Developer Temperature?

I am developing Hp4 plus in ABC pyro. Right now where I live in

Hawaii and the temperatures are a little high. My tap water is at

80 degrees and even higher these last days. So far I haven't had

extreme problems but I would like to find a way to stabilize the

temperature of the water regardles of weather. I know there are

systems that have a heater and flow valve to do that. But is there

any way to reduce the temperature of the water? I want to get

consistency so I can control development some more.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Err.. You could place the prepared developer solution in the fridge

and let cool to the desired temperature. Alternatively fill some ice cubes and water in a bucket an let cool the container there.

Why not keep a large plastic container of water in the fridge? Then you can easily mix it with the tap water to bring the temperature down.<br>A litre of water at, say, 40 F will cool another 3 litres at 80 F down to give a total of 4 litres of water at 70 F. Enough to mix up a small tank of developer and sufficient left over for a tempering bath.

Christan, I've been struggling with the same problem for years. It was the price I had to pay for retiring to a warmer climate. The ambient water temp. in Arizona, and now Texas, seldom falls below 75 degrees F. It's easy to warm the processing and washing solutions, but, unless you install an elaborate water chilling device on the cold water line, it's difficult to cool down the temp. I handle the problem by chilling my water and stock chemical solutions in the frig. for a while before mixing the working solutions. Film developing is done with water-jacket tempering. Ice cubes in a zip-loc bag makes a convenient cooling device for the tempering bath. For printing, an ice bag placed into a tray of developer or fixer will quickly cool it down (use separate bags for each tray). Use larger amounts of working solutions. They will hold the temp. for a longer period of time. Washing can be done at temps. up to 85-86 degrees F, safely. Warmer than that, a hardener in the fix would be necessary. When I lived in Oregon, I needed to mix hot water with the 50 degree F ambient water out of the tap, or heat the solutions in the microwave. However, I found it difficult to work in the darkroom with layers of heavy clothes and a down parka, for nine months out of the year.

I'm in Miami, Florida so I know your problem. I develop at 75 degrees most of the year. I keep a plastic wash tub in my sink and stand my chemical bottles and developing tank in the tub which is half filled with water. I moniter the water temperature and throw in an ice cube from time to time as needed to keep the water close to 75. I've not found washing with tap water to be a problem even though it gets just above 80 in the summer.

Any of you folks washing at 80+ degrees F using TMX? Kodak adamantly maintains that the wash water should not exceed 75. I've not yet contradicted their instruction, and wonder what ill effects (reticulation? grain increase?) you might have seen after doing so.