Voltage Stabilizer Necessity

Karl Ramberg · May 20, 2020

Hey everyone!
I'm going to be color printing soon. I got a great deal on a Omega D-5 with the Super Chromega head. The enlarger is in good working order and the last few things for me to start printing are arriving soon. I thought I had everything figured out but realized I might need a voltage stabilizer? How important is this for printing RA-4? My power supply for the head didn't come with one and the cheapest one I can find online is 300! My enlarger light seems pretty stable but I have no idea if that something you can see with your eyes.

Should I just wait, print and see if I get any inconsistencies?

Rudeofus · May 20, 2020

Before you plunk down big money, you should try to measure possible deviations of light intensity. Just shine light onto a white sheet of paper and measure its brightness, either with a light meter, or with a camera that has one built in.

Paul Howell · May 20, 2020

I got a used Unicolor voltage stabilizer, came with a timer I bought at one of the auction sites for $20.00. Don't care for the timer but hooked up the stabilizer to my D3, have not tested with a meter, but seems to work with black and white. My Saunders D7600 the regulator is built into the head. I just check ebay, a bunch for under $50.00.

jim10219 · May 20, 2020

I've never had a need for one. The power at my house is pretty stable and consistent. It tend to run a bit high, but it's consistently so, so all of my processes are adjusted to that. It might change if I printed during the middle of weekdays when the power grid is most strained, but I'm at work then, so it's not an issue. On the evening and weekends, assuming there's not a storm, everything is fine.

I'd try it without one first, unless you already know you experience issues with the power where you live. It was a problem that was a lot more common years ago, before they had smart grids that keep things more in check. These days, it's less of an issue. Though not everywhere has upgraded their grid system, so it can still be an issue for some. But before I plunked down a ton a cash on one, I'd want to make sure that I actually needed it, and just wasn't wasting my money.

Sometimes it's cheaper to find a UPS (uninterruptable power supply). They actually generate a sine wave off of battery power, so you're only indirectly hooked to the grid (the grid powers the battery and the battery powers the outlet). Those are sometimes cheaper than a voltage stabilizer and do a better job. Especially if you find a used one that just needs a new battery. Just make sure it can handle the current draw of whatever you have plugged into it.

koraks · May 20, 2020

Rudeofus said:
Before you plunk down big money, you should try to measure possible deviations of light intensity. Just shine light onto a white sheet of paper and measure its brightness, either with a light meter, or with a camera that has one built in.

What if the variations are too quick for the light meter to register, or too slow? What if they are too small to be detected, but still big enough to be significant in RA4 printing? So many uncertainties, even if you measure it the way you describe, which really only works well for very big variations with a duration of one or a few seconds.

Not that I have a much better suggestion, don't get me wrong. I suppose you could monitor the AC voltage on the used outlet (or even on the bulb itself) with a data logger/voltage monitor. Heck, even a fairly decent digital multimeter would work relatively OK. Then again, I have never come across any reliable criteria for the maximum permissible variations for color printing.

So in the end it's likely still going to be down to a simple 'just give it a shot without the regulator and keep it in mind in case you run into unpredictable problems'.

jim10219 said:
It was a problem that was a lot more common years ago, before they had smart grids that keep things more in check.

Yeah, true. But then again, perhaps not so true in the foreseeable future. Grid stability is predicted to suffer significantly in many areas due to the feed-in of intermittent power sources (notably solar & wind). Grid operators worldwide have already issues warnings against this and it's one of the challenges for which no solution is yet in sight.

Rudeofus · May 21, 2020

You could use regular black&white paper developed at gradation 5 as very sensitive light meter ...

Regarding very short fluctuations: what's the exposure time for your typical RA-4 work? If it is beyond 30 seconds, which it should be for dodge&burn anyway, then a second long fluctuation won't matter much.

One the other hand: if exposure is absolutely critical, and even a few percent of variation are likely yet can't be tolerated, then yes, a voltage stabilizer would be a good investment no matter what.

