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-   -   First darkroom, I think I've ordered everything I need (http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=13340)

Nat Polton 5th August 2020 10:05 PM

When I used the bathroom as a temporary darkroom I had a board over the bath for the enlarger and trays.
The advice in those days was to run a few inches of water into the bath in case of any un-noticed chemical splashes. It immediately diluted any chemical spills and prevented the bath from getting stained.
I have no idea on modern electrical safety regulations for use in bathrooms, but if you are using an extension lead to power the enlarger, a Residual Circuit Breaker plug would be a very desirable safety precaution.

Britman 5th August 2020 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nat Polton (Post 134884)
When I used the bathroom as a temporary darkroom I had a board over the bath for the enlarger and trays.
The advice in those days was to run a few inches of water into the bath in case of any un-noticed chemical splashes. It immediately diluted any chemical spills and prevented the bath from getting stained.
I have no idea on modern electrical safety regulations for use in bathrooms, but if you are using an extension lead to power the enlarger, a Residual Circuit Breaker plug would be a very desirable safety precaution.

I have a table setup as I only have a shower. And yes great advice in the breaker

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JOReynolds 8th August 2020 01:26 PM

As posted by others before, the red LED lamps (screw or bayonet) sold for parties and other decoration make superb safelights for Multigrade - bright and really safe.
RCD is essential, often now sold for garden stuff. Test often as per instructions. Make sure the enlarger is earthed, preferably with a 13A plug - no adapters.

Britman 8th August 2020 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOReynolds (Post 134910)
As posted by others before, the red LED lamps (screw or bayonet) sold for parties and other decoration make superb safelights for Multigrade - bright and really safe.

RCD is essential, often now sold for garden stuff. Test often as per instructions. Make sure the enlarger is earthed, preferably with a 13A plug - no adapters.

The enlarger doesn't have an earth.

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Nat Polton 8th August 2020 07:17 PM

ENLARGER EARTH.
My enlarger is a Durst M605.
Just had a look at the electrics.
There are only two conductors in the original cable that goes to the transformer from the mains supply.
The transformer in turn only has two conductors going to the lamp holder in the enlarger head. So there is no earth supply at all.
I even put a multi-meter set for continuity testing, between the head and the vertical column.
There was no connection there between the head and column. When I had a closer peek I could see the head slides along the column in nylon shoes. Slim chance of connection there.
It is POSSIBLY double insulated.
Not being an electrician I have no idea if adding an earth to a double insulated piece of equipment is dangerous or not.
If any qualified electricians are reading this please let us know if it is dangerous to add an earth to double insulated equipment.
Assuming it is double insulated. And UK electrics.
Cheers.

Nat Polton 8th August 2020 07:20 PM

Earths on enlargers used to be recommended, not only for safety but also to reduce dust attracting static electricity.
Cheers.

Britman 8th August 2020 08:22 PM

My enlarger being such a basic one is literally a desk lamp inside a box with a condenser lens.

I can even pull the lamp holder out.

I'll take some pictures.

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Bob 9th August 2020 02:35 PM

There's a lot of exposed metal on an F30. Safety was not always uppermost on designer's minds back in the day, so I agree an earth is well worth adding.

Saying that, an RCD should prevent electrocution in the unlikely event of the metal becoming live, but you get no warning as it will not trip until you touch the live metal - had it been earthed, it would trip immediately the short occurred and will refuse to be reconnected until the fault is cleared. A fairly recently (re)wired house will have at least one RCD in the consumer unit.

Colour enlargers with a transformer may not need one as the voltage is stepped down to 12 or 24 volts via an isolating transformer and that is not enough to push a dangerous amount of current through the human body. Even then, a fault in the transformer can put 240V on the output instead of 12/24V (a typical failure mode for cheap USB chargers - NEVER buy cheap USB chargers!) so it's still worth having as a belt-and-braces addition but by no means essential. A colour enlarger with separate low-voltage power supply is a "Class III" device and is considered safer in this regard than "double insulated" (Class II). The double-insulated device should have either the class designation or the double-insulated symbol (one rectangle inside another) on the label.

Britman 9th August 2020 02:49 PM

Thanks Bod, I wouldn't know how to go about earthing it if it wasn't designed that way.

The enlarger is double insulated, the live can never come in contact with the metal part unless the cable has a cut in it.

Bob 9th August 2020 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britman (Post 134937)
Thanks Bod, I wouldn't know how to go about earthing it if it wasn't designed that way.

The enlarger is double insulated, the live can never come in contact with the metal part unless the cable has a cut in it.

Cool, in that case I would be happy with just the RCD adaptor socket.

Enjoy (finally! :D).


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