Washing prints in "hot" water

timeUnit · Jul 13, 2007

Hi!

The "mixer" or what it's called (blender?) that mixes hot and cold water for my darkroom sink and archival washer has started acting up. So now the washing water is between 27 and 30 °C.

How bad is that for the prints? Or is it OK?

I will fix the mixer as soon as I can, unfortunately I'm not so good with plumbing.

Steve Smith · Jul 13, 2007

I would think it was o.k.

Using my walk in archival washing facility (also known as the shower) I regularly wash my prints warmer than 30 degrees, possibly 35 or 40. and they seem alright.

Have a go at the plumbing yourself. Whenever anyone asks me to do plumbing for them I always suggest that they should try it and I ask "What is the worst thing that can happen?"

The answer is that you might get wet!

Steve.

juan · Jul 13, 2007

I regularly wash at those temperatures with no problems. I did find that I would have problems washing Efke film at that temperature unless I did all of my processing at about the same temperature. In other words, I'd have problems with film if I developed and fixed at 20 and washed at 30.
juan

Robert Hall · Jul 13, 2007

30C is a little hot for prints. Are you washing RC or Fiber?

At those temps, they will wash a bit faster, do keep an eye on the time as the baryta (the whiteners that some fiber base papers have) will wash out much more quickly.

Andrew Moxom · Jul 13, 2007

I use warm... never HOT water and have not had any problems. I am talking 25 to 30 Deg C temps nothing hotter. Fiber prints come out okay, as well as RC which I rarely use anyway.

JLP · Jul 13, 2007

Andrew, Don't know if you use Kentmere's Kentona but be careful washing this paper at any temperature higher than 20C The emulsion will come of real easy if you raise the temperature just slightly.

jan

Andrew Moxom · Jul 13, 2007

I've not used that but have tried it on Agfa Record Rapid, Agfa MCC, Forte PWT, Ilford WT and no problems so far.

Blighty · Jul 13, 2007

I wash my Ilford warmtone FB in regular changes of water anywhere between 30~35c. Haven't had any problems.

Rich Ullsmith · Jul 13, 2007

I washed a batch of prints overnight in hot water. I mean hot like the wife has the water heater thermostat set at maximum. It was about a gallon a minute in the tub. Of course, this was an accident, and I was horrified in the morning when I reached into the tub and nearly burned myself. Well, several of those are on the wall years later, with no ill effects. Yet.

Washing prints in "hot" water

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