# Wireing extracting equipment in honey house



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I am currently renovating my honey house. Stripping it down and rebuilding it from the bottom up. I am re doing all the electrical work. 
Which leads me to a question,
how do you guys wire in your extracting equipment. Do you run the cords up to the roof, or do you build a hanging post from the ceiling with receptacles near the machines?
Just looking for the most practical way of doing things,
what do you think?


Thanks


----------



## soupcan (Jan 2, 2005)

I have no idea as to how the law reads up north but your best bet is to contact your insurance man 1st!!!
It can save you a head ache some time down the road!!!


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Dropping down conduit from the ceiling works well.


----------



## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

our electrician ran conduit from the service panel, to the ceiling, and then down to the machines. it doesn't look as nice as having it hidden inside the ceiling, but i think it was easier to do it this way. also make sure service panel is big enough for future expansion. i think we used a 250 amp panel


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

I prefer a rubber drop cord, ending in a twist lock plug, , on a good strain relief, at a height just above my head. 

Roland


----------



## Allen Martens (Jan 13, 2007)

Ian

I think you have a Cowen 60 like I have. We dropped a conduit down to the middle brace for the frame drip tray and have a bank of plugs fastened to a bracket under the drip tray. Cords all reach nicely and are out of the way.

When had my honey house wired the electrician used 12 gauge instead of 14. Easier on the motors and allows you to go to 20 amp if you want to. Would not have thought to do this but would never wire any outbuilding differently now.


----------



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

>> best bet is to contact your insurance man 1st!!!
It can save you a head ache some time down the road!!! 

no doubt!! I am contracting the work out and having the work done by code. As you say it will pay down the line otherwise,

>>our electrician ran conduit from the service panel, to the ceiling, and then down to the machines

greg, what did you use to drop the conduit down to the machines, and how many?

>> prefer a rubber drop cord, ending in a twist lock plug, , on a good strain relief, at a height just above my head. 

Roland, thats an interesting idea, do you know if thats is allowed within the electrical codes? 

>>We dropped a conduit down to the middle brace for the frame drip tray and have a bank of plugs fastened to a bracket under the drip tray. Cords all reach nicely and are out of the way

Interesting idea Allen, what did you use to drop the conduit down? When washing the machine, do you ever run into water drip problems into your electrical receptacles?


----------



## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

All I do is temp hold extension cord with 3 plugins from ceiling down to machines in 3 spots. Common sense says if inspector comes unplug cords and when done at night time cut all power via circuit breakers. Keeps both insurance and inspector from bother you too much.


----------



## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

we also dropped the conduit down to the brace at the frame drip tray. from there all the power was hardwired into the cowan control panel. haven't had any problems when washing down but everyone is fairly careful


----------



## Allen Martens (Jan 13, 2007)

We never had an issue during washing but we try to be careful as well. Now the auger motor I got wet and then turn on .....


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Electrical code is not consistant from municipality to municipality.

A strain relieved drop cord, from a switched buss bar, is the prefered method when wiring a machine with the "wiggles". At minimum, a machine like a milling machine, should have a short section of "liquidtight" (vinyl coated flex pipe) , and NOT a direct run of conduit. Something like an extractor that can vibrate alot can raise havoc on solid conduit. Our code states that we can not have extension cords on the ground in permanant situations, but there is no limitations on how long the cord on the machine is. 

Find out the laws, use them to your avantage. 

Roland


----------



## dgl1948 (Oct 5, 2005)

Have you checked this out?

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/honmiel/estman/ch4e.shtml


----------



## dgl1948 (Oct 5, 2005)

A little more info I had found.

Electrical
A 100 amp panel will be adequate to supply the honey house unless
electric heating is to be used. Larger operations may find it necessary
to have a standby plant to ensure the power supply. Standby power plants
should be attached to the 120/240 V side of the power supply through a
double throw switch. A minimum of a 10 kVA plant is required for a small
commercial honey house by itself. If the home is also to be served by the
plant a minimum of a 12 kVA plant would be required.
Power outlets in the extraction room and packing area and hot··room
should be kept to a minimum because of the wet conditions. Because the
equipment is centrally located, power is best supplied to the equipment
from the ceiling through watertight conduits and boxes. Utility plugs
required in the extraction room should be equipped with ground fault . interrupters and covers.
Particular attention should be given section 22 of the electrical code.
In addition to the safety aspects addressed by the code, sanitation can
also be improved if the required watertight wiring and electrical
equipment are used. '.
j
Further information can be obtained from the Canadian E1ectrical
Code -Part I.


----------



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

For you Canadian Beekeepers, do you all have your facility CFIA certified?


----------



## dgl1948 (Oct 5, 2005)

We are expanding our operation and looking at building a new honey house. We are considering CFIA certified.


----------



## soupcan (Jan 2, 2005)

What is CFIA for you kids up north???


----------



## dgl1948 (Oct 5, 2005)

Canadian Food Inspection Agency.


----------



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

You should get the process going now. The honey house is only part of the whole certification. Alot of it consists of paper work that provides trace backs on honey collected and extracted and processed. Also paper works that provides documented maintenance and clean up scheduling. 

Alot of stuff like that. They will work with you towards certification if you have the basic cryteria covered and with an action plan towards full certification.


----------



## Allen Martens (Jan 13, 2007)

My facilities are basically compliant as far as the physical plant is concerned. Probably will start the paper work next year. As long as I don't need it to sell honey or gain from it I don't think I'll bother getting certified.


----------



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Ya I hear ya Allen. you will have everything in order anyway. Paper work takes time and when do we have the time , if we arent seeing any pay back for the work, then why do it. 
But, at the same time, the industry here is moving towards CFIA certification, as is BeeMaid. So in the future BeeMaid is going to try to leverage the fact that all its suppliers are CFIA compliant


----------

