Heating Element

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Mike a

Drone Bee
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
1,785
Reaction score
3
Location
Hampshire
Hive Type
Langstroth
Number of Hives
Between 17-20
I want to build a warming cabinet suitable to take both buckets and frames and if needs be maturing queen cells although not all at the same time :biggrinjester: so recently I bought this dual heating and cooling function thermostat off a well known auction site for a very good price £15 + P&P from Hong Kong suitable for the UK market. Other than the humble light bulb option I'm looking for a heating element to place at the bottom of the cabinet.

325922166_tp.jpg


I would prefer if possible some thing which is easy to clean and preferably 220V AC although if required I could always fit an adaptor to step down to lower voltages. Any suggestions please?
 
All mains (and a lot of low voltage items) have a power rating. Any would do within reason. Energy is energy, just regarded as 'higher' or 'lower' grade dependent on source and temperature.

A couple of older mobile phone-chargers may 'waste' enough energy to power a single-bucket melter! I know my router power supply is sooo very inefficient!

The adaptor you mentioned might even be a candidate.

Keeping clean is a design problem you could deal with.

Historically, light bulbs were used because they were inexpensive, easily available and available in various powers - cheap and cheerful.

Of course, a temperature controller would likely be better than a simple thermostat for some applications.

So, some things to think about?

Regards, RAB
 
So is a thermostat and a light bulb all you need to make an incubator fo Q cells?
 
You may find it easier to buy a cheap chicken incubator for queen rearing.

I bought this incase I need to bank a few virgin queens for a day or two while I make up some queenless nucs

12_0020_auto_m.JPG


Although I would prefer not to but it was cheap enough to buy at the time, but I was thinking about being able to warm honey in buckets or whole supers at a time if we have a good season. I have close to 200 acres of OSR with in a mile of my apiary so I'm dreaming a little I know... bee-smillie

Thanks Brosville, your suggestion is very tempting...
 
Last edited:
Try soil heating cable as a easily controlled heat source.Often sold complete with thermostat and work off 240V.
 
Hi if you go to a pet shop, have look at heating pads for corn snakes, or light bulb heating elements.
Regards
John
 
Six footer, I think you have it about right. Preferably an electronic thermostat that has fairly tight control and don't forget that a little humidity (humility) is required.

For a honey heating cabinet, keep your eyes open for a 2kW fan heater and control it from an electronic thermostat. Then you won't need to bother about the amount of honey you have to warm, just how big a cabinet you can build and if necessary pop in a fan and another fan heater.

Just make sure that you only pay between £9 and £18 for your fan heater. Believe me, it's what the pro's use.
 
I made a very successful quail and turkey egg hatcher using a 25watt light bulb controlled by the thermostat and gubbins from a floor heating controller (as in heated house floors). Accuracy to within 1.5C. Cost about £12 from fleebay.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top