Fast solution to crystallized honey

[Tom Bick]

Just stumbled on this solution to soften crystallising honey in the jar when you suddenly get a reasonably large order for 100 jars and needed sap and thought I would share it.

Pop round to a friends house and put the jars in his fancy dishwasher on quick wash at 35 degrees. Works a treat nice clear honey and spotless jars and lids.

Happy days

 

[enrico]

Oh good one! I would be worried they would explode with expansion!
E

 

[VEG]

Think I will stick to my warming cabinet lol

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes I was a bit worried enrico and did a couple of test runs with a couple of jars each time one at 50 degrees that one was a bit of a worry and don't think I would risk it again as a bit of pressure built up but the 35 degrees worked a treat.

I agree Craig warming cabinet is perhaps the best way but this was a bit of an emergency and thought give it a go. My warming cabinet works off my central heating and is way to small for a 100 jars also needs to be a good bit colder to work well. However I have plans in motion to start a bigger electric job soon.

 

[itma]

You can get quite a lot of jars into a Lidl 'jam maker' …



And yes, heat transfer (at the same temperature) from water to jar is much faster than air to jar … so your honey clears faster without being taken hotter.

 

[Tom Bick]

Have been looking out for the lidl jam maker itma. Unfortunately lidl say they have no current plans to stock it also silvercrest won't ship to the UK for individual sales

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look on ebay for a tea urn?

 

[thenovice]

i have converted an old fridge with tubular heaters and a terrarium termostat. have not yet used it for honey but it keeps temperature very well at 28C (there are invertebrates in there now). could make the same for honey...

 

[Tom Bick]

Have a look on ebay for a tea urn?

Yes have considered that but you may struggle to get the big buckets into a tea urn. A friend is going to test his berco to see what temperatures it reaches at the various settings but as he uses it to clean frames its somehow not that attractive to me so may stick with the dishwasher for now. I can easily get 30 jars in at a time and more if I slightly modified the bottom tray as it has a number of large gaps for jars to fall through. If I end up with solid buckets then I will have to dust off the warming cabinet plans and bribe my friend once more for the use of a three pin plug

 

[BeeBeeKa]

may stick with the dishwasher for now. I can easily get 30 jars in at a time and more if I slightly modified the bottom tray as it has a number of large gaps for jars to fall through.

It`s all a great idea, and If it works well for you, and a dishwasher is always available, I would not bother with buying or inventing of anything else for your target.

If I end up with solid buckets then I will have to dust off the warming cabinet plans and bribe my friend once more for the use of a three pin plug

For this case let me help you a bit with the information you could find interesting:
1) I`ve bought this Universal 220V LCD Temperature Controller ( Thermostat) on Ebay for less than 10 euro inc. delivery. (I`m not sure whether am I allowed to give the full links by the rules of the forum)

It has a Temperature Controlling Range from -50°C~ to +110°C
2) I`ve bought 28W 28X53CM Adjustable Temperature Reptile Heating Pet Mat for less than 8 euro inc. delivery (on ebay also)

All I gonna do is to place a foam rubber on a floor(it would solve wires problems/damages), put a Pet Mat on it connected with thermostat, set a stand holding a honey bucket (or buckets) over it and a thermo-sensor placed on a shelf, frame the whole construction with an empty polystyrene langstroth BB(BBs), and cover it up with a polystyrene roof.
It`s a simple, cheap, apiary-available and, hopefully, viable design I did not tested it yet as I have not got the parts so far. But I`ll give it a go whenever it`s ready… and not just for a honey
Could it solve a heather/Ivy honey extraction problems If I preheat the whole frames, dear friends? What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your comments

 

[Hachi]

Have been looking out for the lidl jam maker itma. Unfortunately lidl say they have no current plans to stock it also silvercrest won't ship to the UK for individual sales

I've just picked one up off Flea bay brand new digital control and its awesome. I paid a kings ransom for it but, it was brand new and I knew I couldn't get one elsewhere.

I've also tested it and the temp control is very accurate which is pleasing.

