# Bottling our 1000 Gal tank



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Get an automatic filler that you can attach to the outlet of your bulk tank.


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

check out Swienty bee supplies, they sell a honey filling, packaging pump
http://www.swienty.com/shop/default.asp?catid=1167


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## Duboisi (Oct 7, 2009)

A quick and cheap fix would be to put the tub on a weight. Will not be perfect, but you should do less overfilling.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

An Elgin 2 piston filler, with the big cylinders, I think makes it to 5 lbs. If not, double up the nozzles and run 2 1/2 lbs out of each one.

Roland


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## Skinner Apiaries (Sep 1, 2009)

irwin harlton said:


> check out Swienty bee supplies, they sell a honey filling, packaging pump
> http://www.swienty.com/shop/default.asp?catid=1167


Customs is a B. Buy American, at least its more convenient.


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## wabeeman (Dec 3, 2010)

I rigged a hose onto my 300 gal tank, then adapted that into my EZ-Fill bottler from Mann Lake. You have to watch your weights when using this machine but it's easy to calibrate. I weigh each container while the next one fills so no time is lost. When I bought it 3 or 4 years ago I figured it'd pay for itself in 9 mo to 1 yr. In reality it paid for itself in just over 6 months.:applause:


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## pahvantpiper (Apr 25, 2006)

Thanx for the replies. Does anyone have experience with the Simplex machines manufactured in California?

Wabeeman, why do you have to watch your weight with the ez-fill? Once it's calibrated aren't you set? They advertise being accurate to within 3 grams.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Rob, simplex 'AS -1' model I beleive, is an excellent machine.


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## wabeeman (Dec 3, 2010)

Wabeeman, why do you have to watch your weight with the ez-fill? [/QUOTE]

A quirk of the EZ-Fill is that it's pressure sensitive. All the tanks I bottle out of are elevated at least 3' off the floor. As the level in the tanks drop the head pressure decreases. As that pressure decreases the machine bottles less honey. It's a very subtle decline and the bigger the tank the slower the change. So, I just adopted the policy of weighing every bottle. Once the weight drops I adjust the machine and we're good for another 50# or so. It sounds inconvenient but once you get on to it you'll hardly miss a beat. I have 2 bottling tanks hooked together that hold a full drum. My wife and I work together. We bottle a mix of 8oz, 1#, 2# and 5# containers. To bottle, lid and label a 55 gal drum takes us about 3 1/2 hrs at a relaxed pace. When we fill out of the milk (honey:scratch tank I recalibrate less often because it takes longer for the level to drop. 

I ended up buying the EZ-fill because the initial investment was low, and I really didn't know anything about bottlers. Now I know next to nothing and still like it. It needed rebooting once (Mann Lake has a go to guy for that, just a phone call away), and I have to replace the cam lock (for the height adjustment) about once a year. Initial cost was paid back in well under 1 year and annual operating costs (to replace the cam lock) are around $30-$40. Pretty dang inexpensive all in all.

To bottle 5# tubs out of your 1000 gal tank would be a one person operation. You can lid and label the tub in about the time it takes to fill the next tub. Might be a bit slow for a big operation but we only bottle around 8 or 10 drums a year. I would think this machine would easily handle 3x or 4x that amount.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

So, maybe he should run the honey into a smaller tank that is kept full from the larger tank, therefore keeping the head pressure constant.


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