Testing Flexicolor bleach?

[peter k.]

Developed some C-41 but forgot to rinse with clear water before we Bleached.
Probably ok, but how do you test it, to know for sure?
thanks...p

 

[Rudeofus]

Best test is looking at IR density of your negs in an ICE capable scanner, about 10-20% IR light loss is good in my experience, anything higher warrants a rebleach/refix.

 

[georgegrosu]

What Rudeofus said is right.
If the intermediate washes do not occur between the processing solutions, there is a risk of contamination of the solution proccesing of film.
Contamination is transporting a quantity of developer into the bleach solution (for you).
It's hard to say exactly how developer is passed in the bleaching.
I found this for KODAK FLEXICOLOR.
http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/uat/files/wysiwyg/pro/chemistry/z100.pdf
Generally, when a problem occurs with a bleach solution, removing silver from the film is a problem.
The film has different colors on the beginning film's (fog) piece when viewed from the emulsion and other color from the support.
It is usually seen from the support, when it comes to the metal silver retaining problem in the image, it looks kind of green.

George

 

[Mr Bill]

Developed some C-41 but forgot to rinse with clear water before we Bleached.

Hi, the process was designed to go from developer directly into bleach, so if this is what you did there should be no reason to worry.

On top of what Rudi suggests, another way to sorta check is to take a junk piece of film, already processed, cut a bit off, and give it another 5 minutes or so of bleaching (fix and wash also). Then hold it up against the original part to see if it got lighter. If there is no difference, the original bleaching was probably adequate. (The assumption is that the bleach fails gradually, such that extended time will improve the bleaching.)

As a note, if you find that the bleaching was insufficient, you can just go back and redo it later (also refix and wash, etc.).

For people who run control strips there's a specific test patch for bleaching - it's a very good test, and pretty sensitive. (I explained it once on this site if anyone is interested.)

 

[Richard Man]

Mr. Bill is correct. NO WASH is needed between the developer and bleach with the Flexicolor chemical.

 

[georgegrosu]

Mr. Bill is correct.
I was thinking about ECN 2 process.
On the machine there are drop wipers between solutions that reduce transport from one solution to another.
I'm at home, I use a short rinse between the developer and the stop at ECN 2 process.
I read that the CD 3 transport in the stop bath should be small.
It's a graph from Kodak.
In the negative color process for the minilab, all sorts of solutions are sought to shorten the development time.

Grorge

 

[peter k.]

Thanks for the replies still trying to get some clarity.

Best test is looking at IR density of your negs in an ICE capable scanner, about 10-20% IR light loss is good in my experience, anything higher warrants a rebleach/refix.

IR as Infrared ???
Hmmm rarely use Epson Scan program but it has ICE. So we scan it and then what... how do you determine the IR loss to non ICE scan? Totally in a new area.
~~~~

another way to sorta check is to take a junk piece of film, already processed, cut a bit off, and give it another 5 minutes or so of bleaching (fix and wash also).

Will give this a try, and we tried to find your testing procedure but couldn't find it, could you give me a specific location. Thanks..

For people who run control strips there's a specific test patch for bleaching - it's a very good test, and pretty sensitive. (I explained it once on this site if anyone is interested.)

~~~~~~~~~

Sorry was not real clear with question...don't think it really makes a difference but:
We developed then we used a stop bath of distilled white vinegar 1:4 (mixed with distilled water) then normally do a plain water rinse for 30 to 60 sec, then do the bleach.
So the stop bath was actually rinsed off with the bleach, that's why we like to check it out, plus the fact that were using the same bleach for a second development group.
(Purchased another and mixed the Developer and using it still with the first groups Bleach:
Developer: Flexicolor LU Replenisher (8231672), C-41 Developer/Starter LORR (6601074)

 

[Mr Bill]

Will give this a try, and we tried to find your testing procedure but couldn't find it, could you give me a specific location. Thanks..

Hi, the explanation for using the control strips to monitor bleaching is here - https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/qa-ing-a-mini-lab.45018/

We developed then we used a stop bath of distilled white vinegar 1:4 (mixed with distilled water) then normally do a plain water rinse for 30 to 60 sec, then do the bleach.
So the stop bath was actually rinsed off with the bleach, that's why we like to check it out ...

Oh, ok, so the concern would be, does the stop bath into the bleach cause a problem? Well, that will lower the pH a bit; I don't know for sure if that could be a problem, but I'm doubtful, at least for one time. I took a quick look at the troubleshooting section of Z-131; they don't list any problems related to a low pH, which suggests that it's not an issue. But I dunno for certain. In my personal work, I wouldn't worry about it.