Print washing while I sleep

**Eric Woodbury** · 27-Aug-2015, 12:34

I know it is not ideal to leave prints in the water too long, but I'd like to be able to print when I get home from work and then put the keepers in the washer and go to bed. I can deal with the washed prints in the morning. The question is, is there a water timer such as one might use for a drip system, that I could use to control the print washer? And, is there some handy water restrictor or flow device that I can install inline to get the exact flow through my print washer while washing (1 liter per minute for the Summitek)?

Thank you all.

--EW--

**sun of sand** · 27-Aug-2015, 13:05

That is a long time for paper
And a lot of water

A timer set to wash prior to waking up sounds good
Maybe best to at least rinse before allowing to essentially dry in the washer before water begins flowing
I don't know if that's the idea here
I just soak prints a few times

**Jason Greenberg Motamedi** · 27-Aug-2015, 13:12

Almost any hardware store will have watering timers with hose fittings

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-...s/N-5yc1vZc63g

You could just adjust your faucet or spigot to the rate you like.

**Eric Woodbury** · 27-Aug-2015, 13:53

SOS, it is a bit of a long soak for paper, but within my limits. Not a lot of water. One liter per minute for an hour is about 16 gallons. My washer stays wet when water off.

JGM, I just got a watering timer for my fruit trees. It is a pain to program. I rather have one that I'd set for a couple of hours and done. It's hard to set the water flow at such a low flow. The rubber washers can change with variations in water temp or pressure fluctuations. And I think it should be downstream from the timer in case the timer needs the dynamic pressure. I don't have a lot of pressure anyway.

**Jac@stafford.net** · 27-Aug-2015, 14:22

If you mix hot and cold to maintain temp you might awaken to a cold shower.

**Eric Woodbury** · 27-Aug-2015, 14:55

Jac. The darkroom has a 5 gallon point of use electric hot water heater. It should get through the wash with that and will have to, as I shut all the power off when I leave the darkroom I know too many photogs that have had darkroom fires. (2, which is two too many.) The house has flash water heaters, which don't work for a little trickle in the darkroom, anyway. Coldest my water gets in winter is 50F, not like your water which turns solid. Warmest is now and about 75F.