Further Paterson washer problem with siphoning

[Ulophot]

This seems to be looking like a saga, but I hope to bring it to swift conclusion.

Following Doremus's tip about filling the drain hose to restart the siphon action, several days ago I got the tank to empty itself in less than 5 minutes. Subsequently, when removing the drain"silo" stopper, a piece of the gray plastic at silo top inside broke off. The break appeared clean, and I epoxied it back into place with clear epoxy and let it cure overnight. New tries of siphoning suggested that perhaps I had not sealed every crack, so I resealed around the top edge.

With the tank full and still letting in water, as per instructions, closing with either the stopper or sheet rubber replacement I made makes no difference. The water siphoning is not as full as it should be and trails off as the water level reaches close to the bottom of where the the drain tube exits the washer, about 1.5" below the tank top -- which I don't understand, because the drain "feed" is at the tank bottom. Does this mean that the seal at the drain top is still not complete? I don;t want to build up epoxy that would interfere with a complete seal. Maybe I need to emory-paper down what's there?

[Doremus Scudder]

Philip,

It sounds like you have a leak somewhere still. Check your glue joint and the seal of the stopper again. Hose connections too. Silicone sealer is your friend :) Do make sure you have all the air out of the hose too.

Good hunting!

Doremus

[Ulophot]

Okay, thanks.

[Ulophot]

Yes, it doesn't take much air. The leak is an uneveness along the top, party perhaps due to the break, partly due to bumps in the epoxy, as viewed under magnification against a mini flashlight beam. (These details demonstrate, you, see, that I'm not utterly incompetent in all things physical, which is reassuring to me, if not to the reader. Sometimes I need it.) Buy placing a finger pad firmly over the top, I can make the drain work properly.

I have gently evened out the top with a small diamond file and have applied a thin layer of epoxy along the diminutive top side, which can be filed even tomorrow. Will The Great Drain Saga come to a glorious end?

[Renato Tonelli]

Of all the print washers I have used, the Paterson is the only one that seems to has a learning curve when it comes to emptying it. Versalab is similar in this respect, if remember correctly.

[Ulophot]

Well, my incomparable engineering skills having failed at least my imagination has not. The solution for a drain-pipe plug is museum putty, aka teacher's putty. Water-proof, malleable, reusable, non-toxic, cholesterol- and gluten-free. Works like a charm. Now, if I can just get my imagination to spring into action before I spend two days on the next problem...

[Maris Rusis]

I've used my Paterson Major Print Washer for more than 20 years and never once used the siphon feature. I just leave it full for the next print washing session.
This means I use slightly less water and the washer is ready for immediate use.

I think the siphon was intended to empty the washer to prevent the growth of mould and algae.
My answer to the mould/algae problem was to cover the washer between sessions with an opaque black plastic cover.
In the perfect darkness inside the washer algae won't grow and the pure water in the washer appears not to support mould either.

Years ago I would add a capful of Listerine to the washer water if I wasn't going to use it for a while. I'm not sure it made any difference.
Once a year I add laundry bleach to the washer and run it until the effluent runs bleach free. This is to sanitise the print basket which is a difficult and awkward thing to scrub.

[esearing]

Instead of relying on the plastic channel, use a piece of tubing in its place. Or just drill a hole near the bottom and use a rubber cork .

[Ulophot]

Thanks, gents. Maris, my printing sessions, regrettably, are sometime a couple of months apart. In the summer, unless I am in there and running the window-mount air-conditioner, it's sometimes 80 degrees F with 60+ percent relative humidity. I do appreciate your note on the bleach bath for the basket. I hadn't thought about it. Maybe it won't be needed, but I'll keep it in mind.

esearing, thanks for the thought. The putty works perfectly. The last thing I wish to do is drill a hole. With my skill level, I would be soon saving up for a new washer, and this one was already a family Christmas gift.