Have you thought of trying to organise a bulk purchase? I for one would buy another and I know one or two others would too.

Just a thought.....

 

[Oscarmonster]

[/QUOTE]Could it solve a heather/Ivy honey extraction problems If I preheat the whole frames, dear friends? What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your comments [/QUOTE]
The comb loses its strength once warmed to the temperature required to liquify the honey. Results in a mess, easier just to melt it out.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

The comb loses its strength once warmed to the temperature required to liquify the honey. Results in a mess, easier just to melt it out.

Thanks Oscarmonster. I heard that extraction of combs taken straight away from a hive (warm frames) goes much easier. That`s what makes me to think that if I can arrange preheating of combs to a certain degree, it could help to solve some extraction problems of certain sorts of honeys (heather, ivy, rape…alike) It`s a pure theory as I have no xp in extraction at all. I just want to get ready to solve this kind of problems next year, when I buy an extractor.
AFAIK a temperature inside a bee cluster is about 34`C( if they have a brood). It does not mean that a temperature of a honey comb is of the same temperature. It might be slightly less, but it helps to extract anyway. So the question probably is: what temperature would be safe enough to avoid “the mess”, and at the same time efficient enough to help extraction? It looks like 34-35`C would be it, but advice of experienced beekeepers would be very much appreciated

 

[enrico]

Thanks Oscarmonster. I heard that extraction of combs taken straight away from a hive (warm frames) goes much easier. That`s what makes me to think that if I can arrange preheating of combs to a certain degree, it could help to solve some extraction problems of certain sorts of honeys (heather, ivy, rape…alike) It`s a pure theory as I have no xp in extraction at all. I just want to get ready to solve this kind of problems next year, when I buy an extractor.
AFAIK a temperature inside a bee cluster is about 34`C( if they have a brood). It does not mean that a temperature of a honey comb is of the same temperature. It might be slightly less, but it helps to extract anyway. So the question probably is: what temperature would be safe enough to avoid “the mess”, and at the same time efficient enough to help extraction? It looks like 34-35`C would be it, but advice of experienced beekeepers would be very much appreciated

The secret is to extract at the moment the water content allows and before any honey solidifies. That may mean several extractions during a year but if you have your own machine it is no problem. It also allows you to feed wet supers back one at a time and seems to encourage more collection of nectar.
E

 

[Hivemaker.]

The comb loses its strength once warmed to the temperature required to liquify the honey. Results in a mess, easier just to melt it out.[/QUOTE]

Granulated honey in cut combs can be brought back to a liquid state by heating, without damaging the wax comb at all.

 

[itma]

The comb loses its strength once warmed to the temperature required to liquify the honey. Results in a mess, easier just to melt it out.[/quot]

Granulated honey in cut combs can be brought back to a liquid state by heating, without damaging the wax comb at all.

But you do need very accurate temperature control … and a bit of patience! /// Though I've never heard of this being done with Ivy. I let the bees have it. They don't mind a bit of granulation, just as long as they have (bee-)safe access to water.

And then remember to let the wax cool before trying to extract. /// Remembering that this tangent was started with the suggestion of extracting "warm" - regard any extraction at above hive temperature as being adventurous.

/// And (again looking back to where this has come from) no amount of careful warming is going to be a complete answer with Heather

 

[Hivemaker.]

But you do need very accurate temperature control … and a bit of patience!

We use a large incubator, works well, not much patience needed, unless you cannot wait a couple of days that is, which many i appreciate don't want to do, they want it now, instant.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

We use a large incubator, works well, not much patience needed, unless you cannot wait a couple of days that is, which many i appreciate don't want to do, they want it now, instant.

I am very patient What temperature and what sort of honey do you use for incubating of it ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Granulated honey in cut combs can be brought back to a liquid state by heating, without damaging the wax comb at all.

Absolutely.
I have revived several jars of chunk honey by heating in the honey warmer.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

i am very patient what temperature and what sort of honey do you use for incubating of it ?

up?