The "Hot Air" Solar Wax Melter/Extractor DIY

[JamezF]

Is it me or has the cost of new wax comb gone up and yet the beek trade in rate has not changed?

I suspect wax processing costs (to make foundation) have rocketed this year whereas the raw material may not have done the same. I think this winter I shall try to clean up all my wax without using electrickery or gas and make it into convenient size blocks that I can either sell on or use to make my own foundation strips if I need them. I've got quite a few year's worth lying about (about 30kg, I suspect).

James

 

[Hachi]

I suspect wax processing costs (to make foundation) have rocketed this year whereas the raw material may not have done the same. I think this winter I shall try to clean up all my wax without using electrickery or gas and make it into convenient size blocks that I can either sell on or use to make my own foundation strips if I need them. I've got quite a few year's worth lying about (about 30kg, I suspect).

James

Can't remember which one of the wax exchange companies it was but I was told they got fiddled when someone exchanged large blocks of wax with bricks in the middle!! Since then I turn it into small blocks etc that you can't hide a brick in.

 

[JamezF]

Can't remember which one of the wax exchange companies it was but I was told they got fiddled when someone exchanged large blocks of wax with bricks in the middle!! Since then I turn it into small blocks etc that you can't hide a brick in.

I've heard a similar story. No idea how true it is though.

James

 

[Garry R]

I wonder whether a simple very highly insulated box with a small fan and electric element plus thermostat would work ok, preferably simply hooked up to a solar panel. The biggest heat loss from my simple solar wax melters will be through the double glazed polycarbonate front.

My first try at the melter (about 4 years ago) used polystyrene sheet as the insulation but I am not sure what the temperature reached happened to be but definitely hot!! Hot to the extent that the polystyrene warped and cracked after a month so that's when I went with lining the box with 50mm Kingspan/celotex etc and it is fine. Still hot though and yesterday melted some cappings and got a good pound (454g (!!) of nice wax out of them and it wasn't really all that sunny. Just one more batch to do and it can go away for the year with a bit of grease on the office chair tube to keep it swivelling and rust free.

 

[Garry R]

I've heard a similar story. No idea how true it is though.

James

Best use of a brick is in the cistern of the toilet to save water and money!!

 

[blackcloud]

The brick thing was used to refill a PC after stripping out the components before returning the unit as faulty.

The local scrapyards always check for domestic radiators full of water and fridges filled with rubble.
The gypsies have to unload their families from the transit pickups before weighing -in not weighing out....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can't remember which one of the wax exchange companies it was but I was told they got fiddled when someone exchanged large blocks of wax with bricks in the middle!! Since then I turn it into small blocks etc that you can't hide a brick in.

I've heard a similar story. No idea how true it is though.

James

It was true - I can't remember whether it was Maisie's or Thornes that were caught out, but the following year I remember at the WBKA convention there was a notice up and they were smashing up every large lump of wax traded in to ensure there were no more rocks hidden in the middle

 

[JamezF]

Best use of a brick is in the cistern of the toilet to save water and money!!

I think all but one of ours are dual flush now, and there's no room in the cistern for a brick.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Best use of a brick is in the cistern of the toilet to save water and money

plenty of water here, and we don't get charged by the gallon either

 

[Hachi]

plenty of water here, and we don't get charged by the gallon either

 

[EnricoMarc]

I wonder whether a simple very highly insulated box with a small fan and electric element plus thermostat would work ok, preferably simply hooked up to a solar panel. The biggest heat loss from my simple solar wax melters will be through the double glazed polycarbonate front.

The guy in this video shows a fan/heater connected to a solar panel:


In my opinion, using a fan/heater connected to a solar panel is not so cost/effective, because the fan/heater requires a LOT of electrical power to raise the temperature in your box/melter. It will work probably for some small quantity of wax scraps but the costs are well above the smallest solar wax melter on sale. Increasing the number of frames to melt, increase the cost almost exponentially (you need larger/more powerful solar panels).

 

[Sutty]

The guy in this video shows a fan/heater connected to a solar panel:


In my opinion, using a fan/heater connected to a solar panel is not so cost/effective, because the fan/heater requires a LOT of electrical power to raise the temperature in your box/melter. It will work probably for some small quantity of wax scraps but the costs are well above the smallest solar wax melter on sale. Increasing the number of frames to melt, increase the cost almost exponentially (you need larger/more powerful solar panels).

