Tank and Drum Care
Introduction
With a little care, the JOBO tanks and drums should last a very long time. Follow the procedures below to assure optimum performance and to prevent future processing problems.
Tank and Drum Care
Disassemble the tank or drum.
Remove the beaker or funnel from the lid (except 3000 series). Take apart reels and center
cores (except for center cores or reels that are glued together). Rinse thoroughly all
components of the tank or drum. If you are going to be using the tank or drum for another
processing run, it must be completely dry before reassembly and loading. Towels, either
cloth or paper may be used to wipe out the interior and exterior of the tank or drum. A
special 'drumstick'-shaped drying device is supplied with the Expert Drums for this
purpose (#3007 or #3008). If you use a cloth towel, be certain it has not been
contaminated with chemicals from previous use. If you use paper towels, check for
'shedding' of small paper fibers. Any fibers found should be removed from the interior of
the tank or drum. Smaller components may be placed in the bottom of a film-drying cabinet.
To speed drying, you may use a portable hair dryer. (See warning below.) All tank or drum
equipment should be stored between uses in a clean, dust-free environment. Storage of wet
components is not recommended. Do not store tanks or drums with the lids locked on.
Notes:
The 2840 print drum is a combination of
a 2820 drum and a 2870 module. The 2850 print drum is a combination of a 2830 drum and a
2870 module. When reassembling the 2840 or 2850, be sure to align the drum and module so
the rails on the inside match. There is a notch on the molded ring on the outside lip of
the 2820 or 2830 drum body that is about 1/2" (12 mm) wide. This notch engages with
the one longer locking "tooth" located on the bottom edge of the module (below
the red locking ring). After aligning, pull the red locking ring on the bottom of the
module fully down to secure the coupling. Verify the alignment of the rails on the inside,
and roll the drum on a flat surface to see if it wobbles. If it wobbles, the module is not
correctly seated on the drum. Remount the module to the drum.
Because the 1500 series tanks do not have any rails inside, there is no internal alignment necessary when reassembling the 1526 drum from a 1520 tank and 1530 module. However, you should check for wobbling as described above.
After many processing runs you may find a buildup of residue on
the reels and inside the tank or drum. If this coating is not removed, it could cause
processing problems, such as chemical contamination or uneven development. Rinsing alone
may not be sufficient to completely remove the residue. There are several commercial
products intended for processing equipment cleaning all of which have proven effective to
use. Also, JOBO offers an excellent product for cleaning your processor, tanks, and reels,
called Processor Clean II, a powdered concentrate, available in two sizes #4135 (4.7 lb.
jug) and #4136 (4oz. packet).
Caution: Stabilizer (or Kodak final rinse, or any Photo-Flo type surfactant) should always be used in the following way: Use a dedicated container for the solution. This solution should be stored and used off the processor (at room temperature). Remove the film from the reels before immersing the film in the solution. If reels or tanks are immersed in these solutions, they will eventually cause processing contamination effects. The reels will become difficult to load. Rinsing or cleaning the reels or tanks after processing will not eliminate this problem.
Be gentle when drying the interior of the Expert Drum tubes. The walls of the tube are thin to transfer heat from the water bath to the film. These walls are easily damaged by impact, pressure or drying at too high a temperature. Do not use an Expert Drum if its walls are cracked or distorted, as streaking or uneven density will show on the film or print.
WARNING: If you use any heated air device, be sure that the air temperature is not too hot. If the temperature is too warm to be comfortable for your hands, it is too high a temperature. Always practice caution when using electrical devices around water. Use devices approved for drying in a wet environment. A ground-fault interrupt (G.F.I.) equipped electrical outlet is strongly recommended.