I just bought a virtually unused Zone VI Compensating Enlarger timer and was surprised to see that the exposure cant be turned off with the exposure switch or a foot switch once it is started as it can with my digital timers. This seems like odd design so I just want to make sure that this is how the Compensating Timer works or if there is possibly a problem with mine.
I have two 4x5 enlargers with Zone VI cold lights (V54 tubes). (I mention that only in anticipation of someone responding that I have to have a sensor in my cold light for the compensating timer to function as designed.) One is equipped with a Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer and a Gralab digital timer. With that setup, which I have used for many years, I can turn the exposure on with my foot switch, of course, but I can also turn it off with the foot switch (or the expose button on the timer). I find that very convenient since I generally leave the timer set to my base exposure and then just turn it on and off with the foot switch as needed for hands-free burning. But I found that the Compensating Enlarger Timer must run its time out or be turned off by hand with the on/off switch. Of course, I can just cover the lens with my burning card thats inconvenient when the timer has a lot of seconds to run out. Its a small thing but one that adds up in efficiency during long printing sessions.
I am wiring up a spare foot switch that I have on hand to use with the compensating timer and had no problem finding which two contacts in the telephone jack that activate the timer. The expose button on the compensating timer also wont turn off the timer once it is started so I assume that this is just how the timer was designed but I wanted to check with other owners of the compensating enlarging timer here to see if that is normal for the timer. If it is simply how the compensating timer was designed, Ill just use another foot switch (that can handle the current) to turn off the power to the compensating timer.
I have two 4x5 enlargers with Zone VI cold lights (V54 tubes). (I mention that only in anticipation of someone responding that I have to have a sensor in my cold light for the compensating timer to function as designed.) One is equipped with a Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer and a Gralab digital timer. With that setup, which I have used for many years, I can turn the exposure on with my foot switch, of course, but I can also turn it off with the foot switch (or the expose button on the timer). I find that very convenient since I generally leave the timer set to my base exposure and then just turn it on and off with the foot switch as needed for hands-free burning. But I found that the Compensating Enlarger Timer must run its time out or be turned off by hand with the on/off switch. Of course, I can just cover the lens with my burning card thats inconvenient when the timer has a lot of seconds to run out. Its a small thing but one that adds up in efficiency during long printing sessions.
I am wiring up a spare foot switch that I have on hand to use with the compensating timer and had no problem finding which two contacts in the telephone jack that activate the timer. The expose button on the compensating timer also wont turn off the timer once it is started so I assume that this is just how the timer was designed but I wanted to check with other owners of the compensating enlarging timer here to see if that is normal for the timer. If it is simply how the compensating timer was designed, Ill just use another foot switch (that can handle the current) to turn off the power to the compensating timer.
