LARGE SOLAR

[DANIEL QUINCE]

I was wandering how do you melt the old wax from 20 supers? Are there plans for solar melters that will take, let's say 10 frames at a time? How long does it take in a sunny day at 70 deg? Is a large melter realistic? Or should I consider another method?
Thank you.
Daniel

[drobbins]

Daniel

I've been thinking along the lines of a top and bottom that fit on a hive body so it becomes it's own solar melter
seem pretty easy to do to me
it's on my list

Dave

[DANIEL QUINCE]

Thanks for the idea. Excellent. I'll start drawing it up. I guess the challenge would be to completely eliminate air flow inside. Thanks again.
Daniel

[NW IN Beekeeper]

The biggest enemy of the solar melter is true solar angles. The light angles vary with the time of the year as does the intensity and duration (length of day). This is especially true in more northern states.

Solar melter efficiency cn be improved by matching the slant of the box with the the sun's angle, but it also means a greater slant, which inturn causes a faster runoff (more dirt depending on your design and filtering).

A bigger box means greater heating surface, and the cold air is likely to pool in the lowest part of the box (likely where your combs lay).

You'd be better served to build multiple solar melters or go to a commerical melting system.

-Jeff

[DANIEL QUINCE]

Good point NW. We'll need to find a solution for the problems, and that process already started when you pointed them out. Thanks.
Daniel

[dgl1948]

My melter will take 3 deep frames laying flat. I can also layer it 3 deep so it will take a total of 9 frames. On a warm summer day 10 to 15 minutes will be all it takes. I also rotate the melter so the shadow stays directly under the melter, this way it is getting the strongest sun,

[NW IN Beekeeper]

Mother Earth News had a few articles (they might even be online) for building a solar heater for an entire room. The principle was not to eliminate air flow, but rather to circulate a controlled amount. The idea would be to make solar melter with a heat duct under it to create an up draft that would also by suction create a down draft in the duct. This would balance the heat in the upper and lower portions of the melter.

One part that makes the exact line up of the box is the sun arcs directly overhead at the spring/fall equinox (Mar/Sept 21 respectively). But during summer it arcs further north 30 degrees behind your head when facing south and during winter it arcs 30 degrees in forward when facing south.

I did some calculations a while back, and at my latitude my optimal angles were like this:

Spring:48 Degrees
Summer:18 Degrees
--Fall:48 Degrees
Winter:65 Degrees

[...On a warm summer day...]
True, but when temps get under 40 degrees, they aren't every effective in their current design (shallow slant). My calculations demonstrated exactly why, a shallow slant design isn't optimal for gathering early spring/fall or winter solar energy.

A good design would allow for raising or lowering the top edge of the box to increase or decrease the angle of solar gather. It would also incorporate a set of wheels or pivot to turn the box to follow the sun arc throughout the day.

Some times of the year a "set it and forget it" attitude works (there's just so much excess solar energy) but at other times our gathering must be much more precise as the energy is diluted and limited.

I hope George Fergusson (sp?) chimes in here, he's into astronomy and maybe he can explain it better or simpler.

-Jeff

[DANIEL QUINCE]

Jeff, you are crystal-clear. Thank you.
Daniel

[odfrank]

<<<I've been thinking along the lines of a top and bottom that fit on a hive body so it becomes it's own solar melter

This won't work. The sun actually has to hit the comb to substantially melt it.

[thorbue]

My solar wax-melter is a former refrigerator from a shop (used for cola etc.). It has a glass front a temperature builds op rather well. It has to be fitted with a stainless steel tray that covers the bottom, collects melted waxs and allows it to drain of into a container of some sort.
You can melt frames, cappings ant even smaller waxblocks. On a summer day I think I should be able to melt 2-3 loads, but this is northern Europe. I think it will be more effective in warmer climates, but you might have to tilt it or use a type with the glass cover on the top instead...

-Thor

[Ardilla]

For those who want to figure out the sun angles for time of day, year, location, etc. check this out:

http://www.susdesign.com/sunangle/

Once I saw a solar melter made from a 55 gal. drum cut in half the long way. It looked like it could quickly melt many frames at once.