Warming Cabinets

[wightbees]

What are people using to generate heat in their cabinets to warm honey please ?

 

[JamezF]

I use a greenhouse heating tube.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hausen 12 inch tubular heater - some of the others have a low thermal cut off
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/31361120...4modPuGdol8U/IoOG+RS0/lKWD|tkp:Bk9SR7bahNj7YQ

 

[pargyle]

Hausen 12 inch tubular heater - some of the others have a low thermal cut off
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/31361120...4modPuGdol8U/IoOG+RS0/lKWD|tkp:Bk9SR7bahNj7YQ

I'll second that .. you need an old fridge or a well insulated box and it helps if you rig up a computer fan to stir the warm air around a bit as well. Great for jars. I use a LIdl Jam maker for buckets as it's quicker.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115788395064?hash=item1af586b238:g:C6AAAOSwkRNkKFsQ

 

[wightbees]

Thanks for the replies all.
How long roughly to melt a bucket with the tube heater you currently have ?
Please state size and if more than one . I need to build something, so most grateful for your input all .

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for the replies all.
How long roughly to melt a bucket with the tube heater you currently have ?
Please state size and if more than one . I need to build something, so most grateful for your input all .

I have a small counter top fridge (decommissioned) with a 12" heater like the one above- regulated with an STC1000 temperature controller. It will take one 30lb bucket or a couple of dozen jars. Setting the thermostat at 40 degrees was taking up to 3 days to melt a bucket ... even with a fan assisting. Jars seem to fare better. The Lidl jam maker - overnight to melt a bucket, so I use that now, I rarely have jars that are set so the warming cabinet is only there as a back up..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In a normal under the counter size fridge, I would put two 12" heaters regulated with an STC1000 unit, set it at about 45°C this gets it up to heat quickly and, depending on the honey it should be back to a liquid state in 24-48 hours (given the occasional stir)

 

[wightbees]

I have a small counter top fridge (decommissioned) with a 12" heater like the one above- regulated with an STC1000 temperature controller. It will take one 30lb bucket or a couple of dozen jars. Setting the thermostat at 40 degrees was taking up to 3 days to melt a bucket ... even with a fan assisting. Jars seem to fare better. The Lidl jam maker - overnight to melt a bucket, so I use that now, I rarely have jars that are set so the warming cabinet is only there as a back up..

Thanks for that
I did think about the water heater but I bought a load of larger buckets which I don’t believe will fit :-(( hence cabinet. At the minute I have a bodge which is poly boxes that I have just put together with heater and bucket in it with sheet poly over the top. But I need a better more permanent solution!!

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for that
I did think about the water heater but I bought a load of larger buckets which I don’t believe will fit :-(( hence cabinet. At the minute I have a bodge which is poly boxes that I have just put together with heater and bucket in it with sheet poly over the top. But I need a better more permanent solution!!

Most hobbyists use 30lb buckets .. beekeepers back is a real hazard and as you get older 30lb is a reasonably comfortable weight to shift around. Both the 30lb round tubs and the square ones I use fit comfortably in the Lidl jam maker.

 

[Pioneer]

What are people using to generate heat in their cabinets to warm honey please ?

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

 

[blackcloud]

4x 300mm tube heaters
Spreads the output evenly across the cabinet and the individual units get an easier time as they share the work.

 

[Buzz Off]

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

Thanks for sharing. I. Like the idea of an integrated fan. Would it be big enough to heat a fridge cabinet which is what I use as a heating cabinet

 

[SWHives]

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

Does this have a thermostat to adjust the required temperature or that needs to be purchased separately? Thanks

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

I used a similar heater in a cabinet for warming a stack of supers prior to extraction. Even using an additionalfan to circulate the warm air during periods when the heater was switched off I found that the heat was too aggressive and melted some wax causing honey to cascade out of the melting combs!
I understand that plastic buckets are less likely to suffer colapase but in a confined space the heater is likely to be constantly switch on and off. A small heater is much more controllable.

 

[wightbees]

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

Thank you for the link, this is very helpful. Not only for the honey cabinet but also my van i use for my business.

 

[Pioneer]

Thank you for the link, this is very helpful. Not only for the honey cabinet but also my van i use for my business.

They do have these in 12 volt as well.

 

[Prof]

I have a small 300 watt ptc heater with integrated fan I got from Amazon. I control it with an STC 1000 thermostat. I simply use an empty hive as a box. It holds a 30lb. bucket and several jars. I set it at 39c and within about 24 to 30 hours it liquifies crystallised honey. And that is outside in a shed with about 6deg. air temp. I do place a couple of furniture blankets over it for insulation work really well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-C...=300+watt+ptc+enclosure+heater,aps,114&sr=8-2

How is it wired up? There are no instructions?

 

[PeaBee]

I use a cheap oil filled electric radiator plugged in to an inkbird thermostat. Need a cabinet bigger than a fridge though!

 

[Garry R]

I use a cheap oil filled electric radiator plugged in to an inkbird thermostat. Need a cabinet bigger than a fridge though!

I use a Lidl Silvercrest jam maker for 30lb buckets at 40C, Generally about 24h depending on the ambient temperature. Two things though. Fill with water about 5 cm below the lid and remember to put the bottom grid in or too close a contact with the bottom elements will melt the bucket - personal experience. Also when you come to take it out there is a fair bit of warer lying on top of the lid of the bucket so dry it off bfore opening to dispense through a filter into the settling tank/jarring bucket. I also use the jam maker for dissolving sugar for winter feed syrup, 10L water, get to the boil and add 16kg of sugar. Keep the heat on, with stirring and it's dissolved in minutes. Open the tap and dispense into a plastic container (I use a sturdy black plastic one) and add the required thymol solution to prevent mould growing. Job done

 

[Swarm]

Yes, the lids get very wet. I invert a large dinner plate on top of the bucket which does keep it mainly dry but a thorough dry down is essential.