old fridge for wax filtering?

[Blacky50]

Rather than have to go through a process of warming and filtering in batches I was wondering about setting up a filtration process in a 70C environment so that it could be more continuous. All I would need to do is feed raw wax onto the filter and clean wax would come out into a suitable container. When its full switch it all off and wait for it to cool and leave me with nice clean wax.

An old fridge would do as an insulated box and should stand 70C inside without a problem.

Heat source could be a 500w security floodlight as it has a waterproof design with a good heat source inside.

I've got an STC1000 thermostat to control the temperature closely.

Has anyone else tried this or is it likely to fail for something I haven't thought of?

 

[drex]

Think you are overdoing it on heat source. With 100 watt tubular heater my warming cabinet (in old fridge) easily reaches 45degrees, which is the hottest I would want for honey

 

[oliver90owner]

Three hives (colonies) and you want to be continuously filtering wax? Not enough for one decent sized batch each year, I would have thought!

What do you mean by 'raw wax'? Do you 'crush and strain' to get your honey? The wax filter used by Polyhive was about the best and likely most efficient way to get clean wax (apart from solar wax melters).

 

[Peterxix]

I use the ET05 Thermostat Temperature Controller with a Low Energy 1ft 45w Tubular heater, in my DIY Cabinet 4ft x 2ft x 1ft 6in lined with 50mm Kingspan My one is just for Honey not for wax, But I am sure that your STC 1000 will do the job just as well

 

[Blacky50]

3 colonies is a little out of date as I'm now up to 9. So yes it's a little over the top however with the temp controller can also be used for honey.

Raw wax as in having done a first melting from cappings and frames to remove pupal cases etc but it still has lots of impurities and isn't suitable for candle making.

Have you got details of Polyhive's filter?

 

[itma]

It is still batchwise, but you are giving yourself the option of bigger batches.


The filter will get clogged with the dross, which reduces the filtration rate.

Inside the fridge, you can't see how its going without opening the door and losing temperature control.

The control limitation of the STC 1000 isn't its accuracy, rather it is the heat transmission time delay between the heater and the sensor (plus a little thermal mass in the sensor). (A 3-term (PID) controller addresses those issues but is a little more expensive and requires tuning to whatever system it is attached to.)
So you really will need a fan, at the very minimum, to avoid hotspots getting well above your target temperature on each heating cycle of the STC 1000.


I think an old oven (with glass door) might be a better bet as the enclosure. But the STC 1000 is unlikely to be meaty enough to switch the standard heating elements in the standard wiring configuration.
Limitation with an oven is the reduced vertical drop that you have available.

 

[dpearce4]

you could get a broken glass fronted fridge from a shop or pub then you wouldn't need to open the door to see how its going?

A 2 or 3 inch hole in the top with a tube into a big hopper to put broken up wax that as it melts feeds into the filter system then drips out through a pipe that has an outlet from the side or bottom of fridge into tub where it solidifies. that could work maybe?

 

[oliver90owner]

Have you got details of Polyhive's filter?

No, but a forum search will doubtless work for you.

 

[Anduril]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=506&highlight=wax+filter&page=5 Look at the 2 videos

 

[Blacky50]

Thanks. Interesting bit of kit he uses.

 

[Apple]

I use Pollyhive's wet melt filter initially, but it is not filtered quite enough for candles.

I hot filter in a box I made from 1" marine ply, with a fan and an electric element from an old grill, temperature control is via a hot water copper cylinder thermostat, bi metal plate device, set at 70 ~ 75 degrees cent.

solid pre filterd wax block is placed in tundish on top with a lint ( furry side up) cloth, held flat atop a mesh filter.
hot wax drips into a plastic tray that can be lidded once cooled to keep out dust.

I usually filter at least twice.

Door is a thick piece of perspex.
Heating wax to over 120 degrees discolours it.

I get plenty of wax as my sister and a few other beekeepers bring me all their old fames and bits of wax, in exchange for my award winning Christmas candles!

note, use rainwater as tapwater can be slightly alkaline that can cause saponification of the wax. Dave Cushman's site recommends adding lemon juice to the first wetwash stages.

My box now has a Celotex / Kingspan insulation, seems to hold heat better.


Good luck

James

( That's another teabreak gone!!!)

 

[itma]

Thanks. Interesting bit of kit he uses.

I've never seen that type of kit offered for sale.

However, it is illustrated in Ron Brown's (now-old) book "Beeswax". So it is quite conventional, if not mainstream, kit.

 

[Anduril]

I've never seen that type of kit offered for sale.

However, it is illustrated in Ron Brown's (now-old) book "Beeswax". So it is quite conventional, if not mainstream, kit.

I saw one in use more than 30 years ago. I made my own version, using car radiator pipe funnel jubilee clips and an old electric kettle with the lid cut out over an old washing machine lid. All done before health and safety. Wouldn't recommend it now thou.