Water Temp Control: I live in a part of the world were my water temps seldomly get below 70. Right now, I am able to shower without turnng on the hot water and do not expect to see...

wandering stranger Loc: Right now Vail, AZ

I live in a part of the world were my water temps seldomly get below 70. Right now, I am able to shower without turnng on the hot water and do not expect to see water water temps into to the low 70's before December or January. Does anyone know of a unit that will cool water for a darkroom or a plan fora device someone has devised for a unit that will cool water and provide cool to cold water? As always budget is a concern a very big concern. thanks.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

wandering stranger wrote:

I live in a part of the world were my water temps seldomly get below 70. Right now, I am able to shower without turnng on the hot water and do not expect to see water water temps into to the low 70's before December or January. Does anyone know of a unit that will cool water for a darkroom or a plan fora device someone has devised for a unit that will cool water and provide cool to cold water? As always budget is a concern a very big concern. thanks.

Consider ice cubes in a ziplock bag.Monitor temp to get to 68 and remove zip lock bag

Acufine3200 Loc: Texarkana USA

Before ziplock bags we froze water in various sized balloons. I haven’t looked for one in ages, but I’m sure Google can help you find a “chiller” that connects to the faucet (at floor level; below the sink.) It’s been almost 30-year’s since I bought, and installed one.

Sendai5355 Loc: On the banks of the Pedernales River, Texas

PixelStan77 wrote:

Consider ice cubes in a ziplock bag.Monitor temp to get to 68 and remove zip lock bag

or ice packs if available.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Get yourself some soft ½" copper tubing and bend around the outside of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Make a cylindrical coil with input and exit on the top of the bucket. With a tubing flare kit, flare ends and modify to accecpt 3/4" garden hose thread FxM. Place in the 5 gallon bucket, connect female end to water supply, male end to wherever you need the water. Fill bucket with ice, flow water. You've created a condenser.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Get yourself some soft ½" copper tubing and bend around the outside of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Using a tubing bending spring, make a cylindrical coil with input and exit on the top of the bucket. With a tubing flare kit, flare ends and modify to accecpt 3/4" garden hose thread FxM. Place in the 5 gallon bucket, connect female end to water supply, male end to wherever you need the water. Fill bucket with ice, flow water. You've created a condenser.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

wandering stranger wrote:

I live in a part of the world were my water temps seldomly get below 70. Right now, I am able to shower without turnng on the hot water and do not expect to see water water temps into to the low 70's before December or January. Does anyone know of a unit that will cool water for a darkroom or a plan fora device someone has devised for a unit that will cool water and provide cool to cold water? As always budget is a concern a very big concern. thanks.

Ice cubes and/or refrigerated water. I used to have the same problem, took hot tap water, put it in a container, put a thermometer in it, put it in the frig and monitored it until it reached the temp. I wanted.

wildweasel

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Get yourself some soft ½" copper tubing and bend around the outside of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Using a tubing bending spring, make a cylindrical coil with input and exit on the top of the bucket. With a tubing flare kit, flare ends and modify to accecpt 3/4" garden hose thread FxM. Place in the 5 gallon bucket, connect female end to water supply, male end to wherever you need the water. Fill bucket with ice, flow water. You've created a condenser.

home beer brewers have used these "chillers" for some time to cool the wort after boiling before adding yeast. You can check a brewers supply store to buy one if you don't want to build your own.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/copperhead-immersion-wort-chiller?variant=7554635956268&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-d-5xtmZ3QIV3rbACh27UAZ_EAQYASABEgIhMPD_BwE

LA Loc: Little Rock, AR

Back in the day we had this problem in the South and the wizards at MP and PP were OK with developing at somewhat elevated temps for B&W by adjusting the develop time. D76, e.g., had a table for develop time vs temp, I believe, according to my lousy memory. Is this not still true for B&W developers?

BebuLamar

depending on how much water you need. You can put a few gallons in the fridge.

GAS496 Loc: Arizona

I live near Phoenix and have the same problem. My ambient darkroom temp is 78. Since I only use distilled water for development of film and prints I regulate temps by keeping a gallon or two of water in the refrigerator to bring everything down to a nice cool 68 degrees. No need for an expensive water chiller, although they do make them, but I don’t use tap water anyway.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

wildweasel wrote:

home beer brewers have used these "chillers" for some time to cool the wort after boiling before adding yeast. You can check a brewers supply store to buy one if you don't want to build your own.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/copperhead-immersion-wort-chiller?variant=7554635956268&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-d-5xtmZ3QIV3rbACh27UAZ_EAQYASABEgIhMPD_BwE

The illustration on the website wildweasel supplied looks JUST LIKE they were following rgrenaderphoto's description of how to build one!

Photocraig

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Get yourself some soft ½" copper tubing and bend around the outside of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Using a tubing bending spring, make a cylindrical coil with input and exit on the top of the bucket. With a tubing flare kit, flare ends and modify to accecpt 3/4" garden hose thread FxM. Place in the 5 gallon bucket, connect female end to water supply, male end to wherever you need the water. Fill bucket with ice, flow water. You've created a condenser.

Shades of my Fraternity House homemade cold boxes we used to chill the beer from our kegs. Worked like a charm. But unless the OP is running a constant stream for a long time, or processing lots of film and paper, I think the Ziplock or a double tray ice bath solution to be more practical---if he's got an icemaker in your freezer.

C

lowkick Loc: Connecticut

You don't say what volume of water you want to chill, but how about one of those units you see in an office with a 5 gallon bottle of water on it? I imagine that some of them can be plumbed directly to a water supply. I have seen them for under $100.

wandering stranger Loc: Right now Vail, AZ

I had not thought of that, now it seem so obvious both my son and a close friend are brewers.

wildweasel wrote:

home beer brewers have used these "chillers" for some time to cool the wort after boiling before adding yeast. You can check a brewers supply store to buy one if you don't want to build your own.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/copperhead-immersion-wort-chiller?variant=7554635956268&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-d-5xtmZ3QIV3rbACh27UAZ_EAQYASABEgIhMPD_BwE