# Water jacketed bottling tank maintenance



## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

I just purchased two used 25 gal Maxant bottling tanks. When I dumped the water out it was pretty nasty. Do ya'll add anything to the water in the jacket to keep down slime? Do ya'll ever change out the water?

thanks, Johnny


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

funny I was just thinking about that the other day when I was putting honey in to be bottled. I emptied mine out 8 years ago and it was fine. I'm going to put a bit of clorox in mine and see what happens.


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I have thought about putting a air stone from a fish tank in mine. 
David


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

I also got a Maxant chain uncapper. It has a cpl bad bearings. After searching old post I see this one doesn't have the bearings with slotted bases. I plan to order 4 new bearing. Can you think of anything else it might need.

Johnny


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I will see maxant tomorrow and ask them or call me you should have my number
David veith 
David enterprises


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## MAXANT (Sep 13, 2008)

Distilled water is fine to use
The pillow blocks are now standard with slots. Many years ago
They were not.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

I only use filtered water. I've also heard of people using antifreeze and water mix.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

I would not use Ethylene glycol, automotive coolant, I believe it is poisonous. RV antifreeze, or Dowfrost, I believe is Propylene glycol, and not poisonous. 

Crazy Roland


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Good to know Roland. I was always nervous about it. I bought a used 500 pounder and it had some kind of antifreeze in it. Used it a couple times is all. I only use mine to melt down beeswax and the longer I have it on the more settlement falls to the bottom. I've had a used 100 pounder that I've only used filtered water in since I got it. Goes thru water thou and I've been tempted to use antifreeze in it. Going on 7 years for me and I haven't had to change the element yet, knock on wood.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

Roland said:


> I would not use Ethylene glycol, automotive coolant, I believe it is poisonous. RV antifreeze, or Dowfrost, I believe is Propylene glycol, and not poisonous.
> 
> Crazy Roland


 Is it ok to use the RV antifreeze when you are applying heat?? I found some non poisonous antifreeze at HD. that is ok to use in heating systems, but it's alot more expensive than the RV antifreeze. I guess I should look at the chemical makeup and see if its the same as RV.


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

MAXANT said:


> Distilled water is fine to use
> The pillow blocks are now standard with slots...


Out of curiosity, what is a pillow block?


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/modified-pillow-block-bar-for-maxant-chain-uncapper/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillow_block_bearing


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

I have two 400 pounders and I use them year around for wax, honey, and syrup. I flush them out every time I burn an element up. Which for me is at less once a year.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

An old timer told me to add a little dish soap in the sump water. Never tried it.


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

The Honey Householder said:


> I have two 400 pounders and I use them year around for wax, honey, and syrup. I flush them out every time I burn an element up. Which for me is at less once a year.


Do you run 110 or 220 elements? I hope mine last longer than a year.

Johnny


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## Robin G Bedard (Mar 2, 2013)

something you may want to try is remove the chains and use stainlees steel screen, I simply fold mine over the bars that held the chains, after uncapping,, just remove the screen,,no tools and wash time is a breeze


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## Sharpbees (Jun 26, 2012)

wildbranch2007 said:


> I'm going to put a bit of clorox in mine and see what happens.


Clorox will react with stainless steel. It will eventually corrode the stainless.


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Johnny, Both are 220 elements, but some seasons the tanks run around the clock for days.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I have never drained the water out of my two. I just add tap water when necassary. I must not run mine as much as HHLDR does or at as high a heat. I have never replaced an element. Been using mine almost every week for 20 years.


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## Wilsonvillebeekeeper (May 18, 2009)

Sharpbees said:


> Clorox will react with stainless steel. It will eventually corrode the stainless.


We had an employee leave a clorox and water solution in 4 stainless steel tea urns over the weekend and the solution ate through all 4 by Monday moring. 
When we clean our steamer boiler we alway flush the chemicals back out.

Good luck,

Robert


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Mark, It probably doesn't help if you over fill the tank and the honey goes in the fill spout.:doh: I think my newer tank is 22 years old. 
I have one of my Dad's tanks that we used to melt up over 11 tons of beeswax in 2012. Used that same tank the last two months to heat 18 tons of syrup for spraying into frames for 2013 new hives. Just finished processing 2 1/2 tons of honey today to ship out next week. Start melting wax again next week. 

Really if the tanks aren't heating something, your not making money with them. 

I don't know if Maxant would recommend this for there tanks, but I'm looking to add a second 220 element to my main tank to get more output.:banana:


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

How about the stuff they put in hot tubs that does not corrode the pipes. Cant remember what that is. But, I have well water so it is probably going to go bad quicker then the tap stuff that has chlorine in it (bleach).


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

Fill your bottling tank with veg oil instead of water or RV antifreeze. It lasts forever and is obviously food grade


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

And when it goes rancid? What then? Maybe you forgot the smily face? I believe they were designed w/ water in mind. That's why they are called Water Jacketed Bottling Tanks. Vegetable Oil? No tanks. :0


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

adamant said:


> distilled water and emptied out of the end of the season


Ours will never be empty, we bottle year round. We have a 25 gallon Maxant for light spring honey, an 80 gallon Kelly for summer honey and a 25 gallon Maxant for fall honey. We bottle as needed. When they get low we refill and let set for several days for they wax and air to rise, then skim it off. They are inside a heated room and set to 100 degrees. So once they are up to temp they won't have to run much.

Johnny


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

And you can have french fries any time you want with it.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

sqkcrk said:


> And when it goes rancid? What then? Maybe you forgot the smily face? I believe they were designed w/ water in mind. That's why they are called Water Jacketed Bottling Tanks. Vegetable Oil? No tanks. :0


I'm not saying empty your deep frier. Oil keeps forever if you dont cook food in it. It will not go rancid. I got the idea a few years ago from guys in the dakotas. They have had there tanks filled in unheated areas for years without changing the oil


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## Lino (Apr 17, 2013)

Use *nothing but plain tap water* (no oil, clorax or other ideas). No need for distiled. 
You'll have swimming monsters (even if filled with distiled) if you don't switch on for some longer period of time. Heaters do the magic.
So, empty the tank if you know it will be off more than a month or two.

I know because we make tanks too: www.matuka.com/en/processing/HA/
It is a bit too far to buy but the best distance for advice


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## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

If your tap water is quite hard, will using distilled or RO/DI water extend the heating element life by preventing/reducing scale?


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## MAXANT (Sep 13, 2008)

Yes indeed! Ive seen what hard water will do the the elements. If in doubt just buy a couple gallons of distilled or purified water. Cheap insurance!


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Or if you are cheap, save some clean rain water.

crazy Roland


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Nobody is that cheap anymore but it's a great suggestion


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

Vance,

I wouldn't be so sure about that, just look at the revival of rain barrels.

You could also use water from a dehumidifier.

Tom


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Vance G said:


> Nobody is that cheap anymore ......


Then you haven't seen Brian's (Acebird's) extractor!


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

vance wrote;

Nobody is that cheap anymore but it's a great suggestion  

Ha!!! When I was "acting " as a machinist, every time it rained we ran out and filled pails from the down spout to use with the coolant(water soluble oil). I use old cereal box liners as sandwich bags for my lunch, which is home made sourdough bread(too cheap to buy yeast). I "liberate" calrods from water heaters found at the side of the road.

You have not see cheap yet.

BUT, it is important to keep dissolved solids out of water jackets.


Crazy Roland


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