MattKing · May 21, 2020

If your voltage source is unreliable and inconsistent, you should use voltage stabilization.
If your voltage source is generally consistent, but you experience some variation from time to time, then you need to weigh the value of stabilization.
Without voltage stabilization, if you make a small number of prints, they are generally not too large, and you rarely reprint anything, then infrequent voltage fluctuation will be mostly an inconvenience, a bit of a time waster, and a source of a bit of cost increase.
If you make a large number of prints, and/or your prints are sometimes fairly large, and/or you regularly reprint, then infrequent voltage fluctuation will cause inconvenience, a significant time waster, and a source of increased costs.

koraks · May 21, 2020

Rudeofus said:
If it is beyond 30 seconds, which it should be for dodge&burn anyway, then a second long fluctuation won't matter much.

That would not be my main concern with voltage variations. The problem is that as the voltage drops, light temperature shifts, possibly causing a color shift in the print. It can be quite frustrating if test strips and prints aren't repeatable.

Sirius Glass · May 21, 2020

I bought my Chromega from a processing lab and they very strongly recommended using a voltage stabilizer for any location.

Karl Ramberg · May 21, 2020

Paul Howell said:
I got a used Unicolor voltage stabilizer, came with a timer I bought at one of the auction sites for $20.00. Don't care for the timer but hooked up the stabilizer to my D3, have not tested with a meter, but seems to work with black and white. My Saunders D7600 the regulator is built into the head. I just check ebay, a bunch for under $50.00.

You hooked up a Unicolor stabilizer to a Super Chomega Dichroic head? I'm looking at https://www.ebay.com/itm/UNICOLOR-D...907562?hash=item3d70871b2a:g:AoAAAOSwO4JbdG8b

How would I go about plugging this into my enlarger?

Paul Howell · May 21, 2020

No a D3, VC head, I use filter packs for color, wall socket, voltage, stabilizer, timer plugs into stabilizer, then the enlarger into the timer. Last time I used a D5 and color head was in the Air Force, early 70s and we had matching stalizier, but the color head has a standard 120 power plug so wall socket, voltage stabilizer, your timer, then your enlarger in that order. My D7600 color head the voltage regulator is built in.

mshchem · May 21, 2020

Yes if you have dirty power. The older heads used in commercial settings were vulnerable. Where I live now the power is perfect. Every light source I have has built in stabilizer and are closed loop, so these adjust the 3 RGB circuits. Back in the day I had a huge Sola (?) stabilizer, I bet it weighted 25 lbs. The other thing to consider if you have high power consumption you need a bigger stabilizer.
I would not get to worried if you don't have other things that drop the voltage (if your lights dim when the AC kicks in) . Everyone should have a decent digital multi-meter check your voltage if you are concerned.
Non-stabilized cold lights for black and white, there's a real problem.

Paul Howell · May 21, 2020

I have a old Bessler voltage stabilizer, must weight in around the same your Sola, still under the bench, and loud, needed to take it apart to clean the transformer plates, if possible, the unicolor seems to works as well. I have checked my power with a multimeter, even when the AC (220) and dryer come don't see a change. When I first moved to Arizona in 1979 my lights would dim when the AC came on, I left in 81 and returned in 86, power has been much more stable.

DREW WILEY · May 25, 2020

You'd need to get ahold of a pro quality voltage meter and check your range of voltage fluctuation different times of the day. The biggest problem is at industrial sites with high voltage coming in, but less than ideal step-down voltage internally. Most residential areas have reasonably predictable voltage, but not always. We recently had a computer modem blow out due to utility work in the neighborhood, which, thankfully, is now completed. Hard voltage swings can damage enlarger electronics and pop bulbs. But if your wiring is up to code and you don't have other symptoms like flickering lights except in lightning storms, you're probably OK. In fact, for my most powerful enlargers, I deliberately bypassed the voltage regulators and associated electronics because measured straight line voltage was even cleaner.

Mainecoonmaniac · May 25, 2020

It really depends on voltage fluctuations. It’s probably a necessity if your darkroom circuit is on the same breaker as your AC.

Chan Tran · May 25, 2020

I had the Beseler CB-7 with the Dicro DG color head. It has 2 24V 200W lamp. So instead of the transformer that step down from 120V to 24V I simply replace it with 2 24VDC 10A regulated power supply. Works great.

Voltage Stabilizer Necessity

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