Chemical shelf life

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bob - 06 Feb 2005 19:04 GMT

I have some bottles of concentrate. Some open, some not. I'm assuming that
the unopened Ilford developer and fixer will store for years.

What about opened containers? They've been sitting for around 5 years. Also
a bottle of HC-110 that's probably 1/3 used? I have a bottle of Perma-wash
that was put away with a crack in it. I have some T-max developer that's
been open for more like 7 years.

This stuff isn't that expensive, so I don't mind discarding it, but I don't
like to waste stuff if it's still ok.

Bob

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John - 07 Feb 2005 01:18 GMT

>I have some bottles of concentrate. Some open, some not. I'm assuming that
>the unopened Ilford developer and fixer will store for years.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>Bob

Toss it all. Some of the older canned stuff will keep for a
long time but the practical limit on any liquid is going to be around
5 years. Excluding Rodinal of course !

Regards,

John S. Douglas, Photographer - http://www.puresilver.org
Please remove the "_" when replying via email

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Douglas - 07 Feb 2005 15:41 GMT

>I have some bottles of concentrate. Some open, some not. I'm assuming that
> the unopened Ilford developer and fixer will store for years.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Bob

Your HC110 may still be fine. I am amazed at its shelf life both unopened
and opened. Unopened bottles seem to last forever. I bought cases of the
stuff, at about 0.10 on the dollar, back in the '80's from a camera store
that was going out of business. I finished the last bottle a few years ago.
Amazing. Opened bottles that are resealed may have some discolored dev
around the inside rim and you may find some small amount of glutinous parts
but it will still dissolve and work fine. Try mixing up a solution and see.
I'll bet it's still good.

The fixer, perma-wash, and T-max is probably toast. Don't know about the
ilford developer. Have a look at the fixer if there is precipitated flakes
or sludge then it's toast as well.

Douglas
Ottawa, Canada

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Andrew Price - 07 Feb 2005 20:29 GMT

[---]

>The fixer, perma-wash, and T-max is probably toast. Don't know about the
>ilford developer.

I don't have a bottle to hand at the moment, but from memory, Ilford
only guaranteed Ilfotec-DDX for two years unopened.

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dan.c.quinn@att.net - 07 Feb 2005 22:03 GMT

> This stuff isn't that expensive, so I don't
> mind discarding it, but I don't like to waste
> stuff if it's still ok.

My off and on small volume processing had a
lot of off-the-shelf chemistry going old. So, I
now compound all my own chemistry.
Last night I mixed up a 1/10th batch of
Ansco/Beers 120. The formula is close to that of
FX-1 film developer which has done well as a paper
developer. A/B 120 I think will do well as
a film developer. Dan

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PATRICK GAINER - 06 Mar 2005 20:10 GMT

The HC110 is still good if it has not been diluted. Put a drop of it on
a piece of film leader. It will not turn the film black. Add a bit of
water. If it then turns the film black, it is still good. HC110 syrup as
it comes has no water in it. The organic solvent does not ionize and
therefore cannot develop film until water is added.

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