E6 Stabiliser.

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soupdragon

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Do people here processing E6 use a separate container for the stabiliser or do you use the processing tank?
I'm wondering if the material the MOD 54 holder is made from is absorbing the stabiliser.
 
I use a 1 litre beaker and dunk in that. I have been told not to use stabiliser in developing tanks but I have not seen any solid reasoning why. I would like to understand what happens if you do put it in a tank though...
 
Terry Jones said:
I use a 1 litre beaker and dunk in that. I have been told not to use stabiliser in developing tanks but I have not seen any solid reasoning why. I would like to understand what happens if you do put it in a tank though...
Click to expand...
I've been putting it through the tank and am suffering red blotches on the film edges of Kodak E100.
I don't know for sure if the film holder has absorbed the stabiliser and not washed out but I will find out soon.
 
I should add that when I first started E6 I put everything in the tank, including stabiliser. But I have never seen any issues like yours. I use a Stearman tank which is ABS.
 
I cannot find any information regarding the material used for the MOD 54 holder.
If it is a nylon then that's a real problem.
 
I found this information from Jobo US in one of their technical leaflets.

"Caution: Stabilizer (or 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."


and the same information is repeated in the leaflet on drum and tank care.

 
Interesting. A shame they don’t explain what actually happens to the plastic. Presumably there is a build up of some type that combines with the surface of the plastic. So, good advice after all.
 
I’ve seen the same thing mentioned by Jobo, but without explanation or warning.
It’s not made clear what actually happens to cause the problem. Presumably stainless steel equipment would eliminate the problem, but that might be an expensive cure.
Alternatively, could there be some neutralising bath to cure the problem? I’m thinking of some kind of final rinse for the empty tank and reels. My knowledge of chemistry doesn’t extend far enough to suggest any useful candidates.
Elsewhere on the forum, Ian has suggested that unwashed wetting agent will eventually cause loading problems, but this seems to be a different matter.
 
It’s also noteworthy that none of the E6 kits on the market mention this as a potential issue. Just Jobo...
 
I suppose that’s because Jobo make the spirals. They must have done some testing.
 
Regardless of the materials Jobo/Paterson use, all plastics absorb liquids.
I believe some materials are more absorbent than others with particular reference Nylon.
If water washing won't remove the stabiliser then it must be getting carried over into the 1st dev and subsequent baths.
 
Another snipped from a document describing the E6 process.

The stabilizer bath improves the durability of the colour pigments and, in addition, contains a wetting agent to safeguard faster and better drying. Since the films will not be rinsed again after stabilizing, this process must never be done in the processor.
Remaining stabilizer bath residues would have a negative impact on the first developer during the next process run.
 
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