"Intereting" D-76

[John Kasaian]

I think I might have kept this stock solution a wee bit too long.
It smells like something died. And it is quite dark---like rootbeer (with no foam!)
The label is messed up so I have know idea when I put this batch up (fortunately there is only a few inches of the stuff left in the jug)
So my question is....how long does D-76 last? How long is it supposed to endure the ravages of time before expiring?
By comparson I've got some Ansco 130 that seems darn near immortal while the D-76 has rolled it's eyes and curled it's toes (well, after taking a whiff it curled my toes!)

[domaz]

From what I've read and experience a couple months is probably about it's limit. Especially in half-full bottles.

[Merg Ross]

John, dump the D-76. The smell and color will tell you that it is exhausted. Ansco-130, however, is known for its longevity and works even when coffee colored.

[Jon Shiu]

I once developed some tmax 100 with very old yellow d76 and it resulted in "bulletproof", very overdeveloped negatives.

Jon

[Thebes]

I recently used year old D-76 that had been sealed up 3/4ths full and was cold (frozen) for a while in my shed. It worked but exhausted more quickly than it should have. I also used fixer that seemed fine (color, odor) but took longer to completely remove a 35mm antihalation layer than normal. The mixed up stop bath worked fine, color indicator worked as normal and expected at least. The D-76 developed crystals like you get when you first mix it, I presume from having been frozen... these redissolved when I brought the solution up to a good mixing temp and shook it for a while.

Old chemistry works, but not so well as it should and it might not be worth the savings, probably best to throw it out.

[John Kasaian]

I threw it out. Peewwww!

This is really quit interesting for me since I go through a gallon D-76 fairly quickly and I've never before kept D-76 around long enough for it to turn bad.

Thanks!