Print washing

[coops]

Just got a used print washer, the kind that allows for about 10 11x14 prints, and am suprised at how big it is, and heavy once filled with water. Really did not think about it when I ordered it.
Anyway, it,s too big for the kitchen counter. I could put it on the floor in the garage, use a garden hose, a large floor fan to perhaps keep the water temp a little lower, and it has a lid. The overflow can water my roses.
I live in florida, so my garage is on the warm side. Is water temp. still fairly critical at this time? I don't know how much difference there will be between the water in my home and that coming from the garden hose.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

[willwilson]

The temperature of the water is important. Fiber prints wash faster and more efficiently in water that is around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything warmer than that starts to soften the emulsion, which makes handling without damage (especially in a vertical washer) more difficult. I wouldn't wash in water warmer than 80-85 degrees.

Good luck! -=Will

[Greg Lockrey]

I always used hypo-clearing agent to reduce the time and volume of water needed to wash the prints. Water does get expensive over time.

[Brian Schall]

Some water facts for you:

Water weighs 8.34 lbs/gal and there are 7.48 gal/cubic foot.

You can figure out how much that washer weighs full. It will surprise you.

[coops]

The twash faster and more efficiently in water that is around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything warmer than that starts to soften the emulsion, which makes handling without damage (especially in a vertical washer) more difficult. I wouldn't wash in water warmer than 80-85 degrees.

Good luck! -=Will

Thanks. The water straight from my tap is about 76-77 degrees. I will do a run without prints and keep checking the temp for the duration of the wash and see if it stays around 75 degs or creeps on up.

[davemiller]

Some water facts for you:

Water weighs 8.34 lbs/gal and there are 7.48 gal/cubic foot.

You can figure out how much that washer weighs full. It will surprise you.

Why is water so much heavier in England?

[Greg Lockrey]

Why is water so much heavier in England?

Yeah, I always heard it as "a pint is a pound as the world is round".

[Alan Rabe]

I'd think twice about watering your roses with your rinse water. It is contaminated with fixer and I doubt that any plant will enjoy such a drink.
Also it has been proven that the effectiveness of a rinse is more a factor of the prints contact time with the water as opposed to the volume of water. So you really just need to have a flow of what I refer to as a fast trickle. Any more and you are just wasting water. The water replaces the fixer in the print and it has to be in contact with the print to do so.

[W K Longcor]

Yeah, I always heard it as "a pint is a pound as the world is round".

8 pint in a gal. = 8 lbs / gal --- but, I was sure Brian was wrong with the 7.48 gal/ cubic ft. -- looked it up & he is correct - wow! That weight adds up FAST.

[IanG]

But there's only 6.661378823 pints (UK) in a US Gallon, as it's short measure