Jobo CPP3 first impressions part I

As we wrote yesterday, the very first 115V Jobo CPP3 processor has landed at our warehouse.

 

The very first 115V CPP3 - SN #30001 - !

Today we had a chance to test the machine and dive into the all new user control interface, here are some of the new features we found:

The new user control interface is done via 4 flat panel buttons and a large 4 row LCD screen.
The interface might be familiar to those who have worked with Jobo's ATL 2X00\3000 machines, but seems to be more simplified then those machines control. As the CPP3 is a not a fully automatic processor there are obviously less functions to cram in, and the result is a fairly intuitive menu system with easy and straight forward control.

Once turned on the machine immediately offers to auto fill the main water trough (this is done with a water hook up to the cold water solenoid inlet). This auto fill function makes starting up the machine a breeze, you can start setting up your process while the machine fills up and starts to warm up the water and chemistry in the bottles.

The machine features a "semi auto" (Auto) mode with a built in timer and temp control alert. This Auto mode which has a total of 32 process channels (programs) allows the user to choose from one of the several pre programmed process channels which include most of the popular film and paper processes (E-6 and C-41). Channels can be modified to suit, and users can create their own process channel program in to any of the 32 available channels. In the Auto mode is a basic process timer which also incorporates the temp sensor in to the alerts.

In full manual control the user can control all the functions of the processor - heater, temperature, water pump, rotation motor and speed.

The heater of the CPP3 is by far stronger then anything Jobo has used before, which results in ultra fast heating times of the main water trough. We started with our wintery warm ice water coming out the faucets at just below 8C and were up to 20C in under 15 minutes, the run all the way up to 38.4C was not long, though we neglected to note the exact time on our stop watch (we will remedy this in the next report). This heater is also super accurate and will maintain a temperature within 0.1C.

The entire machine operates in near silence, the new motor and water circulation pump make a very slight hum as they roll. The motor reversing system is now fully electronically controlled, eliminating the infamous three prong "chicken finger" operated micro-switch making the operation of the motor even smoother.

We tested the machine with a 3005 Expert drum and found a super smooth rotation, even under full load. The rotation motor speed control offers stepless settings from 40rpm to 100rpm.

After spending the better part of today playing around with the CPP3 we were caught off guard at every turn by the simplicity of the design and the response of this new machine to various issues that came up in the 20 years since Jobo last introduced a new machine. It seems as though lost of input from worldwide users of the Jobo system reached the design team which implemented many changes to address these users concerns.

Stay tuned for our next post with more info on the inner workings of Jobo CPP3.