Chemical temp control, HELP PLEASE.

[Guest]

Twenty three years ago when living and doing my film myself in England, my problems were keeping the temps when film processing at a constant 68f because it was always cold, summer was the only easy time for the work and even then it was hard.
Now I am living in the south of the USA. Today I am doing my first BW film processing, my cold water tap temp is 72f, my fridge water is 54f.
So how do you chaps control your temps in the heat because there is no way the tank is going to keep that temp for 14 minutes of me turning it.
Fill the bath or sink at 68f is that how you do it ?

 

[graywolf]

Process at 72f. In the old days we used to use aluminum film cans with water in them that we froze in the fridge. But most of today's films can stand up to 100f.

There is a darkroom forum on RFF, near the bottom of the sidebar index.

 

[MartinP]

Pretty much, but a washing-bowl with cool water in, plus a a jug to add a little more if necessary. Just the same as in the UK in the Winter, except 'cool' not 'warm'.

Alternatively you can choose a higher dilution (thus a longer time) and compensate the temperature by reducing the time - as read from the temperature chart that comes with your developer. A few degrees fahrenheit won't make much difference, if you reduce the time, unless you are using a super-delicate developer for some special purpose film, or maybe Rodinal a little bit.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, it looks like the ice maker will be used for more than just my Gin and Tonic's now.

 

[maddoc]

Here in Japan with hot / humid summer and cold winter, I adapt my processing to 24 degrees C in summer and 21 degrees in winter. These are pretty much the stable temperatures of the tab water in my apt. and I find it easier to adjust dev time for different temperatures over starting with large water filled bowls or sinks.