# Bulk Tank Cappings Melter



## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

I am building a melter like the one in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVGUzgb43vU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm using a 300 gallon tank. The top dimensions of the tank are 3' x 6'. I will use 3 electric infrared heat lamps/tubes (2' long) in the cover/hood. 

I am trying to figure how many BTU's each lamp needs to be to efficiently maintain 200°F 16"-24" below the lamps.

Does anyone here know the answer for me?

Thanks,
Shannon


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Beeslave said:


> I am building a melter . Does anyone here know the answer for me?
> 
> Thanks,
> Shannon


Why not just use Cal rods or a water jacketed tank? Is there a greater fire danger with IR lamps?


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

The tank will have hot water circulated through the cooling lines set at 150°F. The infrared heat will be controlled by a seperate thermostat. The melter will not be left with the infrared heat lamps on overnight. The previous days wax that has been spun out should be able to be fully melted while extracting the next day. 

This design keeps most of the slum gum in the perforated stainless steel "basket" that the cappings are placed in for melting. Placing the cappings directly in the bottom of the tank leaves you with "fishing" out the slum gum or pouring it into your molds.....I want to avoid doing this.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Honey-4-All said:


> Why not just use Cal rods



Use what?


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

I will be using lamps like this.

http://www.infraredheaters.com/och.html


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

I use a jacketed cooker from a school kitchen it will hold the previous days cappings with about 5 gallons of water. bring the capping to just boiling then shut down. let settle for about 4 hours then ladle off the free wax (200 lbs +). The honey and water acts as a clarifier there will be a few inches of slum at the bottom. The slum goes into a solar melter to get any additional wax out. Then repeat for the next day. I bought my cooker at a school district auction for a $100.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>The slum goes into a solar melter to get any additional wax out.

I think you will need a wax press to properly get wax out of slum gum. This weekend is the end of the solar melting season in my hood. It's been a good late season following a poor early season.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Beeslave said:


> Does anyone here know the answer for me?
> 
> Thanks,
> Shannon


Shannon,
No, I don't. But I do have a question for you. Why wouldn't you just use the bulk tank for warming honey and filling barrels? Skim the cappings and render them in some other tank. If you can maintain 150 degrees honey you will most likely be burning some. It just seems to me that by keeping the tank cooler, the honey cooler and skimming off wax you will be producing a better quality product.

I hope you get youir answer. Maybe a professional electrician would be able to give you a better answer?


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Shannon: I dont personally know the answer to your question but Cook and Beals has been manufacturing this wax melter (originally a design by Fager up in Wisconsin I believe) for some time. They are using two 4500 watt elements. 
http://cooknbeals.com/waxmelter.php


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

sqkcrk said:


> Shannon,
> No, I don't. But I do have a question for you. Why wouldn't you just use the bulk tank for warming honey and filling barrels? Skim the cappings and render them in some other tank. If you can maintain 150 degrees honey you will most likely be burning some. It just seems to me that by keeping the tank cooler, the honey cooler and skimming off wax you will be producing a better quality product.
> 
> I hope you get youir answer. Maybe a professional electrician would be able to give you a better answer?


LOL Mark......that is exactly Why I'm building this MELTER. The cappings have already been SPUN OUT.....as I stated earlier. If you watch the video you will understand what I'm building and how it will be used.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Jim, that melter functions differently then what I am building. I have a really old model of that design. 

The melter I am building can also be used to easily melt down old comb while in the frame yet...unless it's plastic foundation. It can also be used to clean up excluders.


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

Keeping it simple will save you from hauling out to the trash heap out back. Been there done that! The solar I built will get to over 200 degrees on a sunny day in December. It's stainless inside and spray foamed and uv protected on the outside. The glass needs to be tempered to handle the heat (been there done that) tried to post some pics but I guess the size are to big.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Beeslave said:


> Jim, that melter functions differently then what I am building. I have a really old model of that design.
> 
> The melter I am building can also be used to easily melt down old comb while in the frame yet...unless it's plastic foundation. It can also be used to clean up excluders.


I understand that. I just offered that up as a possible example of how much wattage may be required for effective wax melting.


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

I have a c&b king melter which is not as good as Fagers original that I will sell cheap. I use the solar mainly for old frames. Cost per day $0


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Shannon, I think what you are looking for is 3-1500 watt infrared bars. Which would be right in line with what Jim said.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks Ron


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

Yeah that's gotta be tons of wattage as long as the tank is insulated... I know a guy that took a fridge and put 2- 100 watt light bulbs in it hooked to a probe thermostat for de crystalising jars, had the probe fall out and the bulbs got so hot they melted the plastic off of the fridge door overnight. If 200 watts can generate that kind of heat I'd have to think even a couple 1500 watt bars would be lots.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Be sure to increase fire insurance coverage.


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

And use lots of zip ties on the probe...


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> Be sure to increase fire insurance coverage.


Amen to that. We nearly burned down our building a number of years ago during a wax melting operation and I can name a number of others that were not as fortunate. It's a big part of the reason I no longer do it. All it takes is a malfunctioning thermostat.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

One isn't really a commercial beekeeper until one has had a fire.  Half sarcastic.


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## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

Before you go with the heat elements look into an industrial drier heater with a built in fan . They move the air around get just as hot and are safer. I know a guy that built one of those Cowen wax systems and thats all he uses to heat it . He will do 4 of 5 drums of cappings at a time .


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

I ordered 3 of these lamps(from a different supplier that was cheaper) to achieve the beam pattern combination needed for the surface area I need to heat.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/436598/Dayton_1UCP7_Electric_Infrared_Heater

They will be controlled by a Variable Heat Control unit so I can "tone down" the heat intensity. I will also have a line voltage thermostat wired in-line before the VHC and a high limit cut-off relay/switch as a safety feature incase the inside temps get to high.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Beeslave: 

You will need to find out R value of your insulation, the surface area of said insulation, the lbs of wax and honey processed, and how many BTUs it takes to warm honey and wax teh number of degrees you wish to raise it. It is actually easier using the metric system. Or......

Just follow the advise and try it. Improvise, adapt, overcome.

Crazy Roland


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

And use lots of zip ties on your probe


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