That may well be the case, though I wonder if the ability to insulate much more efficiently would counterbalance the loss of efficiency.
Could only know by trying!

 

[enrico]

I think my solar extractor would melt the fan!

 

[roche]

That may well be the case, though I wonder if the ability to insulate much more efficiently would counterbalance the loss of efficiency.
Could only know by trying!

Probably not.
The efficiency of PV is about 20%. The efficiency of Solar thermal can be in excess of 90% (given vacuum tubes). A well insulated double glazed box with the air circulation fan and absorber, as described by EnricoMarc would be pretty hard to beat.

 

[Rob H]

Here are some details of the extractor I use.

The box is constructed of chipboard or perhaps pallet boards would be better but the chipboard one has been going for about 4 years OK. The box is 900 x 650x 380mm the bottom is pallet planks. The box is lined with cellotex (25mm) lightly screwed to the box on the inside with penny washers to spread the load. The poly carbonate "window" is 20mm and is 960 x 570mm (it was old conservatory roofing and is level with the top of the box and overhangs the bottom of the box. The window is bounded by a strip of timber on each side of 900 x 20mm screwed to the box. The window is a push fit into position but held by a nail just pushed into a ovesized hole drilled into the top of the box which stops the polycarbonate sliding down. A couple of wooden turnkeys stops warping and prevents wasps and bees entering during use. The aluminium tray is held in position using cross pieces to suit yourself. The angle of the extractor is not important but the mount to the chair allows turning easily into the sun. Two side legs screwed to the box sides are cut to length to hold the whole melter at the angle you want. The silicone cake mould is supported level below the lip created in the metal tray. I painted the entire box with several coats of Ronseal 5/10year woodstain . It stays outside all summer and stored dry in the winter. Any questions just ask

Our local club made one very similar to this for use in the summer using an old double glazed single window and frame, seems to me to work a treat - in the summer.

 

[Garry R]

Our local club made one very similar to this for use in the summer using an old double glazed single window and frame, seems to me to work a treat - in the summer.

It still surprises me how hot it gets inside the extractor when you get a sunny day but the ambient external temperature is cool

 

[madasafish]

I built a simple solar extractor some 7 years ago. Works well on hot summer days.
Works tolerably well in May to September.
But as weather in May and September is notoriously variable, you cannot rely on it then.

I then made a simple steam wallpaper stripper based one . This works so well it can melt approx 2-3 kg of wax in an hour, as long as ambient temperatures are above 15C. Below 15C heat loss becomes an issues despite an insulated roof .
So I no longer use my solar extractor.
(Most of my surplus wax occurs in mid Spring and mid September when solar is useless here.

 

[Antipodes]

I built a simple solar extractor some 7 years ago. Works well on hot summer days.
Works tolerably well in May to September.
But as weather in May and September is notoriously variable, you cannot rely on it then.

I then made a simple steam wallpaper stripper based one . This works so well it can melt approx 2-3 kg of wax in an hour, as long as ambient temperatures are above 15C. Below 15C heat loss becomes an issues despite an insulated roof .
So I no longer use my solar extractor.
(Most of my surplus wax occurs in mid Spring and mid September when solar is useless here.

Yes...I agree....absolutely fabulous the wallpaper stripper ones.

 

[Garry R]

I built a simple solar extractor some 7 years ago. Works well on hot summer days.
Works tolerably well in May to September.
But as weather in May and September is notoriously variable, you cannot rely on it then.

I then made a simple steam wallpaper stripper based one . This works so well it can melt approx 2-3 kg of wax in an hour, as long as ambient temperatures are above 15C. Below 15C heat loss becomes an issues despite an insulated roof .
So I no longer use my solar extractor.
(Most of my surplus wax occurs in mid Spring and mid September when solar is useless here.

Any chance of a couple of photos of this paper stripper extractor?

 

[madasafish]

Basically the same design as the BBKA magazine a few months ago:
Floor
Metal screen for wax to flow on Steam jet inputs from rear directly above screen.
Mesh to clear debris, crap from combs.
Langstroth jumbo 5 frame nuc - converts to National with a wooden spacer
Polythene sheet to retain steam
Insulated wooden roof overlapping nuc to form a steam proof (?) lid.

I will add pictures later It has been banished to winter storage in the loft above the garage

Skill required to produce? Minimal. ALl home made mainly from pallet wood.

PS: PU glue melts at 100C