Darkroom Vents/ Fans

[wjk]

I've seen special darkroom fans and vents advertised (they are black)---are they worth getting or will "normal" fans/vents work in a darkroom application?

 

[ladyphotog]

What do you mean by 'normal'? It depends on the size of your darkroom how much ventilation you will need. My darkroom is in my bathroom and the bathroom fan works just fine.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I always agree with a lady, but would add, you need a bend in the duct. If a vent fan goes straight through the wall it will give you a light leak. Just a simple bend in the vent duct will make a baffle and stop that.

 

[ksmattfish]

If a vent fan goes straight through the wall it will give you a light leak.

I think this is the main concern, and what makes a darkroom vent different from any regular vent.

I don't have any special vents in my darkroom, but it is a full sized room in my house, so it gets the same air flow exchange through the house vents as any other room. If I'm doing something stinky I just use a box fan to keep the air moving, and open the door a lot, or do it outside in my backyard. Many of the processes where ventilation concerns me, such as toning, don't require a darkroom; it's okay to do it the light.

 

[mysteryscribe]

Yes you cant do it like a dryer vent were you just drill a hole in the wall. But since home dark rooms aren't usually all that finished you can take your vent duct and stick it behind a table with enough surplus to make a twist in it, if you are venting through the ceiling. If you are venting through the ceiling into the attic for instance it is usually dark enough up there to not even worry about it. If you have huge attic vents you might want to put a bend in your bathroom vent duct but I don't think I ever heard of anyone having a problem with a ceiling fan leaking light..

Like you I never had a darkroom vent. I worked for a while then closed up the paper opened the door and ran a ten dollar twenty inch fan for a few minutes then went dark again. Since I was a smoker it was about time for a cigarette anyway,.

 

[Majik Imaje]

anyway you can introduce air flow with out letting light in is acceptable and necessary.

you can just make a box with two baffles in it and place it in any wall.

ALLOW air to move in through one box and out through the other one low the other high.

and it doesn't have to be BLACK!

that is the absolute worst color to ever paint any darkroom and it is done all the time.

Please read what Kodak says about painting a drakroom WHITE.. !

you will notice a huge difference immediately.! IF A ROOM IS LIGHT TIGHT.

then no light can get in... and the safe lights do a much better job! and the difference is AMAZING!

you WILL tire to easily in a darkroom painted black. I have had 15 darkrooms. My first two were black! then I read those words.. !! WowoW!

you got nothing to loose! but so much to GAIN! read what Kodak says!