Xtol old stock

Hi, I would like to develop some films I got in the fridge.

I bought a 5 liters box of XTOL developer, it is too much amount to prepare,

so looking in my darkroom I have found 4 plastic boxes of Xtol to prepare 1

liter, is an old Stock (1997 more or less). I do not know if it is worth to

use these old boxes or better to trow it.

Can I trust on this Xtol?

 

thanks,

Jes.

If you have 4 containers of Xtol and you are worried about if they will still be good after 6 yrs, I would guess yes. To make sure, why don't you mix up one and try it. I have developed film in 25 yr old Microdol-x that was military surplus and it was fine. It also was in cans and not in foil lined paper containers.

Powdered developer has a very long shelf life. As suggested, mix up one batch and try it on one roll and see if it's OK. If so, go ahead with the rest.

But old XTol packages were known for NOT being airtight, causing the resulting developer to either be dead, or suffer the famous "sudden death" of XTol a few weeks after mixing. This was especially the case with the 1 liter packages. Not worth the risk, I'd say.

 

Buy 5 16 ounce glass bottles of IBC root beer, drink it, and you'll be able to store almost the entire batch of the 5 liter bag.

If the older XTOL packets have any lumps or hardness to them, it's bad and toss it. If it feels smooth, then run a test. You can just feel the sealed packets or that's what I do. I still have a very small supply of the 1 liter packets! It may depend on where you live. It's very humid most of the year in the south, so more of a tendency to go bad.