Garage darkroom conversion plan (no mains power)

P

puggie

Messages
889
Name
Bill
Edit My Images
Yes
Putting this out for your thoughts guys and girls.

I have been evicted from my dark room (an unused cleaners/store room at work which is now being used) so I need a new place to play. I have a DeVere 405 floorstander which is no minimal piece of kit to house so I'm not in a position to move it around more than I need. Hence I have come to the idea of converting my garage into a darkroom... not a bad idea I thought but its part of a 1970s lock-up style garage block, there is no power available (unless I hack into the streetlamp on the end :))

So this is my plan does anyone else think its feasable:
I have no power so plan on doing everything off 12V.
Fit a 12V Dichoric lamp to the DeVere,
Find a new 12V timer or convert my Paterson,
Red LED strips are available from rapid that run off 12V cheaply
Take fresh water in for washing and use multiple baths
simple little PID controlled heater elements for keeping the chems around 20deg

I can then run everything off a 12V car battery (I actually have a 110Ah Hawker UPS battery in there already) and even chuck a small solar panel on the roof to trickle charge it.

The garage is reasonably dry, I'll probably store chemicals but not paper in there, and there is no direct light sources near it so light proofing should be easy if needed.

So people... your thoughts and ideas please.
 
I can see you huddled in a corner wearing a thread bare green cardigan, fingerless gloves and wellys, big icicle hanging off your nose and one candle...

A darkroom with no electrickery is really roughing it, its possible but developing and enlarging is hard enough without freezing your nutz off whilst doing it.
Might be a little more bearable in the summer but still....I dunno.

I think I'd be going down the generator route tbh, or maybe inverters and definitely gas heating..:)
 
I'd secure the garage and put all the crap out of the loft in it and use your loft as a darkroom ;)
 
Hmmm, I have an old calor heater in there, that is red when its on :)

enlarger is too big to fit in the loft, even in the tallest bit!! I have a smaller Durst but I can get away with that at work still :)
 
puggie said:
Hmmm, I have an old calor heater in there, that is red when its on :)

enlarger is too big to fit in the loft, even in the tallest bit!! :)
Click to expand...



Oh well, that's that then, when do you want me to pick it up ?....:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top