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Thread: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

  1. #21

    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Location
    Forest Grove, Ore.
    Posts
    4,674

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    I put all my electrical and plumbing equipment on a single sheet of 5/8" plywood. It rests on two vertical 2x2's that are screwed into the wall. The sweated copper lines and connections are between the plywood and the wall out of sight.

    In addition the electrical to the left on the board, there are two different water sources, filtered and unfiltered. The latter are used for washing prints, cleaning the sink, trays, etc. The former are used for mixing chemistry. Filtered lines are run through hot and cold darkroom filters I bought years ago. It's important that the hot water filter can stand the heat.

    This took me months to complete while it sat upturned in our living room entryway. But it's handy, because when I leave this house, it leaves with me.

    This darkroom board is connected to water through two hoses, and connected to electrical via a plug.

  2. #22

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    The Highlands of Scotland
    Posts
    344

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Quote Originally Posted by Duolab123 View Post
    My senior advisor. Pistol Pete, Sr. Darkroom Cat. Not worth a darn with plumbing.
    Attachment 198180
    It's the lack of opposable thumbs that does it.

    Still, that's no excuse to criticise his abilities

    Mike

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Madisonville, LA
    Posts
    2,412

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Mine is my third and final darkroom. My next move will be either to a nursing home or a box. Don’t think I’ll need a darkroom in either. My plumbing setup is the same I had in my two previous darkrooms and is not going to change. This one was done by a plumber so it's a little more elegant. That's it.
    Last edited by Luis-F-S; 8-Dec-2019 at 11:41.

  4. #24

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    The intellifaucet is the only way to go. Had a Wing Lynch and it was more than problematic. Too many circuit boards. The trick is to find a used Intellifaucet on the cheap and send it in to have it refurbished to like new. Believe it only cost me $150 but since I only spent $100 on the used Intellifaucet it made sense rather than the $695 they cost new. The unit works like it was brand new.

  5. #25

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Madisonville, LA
    Posts
    2,412

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Kadillak View Post
    The intellifaucet is the only way to go. Had a Wing Lynch and it was more than problematic. Too many circuit boards. The trick is to find a used Intellifaucet on the cheap and send it in to have it refurbished to like new. Believe it only cost me $150 but since I only spent $100 on the used Intellifaucet it made sense rather than the $695 they cost new. The unit works like it was brand new.
    +1!! Mine was made in 1994 and didn't even need refurbishing. Your suggestion is definitely the way to go!!

  6. #26

    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    54

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Thanks to all for the more than generous response to my post! I've learned a ton from all of your experience (and pictures!), and appreciate the time and thought that each of you has given me. Thank you! I'm still putting all this together, and would be more than happy to share the outcome once everything's in place, if anyone's interested.

    PS FWIW, I'm still considering the Intellifaucet given the mixed reviews of shower-type mixing valves, however the cost of refurbishment is now $275 as quoted by the very helpful owner, Mr. Hass.

  7. #27

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    north of the 49th
    Posts
    1,419

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    I just picked up a Hass, but before that, I was putting my Powers Foto panel through its paces. Killer unit but I believe it needs soft water as mine slowed down and clogged with calcium, at least that's what it looked like. Tempted to get new cartridges or whatever they're called but would suffer same fate.

    My personal experience with the shower type controls... run ! haha. A non profit community lab I help out at, has one and it's a royal PITA to set the temp. Extremely sensitive.

    Also had a Rosy panel and it worked fine, and would not hesitate recommending them.

    iirc, a member here, (Greg ?) posted a video or blog about making his own temp control set up. All from parts available at a home improvemnt store.
    notch codes ? I only use one film...

  8. #28

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Quote Originally Posted by David Wolf View Post
    Thanks to all for the more than generous response to my post! I've learned a ton from all of your experience (and pictures!), and appreciate the time and thought that each of you has given me. Thank you! I'm still putting all this together, and would be more than happy to share the outcome once everything's in place, if anyone's interested.

    PS FWIW, I'm still considering the Intellifaucet given the mixed reviews of shower-type mixing valves, however the cost of refurbishment is now $275 as quoted by the very helpful owner, Mr. Hass.
    Sorry to hear that the refurbishment costs has risen to that level. I can only surmise that Mr. Hass has figured out that if the new units are not moving as rigorously as he would like, the costs of repairs need to escalate to generate a sufficient level of profitability. I will say that I looked at this piece of equipment as a long term investment in my darkroom commitment taking this variable out of play. These units last decades. Playing around with a mixing valve is not where I want to allocate my time. I want to set the dial and know that when the red light is on that is where the temp is going to stay. So if you can find a used unit that has seen better days for $100, it would still make sense to have to refurbished. If you can find one that works for under $300 like Luis did, it is a no brainer. The challenge is being Johnny on the spot when one shows up which they do occasionally. Good Luck!

  9. #29
    Tin Can's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22,319

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    I really like my Hass. Set it and forget it

    Controls temp at very low flow to high flow right now

    Almost silent yet I like to hear it quietly adjusting

    One less variable and I have a high quality analog dial temp gauge in outlet flow

    I cover the red leds with black gaff tape as I do with all DR led
    Tin Can

  10. #30

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Madisonville, LA
    Posts
    2,412

    Re: Darkroom plumbing advice needed, please

    Just bought a second unit on the auction site as a backup to mine. Made a low offer on a K250, they took it, and an RK250 showed up a few days later. Oh well I'll probably spend the few extra bucks to turn it back into a plain K250 without the communication harness. I'm guessing the RK units were used on mini-labs and the like to automatically change the water temperature as required. Kind of obsolete now. Sent it to Hass for a checkup and they said it will work just fine as it is if I don't get rid of the communication harness and the like. I'll see what the total service cost is and make a decision on the remote harness. The problem with these control valves is that they, as with a lot of professional photo equipment, just don't break. Mine after 23 years still works like brand new! Just look at Speedotron strobes, Durst, Devere and Omega enlargers! They just don't die. L
    Last edited by Luis-F-S; 22-Dec-2019 at 09:46.

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