Proper pH?

[Manprint]

Hi i was wondering what is the proper pH for water fountain? We print with a MAN Roland Rekord RVK -cloth sleeves at water ductor roller, no cloth sleeve on water fountain roller and water form roller is rubber -slightly larger to cover the thickness of cloth sleeve- and use alcohol. Currently we use 5.5 pH -though i know that is neutral for skin- measured with pH strips.

Would love your input

 

[turbotom1052]

most modern fountain solutions are buffered in the range of about 4.5 Current dampening systems use conductivity as a more accurate measurement of fountain solution. Instal a shrink to fit paper sleeve on your water form roller and you can eliminate the iso alcohol from the equation. The addition of alcohol will effect both your ph and conductivity.

 

[Dan Roll]

Regardless of whatever one believes about a 'correct' pH, you should run at the pH your fountain solution is buffered to run at. With most modern fountain solutions, attempts to run a pH higher or lower than the pH selected by whomever formulated the fountain solution will lead to extremes in concentration seriously interfering with how well the solution will run. It is usually best to run the concentration of fountain solution recommended by the manufacturer.

 

[Cornishpastythighs]

The 'correct' fountain solution for you is one that runs in your shop with your conditions (Plates,inks,temps). Make yourself a pH/Conductivty chart using your water and fountain solution. Monitor the solution to determine when it is time to change it and clean the system. There are plenty of places on the internet to find out how to do a pH/Conductivity graph, this should always be your first step when evaluating a fountain solution and to keep track of your process.

 

[Cornishpastythighs]

http://graphics.tech.uh.edu/courses/3352/materials/Fountain_Solution.pdf

An oldie but a goodie