Question for Jobo owners - Cleaning Routine

[GDI]

I try to drain my unit after every use. But sometimes I don’t get to it and I get some mineral deposits. I know that Jobo used to make a cleaning powder ( I may have some but it’ll take a search Party to find it after all these years !), but I don’t think they make anymore.

So what are some ideas on techniques to help keep it clean?

Thx

 

[Tom Kershaw]

So what are some ideas on techniques to help keep it clean?

I find sponging out the machine with a tamp cloth works well.

 

[mshchem]

Every time I use my CPP3 I drain it through the valve. Next I pick up the entire unit and invert it, continuing to hold it until all the water is out. Then I wipe down the entire unit with clean rags.
Put it away cover with an old sheet. Then it's ready to go.

I have an old CPP2 that I bought off Ebay listed as " for parts" it was filthy, I took it apart scrubbed it up with Vinegar, and hot soap and water, fixed a couple minor things, still running fine.

I think the processor clean that Jobo USA sold was a pretty aggressive product, sulfamic acid or some sort. Too corrosive and didn't do as nice a job as simply pulling off the top and scrubbing with a soft sponge and warm water with a little dishwashing liquid.

I start to drain the unit right when I pull off the tank, that way by the time I have finished washing and hanging the film I can finish drying off the processor without waiting.

Easy.

 

[grahamp]

Ideally you want to avoid hard water, since the tank will be evaporating in use. I use weak citric acid if I think it is necessary. Or a denture cleaning tablet, which has citric acid as a main ingredient. Since the house has softened tap water I rarely need to do more than drain and wipe it.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I wipe it dry with a cloth and tip the machine to get all the water to drain.

 

[GDI]

Thanks for the tips on cleaning - I’ll try hot soap and water - and progress from there to vinegar, and then Polident!

 

[ic-racer]

I empty the remaining water with a turkey baster. I started doing this about 8 years ago after I took it all apart and cleaned everything and now the inside still looks like new.

 

[grahamp]

I siphon the water out of my CPE, tipping the unit as the level drops. There is not much left to mop out.

 

[Dani]

You can use distilled water instead of tap water. At the end just save and reuse. Also Jobo’s Process Cleaner was citric acid. I have somewhere the dilutions. I’ll have to look for them, but ever since I started using distilled water I stopped having issues with mineral deposits.

 

[koraks]

I siphon the water out of my CPE, tipping the unit as the level drops. There is not much left to mop out.

Same. I mop up whatever is left. The bottles I rinse out using tap water and ultimately place upside down to drip out & dry.
My CPE2 looks pretty haggard with lots of deposits, scale and some rust on the heating element. Some of the jars have uncleanable deposits as well; the fixer jar has a persistent silver coating to its inside. Everything still works just fine though.

 

[GDI]

You can use distilled water instead of tap water. At the end just save and reuse. Also Jobo’s Process Cleaner was citric acid. I have somewhere the dilutions. I’ll have to look for them, but ever since I started using distilled water I stopped having issues with mineral deposits.

Distilled water sound like a great idea I already save the Tap water and reuse it just because the unit isn’t plumbed and I have to carry my water into the darkroom/basement

 

[Sirius Glass]

To get rid of calcium deposits use in this order:

Lemon juice from lemons​

White vinegar​

Lime Away, I recommend the LIME-A-WAY® Toggle: The Large Surface Hard Water Stain Remover https://www.limeaway.com/products/l...rge-surface-hard-water-stain-remover-product/​

 

[Stankula]

Hello, I need to clean my Jobo 3010 tanks. I've tried with hot water and Bicarbonate of Soda, but not everything goes off.

 

[koraks]

If it's calcium scale, try acetic or citric acid. Pretty much any acid will do; the two mentioned are cheap and easily available.