Boosted solar wax melter

[Stedic]

So, I've been thinking of this for a few months and can't see why it wouldn't work. But if it did, surely everyone would do it, so...

Is there any reason I couldn't add a supplemental heat source to the underneath of a solar wax melter? The melter is great but I fine that in the spring and late summer it sometimes doesn't have quite enough heat during the day to finish the job.

If I put a thermostat controlled heater tube (or mat, or whatever) underneath the tray, which is enclosed in a box that I think it big enough, it could add a little heat and therefore be used on more marginal days.

What am I missing?

 

[theeggman]

What am I missing?

My guess is nothing other than the cost of the energy to heat whatever you choose to power it by. But if it reduces the time needed to melt your wax and makes economic sense go with it.

 

[enrico]

Hairdryer? The whole point of a solar melter is the fact that the power is free. I think that is what you are missing!

 

[Stedic]

Hairdryer? The whole point of a solar melter is the fact that the power is free. I think that is what you are missing!

Haha, I’m not suggesting that I would hear it on warm days. But for example, on Tuesday I have a day off. It will be sunny and 16 degrees. So it will get warm but probably not enough to get any wax processed. However, if I could get it up to temperature earlier in the day then for a small energy input it might get the job done.

I might do it as an experiment, just to see what happens.

 

[blackcloud]

While it's my mission in life to overcomplicate things,I don't see why you'd do this
If you're in a hurry then use a powered extractor or boiling down
If you're not then let the sun do it...

Why not build an insulated double glazed box for the solar extractor to live in?

 

[Finman]

.
You may add a mirror, which reflects sun shine onto melter.

But first thing is that melter must be insulated well, that it does not leak heat via walls or bottom.

Second, the thinner is the glass, the more it let heat through. Thin glass is easy to break to pieces.

The layer of combs, how thick. The quality, light or dark combs.

One thing is that it is better to empty melter often that already melted wax does not waste heat itsel next day.

When the comb is riff of frame, frames are better take off as hot. Finally I move melted combs to the hottest place to upper ort of box. If box has much combs, heat does not penetrate under material.

It depends, how much you want to spend time with that apparatus.
.

 

[Finman]

. But for example, on Tuesday I have a day off. It will be sunny and 16 degrees. .

My 2 boxes work only in over 20C degree. Some guys tell that they have miracle boxes but I do not have.

 

[steve1958]

If using additional heating you will need a power source. So this would be no good for me as it would end up too close to the house. If the smell of melting wax attracted bees or wasps my wife would be less than happy

 

[oliver90owner]

Hairdryer? The whole point of a solar melter is the fact that the power is free. I think that is what you are missing!

Seems that nobody has heard of solar panels? Solar thermal and solar electric. Free energy.

 

[Finman]

Seems that nobody has heard of solar panels? Solar thermal and solar electric. Free energy.

And who does use solar panel in wax melting?

 

[enrico]

Seems that nobody has heard of solar panels? Solar thermal and solar electric. Free energy.

Solar electric is not that easy. 12v and not a continuous current. I have 36 panels . They save me loads of money. I even divert all my spare electric into storage heaters that stay warm all night.
E

 

[blackcloud]

Seems that nobody has heard of solar panels? Solar thermal and solar electric. Free energy.

Electricity ,especially at low voltage,is inefficient when used for heating.
Solar panels would need to be very big (and expensive )

The whole point of a solar extractor is to cut down the use of resources.
There is no such thing as free-everything has a cost in some way

 

[enrico]

Electricity ,especially at low voltage,is inefficient when used for heating.
Solar panels would need to be very big (and expensive )

The whole point of a solar extractor is to cut down the use of resources.
There is no such thing as free-everything has a cost in some way

Depends on the FIT payments.
E

 

[alfazer]

Place your extractor up against a south facing wall if possible. It makes a tiny advantage because the wall holds heat from sun, especially after a good day or two of strong sunshine.
Also, if you have a greenhouse, put your device inside.

 

[oliver90owner]

For the naysayers. The solar energy is free. Low voltage heating circuits are just as efficient as high voltage - near 100% of the energy used by a kettle element finishes up in the water, whether 240V or 12V. Old valve technology used 4 volts to heat the valves and most had a high voltage battery to manipulate the signals - they would have used the same battery if the low voltage was inefficient, n’est ce pas? Solar panels last 25 years or more - they are not ‘consumables’.

Enrico clearly has a source of solar PV power he can use. Solar electric is easy. Point the panel towards the sun and the panel does the rest! Complication is really only when that electrical energy needs to be converted to mains voltage and frequency along with accurately phasing the generation to the grid supply. The box of tricks, that does all that automatically, is the inverter.

Where there is a will, there is a way, so they say. Thinking outside of the box is better than being constrained inside it. ‘Only nearly enough’ heat trapped by the solar melter only needs a relatively small amount of extra energy to do the job.