Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > General discussions > Top Tips

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 17th July 2013, 02:10 PM
John King John King is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: County Durham
Posts: 3,319
Default Cleaning Nova Processors

Here's a tip I can say works and works very well. My nova 4 Bath processor is elderly (A bit like me) and consequently has serious levels of tar on the developing slot and to a lesser degree on the stop bath and bleach slots too.

I had heard that it was mentioned that Phosphoric Acid was good for removing tar (Road chipping type) from areas of car paintwork. I happen to have a 1ltr bottle of Aluminium Cleaner (For car wheels) in the garage which is a week solution of Phosphoric Acid. I bought it years ago from Machine Mart where they sell it under the Trade name of Clarke's for about £6-£10.

I tried it on the float that goes over the developer slot and it dissolved the tar and staining almost immediately with no vigorous brushing needed. Far better than the stuff sold by NOVA to do the same job. And cheaper too!

There is virtually no offensive or toxic smell either, unlike NOVA'S product, so can almost certainly be used indoors and it doesn't foam up like it either plus it rinses off very easily. I am going to drain off the whole tank next week so will post a before and after picture to let you see how good it is.

Update
I have just been onto their website and it is £4.43 per litre not £6 as I said before

Last edited by John King; 17th July 2013 at 02:13 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17th July 2013, 02:24 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,797
Default Any more 'better than' deals to pass on to us all?...

I got a bottle of Nova cleaner with my unit when I bought it some years ago now (secondhand unit btw) and to date have not had to use it!

Saying that, maybe I need to have a closer look some time soon...

Sounds a bit of a better deal you got there though John.

Any more 'better than' deals to be passed on by others?

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17th July 2013, 03:59 PM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

Household bleach works well but of course use gloves and take sensible precautions. If you are not in hurry make up a weak bleach solution and fill up the slots with and leave it for a few days and that will do the job for you. I usually squirt a bit of thick bleach in each slot the carefully top up with cold tap water from a jug, then leave it for about a week. The lids can be placed in a tray and given the same treatment.

Plastic / nylon film spirals can also be cleaned up by the same method - use a bowl, large jug or tray to contain the spirals.

Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch

Last edited by B&W Neil; 17th July 2013 at 04:03 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 17th July 2013, 04:49 PM
JOReynolds JOReynolds is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: St Albans UK/Agde France
Posts: 1,074
Default

Citric acid (5% solution, powder available from home-brew suppliers) removes tar effectively, if slowly at room temperature. The quickest method I ever saw was pure alcohol, distilled from the 1980s wine lake, at Kodak-Pathé in France.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 18th July 2013, 11:08 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,797
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by B&W Neil View Post
Household bleach works well
I always thought that bleach just whitened and brightened things up?

Or does it actually DISSOLVE any tar residues etc?

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 18th July 2013, 12:23 PM
John King John King is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: County Durham
Posts: 3,319
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
I always thought that bleach just whitened and brightened things up?

Or does it actually DISSOLVE any tar residues etc?

Terry S
Bleach will only whiten and brighten organic items or things made from organic materials.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 18th July 2013, 03:28 PM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
I always thought that bleach just whitened and brightened things up?

Or does it actually DISSOLVE any tar residues etc?

Terry S


It works for me and has done over a large number of years.

If you have a seriously tarred up Nova you may need something stronger to give it the blunderbuss treatment to get it back to pristine condition. The secrete probably is to not let them get too bad and clean them regularly. That is the system I operate and it saves money to buy some film / paper

Neil.




Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 18th July 2013, 03:43 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Daventry, Northants
Posts: 8,969
Default

The something stronger with less apparent drawbacks than Nova's Tarbuster would appear to be what John initially suggested

In my case even strong bleach has a problem with one of my white tubes used to cover the fixer slot.

John I take it that you have used this product often enough to be sure that there is no adverse long term effect on the material in a Nova.

My guess is that within a few weeks any adverse effect would have manifested itself.

Certainly if you have one Nova only and use it for both colour and B&W and want a rapid turn-around then the stuff John mentions would seem best.

In my experience once the dev slot has been used for a few weeks on a colour run then the tar build up is high and bleach takes several days to clear it and even Nova Tarbuster takes maybe 24 hours or so

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 18th July 2013, 05:15 PM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

Well I did say I usually leave the items I wish to clean soaking for about a week. I have no experience of using bleach as lightening tar buster

Scrubbing tanks with a toothbrush or the like to get a quick job has no appeal to, which I've had to do with even some commercial products. If the job can be done just as well with a bit of time and little effort - that's for me everytime.

Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 18th July 2013, 05:31 PM
Tony Marlow Tony Marlow is online now
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,282
Default

Quote:
If the job can be done just as well with a bit of time and little effort - that's for me everytime.
Manana manana tut tut Neil, what an example to set the younger generation, what has happened to the work ethic. Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

Tony
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Nova print processors: AlanJones Equipment miscellaneous 51 8th April 2021 08:33 PM
Nova print processors. BobRob Sale or Wanted 0 13th June 2012 07:40 PM
Nova Processors - renew or replenish? TonyMiller Darkroom 17 7th February 2012 07:37 AM
HCA in Nova slot processors TonyMiller Monochrome Film 5 5th November 2011 02:57 PM
Nova Slot processors for sale. Xpres Sale or Wanted 3 2nd August 2011 11:36 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:07 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.