page. Is there a possibility that this model may have been modified to work in the US? I have been using this timer since 2019.

If it comes down to it; ether I need to get a new timer or find a step down version of this model. Seeing the cost of what one of these are now; it will not be cheap.
 
The plug that connects to the wall from the unit is a 125V - 10 amp line. The out plug going to the enlarger from the timer is a 250V 10A line. I'm getting a hunch that this may have been modified. I wish I knew more about this stuff.
 
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