Enlarger Power Supply or Timer causing color balance issues?

[Jrewt]

Hi guys!

Since moving my darkroom, I'm having real color balance issues that I believed were being caused by the new fuji crystal archive paper, or possibly silver pixel chemistry. The enlarger is a Durst 1200 with a CLS 500 head, and I'm using a really old zone VI timer. After lots of work, it's come down to the PSU or the timer. Could either of these things cause a gross color shift to blue/cyan? I cannot get a neutral color balance, even in negatives that I KNOW print fine. Negative that used to print at Y:35 M:45 are now unrepeatable, even at M:0 Y:0 on the filter pack.

I have tried new lamps, new chems, new paper, different films, different chemistry temperatures, longer paper exposure times, and eliminated any possibility of light leaks.

[Drew Wiley]

While you're at it, be sure to check your lamps, lamp sockets, and filters too.

[Greg Blank]

& The mechanisim that controls the cyan filter?

Is there no starting point for printing given by the paper maker?

A timer is fairly easy to check with a stop watch....or another timer.

[Jrewt]

What should I be looking for when I check the lamp socket? The filters appear very clean, and rack back and forth accurately or so it seems- meaning, that when the filter is at 0, the filter is racked all the way in and not visible. The cyan filter is totally out of the way, as far as I can tell.. The timer or PSU could be going bad, or not regulating the current properly, and causing the color shift?

[Jim Noel]

I would be more concerned about the chemistry and the water.

[Jrewt]

I would be more concerned about the chemistry and the water.

I have tried Silver Pixel, Kodak, Tetenal, and arista? chemicals at several temperatures with tap, spring, and distilled water.

[Drew Wiley]

The socket connection(s) should be firm and free from any corrosion. Sometimes these
go bad. But I think you're on the wrong track. It sounds like a chemistry issue to me.
Are you mixing each ingredient well in sequence before adding the next one? Do you rinse between steps?

[Jrewt]

I have tried pre-soaking, washing between each step, NOT washing between steps. I have tried measuring chemicals with a digital scale and measuring with graduated measuring cups. I mix the chemicals to spec, as per instructions.

Before moving to this new space, I had never had a problem with printing C41 in kodak chemicals, at room temperature in trays.

[Larry Gebhardt]

Are your issues during one session, or do the problems show up when you try the same filtration during another session? If it's print to print inconsistency then I would definitely say it could be your enlarger. I don't know the CLS 500 head at all; does it have a voltage regulator?

[Drew Wiley]

I found that the difference between the older Super C Fuji CA paper and the new Type
II is very minor in terms of color balance, and the quality control of the new paper seems superb. This is cut from big batches which are certainly quality checked, so
a problem with the paper itself seems extremely unlikely unless is has been stored or
transported under horrible conditions. CA paper doesn't go bad easily. So I'd probably
rule out that as a suspect.