Tangential screens - whipped honey?

[user 3509]

We purchased some tangential screens to fit in our electric radial extractor as the bees have been very busy backfilling the brood boxes and not wanting to move it up into the supers. When we extract from the larger frames the honey that comes out into the bucket is always very light coloured, opaque and produces a quite thick foam. This only happens when using the tangential screens, and it is as though the honey is being whipped as it it being extracted. We only run the extractor at the lowest speed and then turn the frames half way through the extraction. Is this semi whipped honey normal when extracting tangentially?

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry to be the messenger but you are not using your screens properly.

Stage 1. Run the machine slowly to partly remove the honey facing the extractor walls. Side 1.

Stage 2. Turn the frames so the partly emptied side faces the spindle. The full side faces the wall. Run at a slow speed and then increase gently until nothing more comes out.

Stage 3. Turn the frame again and run until nothing more comes out.

The tricky bit is getting enough out of Stage 1 so that on running at higher speed on Stage 2 the honey on side one does not burst or "blow out" the comb.

Groth is caused by air bubbles so is the bottom of the cage running through the honey? If so you need to be emptying sooner. I used to constantly run the honey out my swing basket machine. Warmth and time will get themost of the foam away and the rest can be skimmed off.

PH

 

[bingevader]

Groth is caused by air bubbles so is the bottom of the cage running through the honey? If so you need to be emptying sooner. I used to constantly run the honey out my swing basket machine. Warmth and time will get the most of the foam away and the rest can be skimmed off.

PH

This is when we get the creamy effect, when there's too much honey in the extractor so the cage is in contact with the honey and so whipping it.
As PH has said, if we run it out more often or continuously it doesn't get whipped.

Could be something else though.
I'm sure someone else will let you know if it is.

 

[user 3509]

The valve is open all of the time in order for the honey to run out so there is no way the cage can be coming in contact with the honey and whipping it.

 

[Poly Hive]

Have you actually looked? That whipping occurs from a contact somewhere.

PH

 

[Beefriendly]

We purchased some tangential screens to fit in our electric radial extractor as the bees have been very busy backfilling the brood boxes and not wanting to move it up into the supers. When we extract from the larger frames the honey that comes out into the bucket is always very light coloured, opaque and produces a quite thick foam.

I think what you are seeing is a protein "froth". There will be lots of pollen cells capped over with honey in the brood frames that you are extracting, far more than in a super.
You often get a similar looking froth when you remelt OSR honey.

Either filter through small 400/200 micron filter or use the cling film method to remove it.