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yet another pryo hd mixing question

eddie gunks

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so i am mixing my own pyro hd.

first, i doubled it. so i was mixing 1500g in 1500ml of water for soultion B. i ended up with over 2000ml. it says add water to make 2000ml. did i mess it up or is this normal.

second, and more important, i mixed solution A. (again double the amount) well when i was done i thought i would mix what i had already mixed (about 2 months old) with my current batch. well i began pouring it in and it seems that he old stuff was a yellowish color, while the new stuff was more clear. did i ruin the new stuff? i added about 800ml to my new batch of 2000ml.

i had just developed some sheets yesterday with the old batch and it worked......

i am just curious on why it was yellow. i will develop again tonight.....i would hate to have to mix another batch. especially after the double i just made.

thanks

eddie
 

Chris Breitenstein

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Developers tend to turn a yellowish when they begin to oxidize, and some go a deep reddish when they are completely toast.

When mixing chemistry from scratch like that I will normally reduce the amount of water to between 50-75 of what is recommended. Always use hot water, as hot as you can safely work with (obviously you need to be careful when pouring hot liquids into glass containers). I found working this way makes the chemistry go into solution much easier and much more quickly.

Yours:
 

sanking

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The Pyrocat-HD B solution is a 75% potassium carbonate solution. That is, 750 grams of potassium carbonate mixed with water to make a total of one liter of solution. If you have 1500 grams of potassium carbonate in 2000 ml of water, you have it right.

As for color, Pyrocat-HD Stock A mixed in water is very clear when mixed, but starts to turn yellow or amber with age, and eventually will become dark brown. If mixed in water, yellow is ok, color of light tea is ok, color of dark coffee is not ok.

Sounds like your Stock A should be okay, but with that much solution on hand you need toi get out and expose and develop a lot of film in the next six months or so if you expect to use it all up before it goes bad!!

Sandy King
 
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eddie gunks

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thanks gys!

i will try a;ll suggestion.

yes sandy, i will get out and do some exposing. i have an 11x14 on loan from a friend so i w ll be souping in larger trays and i plan to shoot all 50 sheets! i will be sure there is ample solution my trays. i had problems beofre with not having enough solution to cover the negs! DOH!

thansk for teh tips on the color. i was thinking i ruined the good stuff with the older stuff.

i started with 1500ml of water and added 1500 grams of pot carb....i ended up with a bit more than 2000ml. i

eddie
 

john_s

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sanking said:
...... If you have 1500 grams of potassium carbonate in 2000 ml of water, you have it right.

Sandy King
Click to expand...

Maybe more clearly expressed as:

If you have 1500 grams of potassium carbonate in 2000 ml of solution, you have it right.
 
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