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Robert Ley
25-Sep-2003, 08:00
I am a recent convert to LF and have been doing my own darkroom work for many years. I have processed B&W 35 and 120 using a Unicolor film drum and roller and print both B&W and color. I have always sent out my C-41 for processing as I felt that I could not maintain the temp requirements of C-41. When I went to 4x5 I decided to get a Jobo rotary processor and picked up a CPA-2 and the 2509 reels and a couple of 2500 tanks. I also got some 2502 duoset reels as I would like to process my 35 and 120 color negs. I picked up a tank that would hold 8 rolls and tried processing 7 rolls of B&W film. Evidently this amount of film is too much for the CPA to handle as it barely rotated and I actually had to help it to rotate. I took it off the CPA to prevent damage and finished the processing on my Uniroller. I intend to use the 2500 tanks to process the 4x5 as I have used these reels with success. I looked on the Jobo website and noticed the 1500 series drums and reels. They are significantly smaller and use less chemistry. Has anyone any experience with useing these reels and tanks? Can you get good consistent developement with these reels? Any insights into useing these reels vs the 2500 reels would be appreciated.

Nick_3536
25-Sep-2003, 08:13
The 2500 series tanks work great for B&W on a unicolor base. That's how I'm using mine. I'm actually using the same eight reel tank on a unicolor base.

I've been having some discussion on rec.photo.darkroom about the 1500 reels. Seems they cause problems on the edges of 120 film. But are fine for 35mm. Actually they supposedly cause the same problems but the it'll end up being outside the image area with 35mm film.

Pete Caluori
25-Sep-2003, 13:32
Hi Robert, I think there may be something wrong with your Jobo processor. I have a CPP2 and frequently use the 3000 series tanks with 1 liter of chemistry and it has no difficulty turning. It's been a while since I processed smaller films, but I've done 8 to 10 rolls of 120 in a 1500 series tank with 1 liter of chemistry and again no problem turning.

Regards, Pete

scott jones
25-Sep-2003, 15:26
Hi there:





I too feel there is something wrong with your processor. Have you called Jobo tech dept???





I use the 2500 tanks for 120 film and get great results. I switched from the 15900 tanks because the 1500 tanks have such low volume, that I consistently ran out of developer capacity/volume for use with XTOL. I have found the 2500 tanks much better. I would be surprised if you can doo so many reels in one whack even if the tank will hold that many simply because you will use up you chemicals. My CPP2 easily handles a liter with its motor, perhaps the CPA2 is weaker? Again, a call to Jobo might help.





ScottJonesPhoto.com (http://www.scottjonesphoto.com" target="_blank)

William Marderness
25-Sep-2003, 17:19
You may have an older model, which had weaker motors.

Nick_3536
25-Sep-2003, 18:04
I'm guessing he's using an 2581/3 tank. If so it needs at least 1.25litres of solution. For B&W he could easily be well over that amount.

Robert Ley
25-Sep-2003, 19:13
Thanks All for your replies. I checked my serial # and went on the Jobo website. It appears that I have a very early model of the CPA. Although it has barely been used, the motor will not handle the load of 7 2500 reels and 1200cc of developer. The kit to upgrade the CPA is $561.30 which is more than I paid for the CPA originally. It seems to handle the smaller tanks just fine, so I can bite the bullet and get the upgrade or settle for running more loads. I am used to the Unicolor stretch tank which will process 14 rolls(15 in a pinch) at one time. Scott- I don't use XTOL, 60oz of D-19 and it works very well, but I understand your point of developer capacity. I am pretty happy with the Unicolor drum and B&W and am intending the Jobo for primarily C-41. I think that I will stick with the 2500 tanks and reels for the time being and just make more runs.

mark blackman
27-Sep-2003, 13:50
I too have an old version of the CPA - it will certainly handle a single 2509 reel in a 2523 tank with 6 sheets of 5x4 film, it will also handle an a 3006 expert tank. $561.30 is certainly too much to pay for an upgrade, they go for much less than this on ebay. I prefer to use the expert tank, it is far easier to load!

Robert Ley
27-Sep-2003, 15:01
Feeling that I should never say die, especially when I have invested so much $ in a new toy, I mean piece of equipment ;). I tried it again. I got some old 35mm film and loaded it on the 2502 reels. I put six in the proper tank to hold just the six (2563) put it on the cpa and turned it on. It rotated as it should. I then put 1000cc of water in the tank and once again it rotated as it should. It only slowed a very small amount, nothing like the other night. Feeling bold, I then put two more reels into the eight reel tank and tried the same thing with 1200cc of water. It worked just fine with no slowing of the rotation speed. The only thing that I can think of that may have caused the initial problem was the tank. I inadvertently had the bottom part of the tank on wrong. One of the small fins on the tank section was on the inside of the tank and the tank did leak like a seive. I think that it might have also rested on the second set of stationary rollers in the base of the CPA. This may have hung it up enough to cause my problem. When I tried to duplicate this I could not get the tank to come together wrong. In any event, everything is working fine and I think that I will keep her ;).