Wax disposal

[pahvantpiper]

I'm in the process of building a new honey house and am wondering what the rest of you do with wax on the floor that gets washed down the drain. Our county health official that's over water handling says it won't be a problem putting it in the septic tank as long as I pump it every couple of years. Another beekeeper told me from experience that will not work. In a septic system the wax will go through the tank and get into the leach lines and in 5 years I'll be digging the whole system up. I tend to believe the beekeeper. Right now he's on the city system so it's not an issue for him anymore. I really have no example to follow. Any suggestions? Thanx.

[odfrank]

In my small honey house I just hose until the residue gets near the floor drain and then sweep it up for the solar melter. Maybe you could put in a sump or screen to catch it.

[clintonbemrose]

I installed a grease trap in the drain line from the HH and clean it dailly when extracting. This catches the wax and keeps it from the septic tank.
Clint

[Keith Jarrett]

Rob,

Here a pic of my drain, the orange grate.

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/?action=view&current=100_1754.jpg

My shop is 110 feet long, the drain is 80 feet long, I put 1.5% slope from the ends & sides so that any where in the shop it would drain.

I have a 6'' pipe underneath the shop floor that runs out to a ditch. If you can make your shop two feet higher than the sub grade, that way everything runs away from your shop.

PS, now is the time to spend money, it will save you down the road.
Keith

[alpha6]

I personally would install a gray water holding tank from your honey house if all you have are sinks and drain. Two reasons....you can use the water to water for watering or other not fresh water needs and second if you get a build up of wax it is easy to drain and clean out.

[Putz]

Why let wax get on the floor and then wash it down the drain? Use a decapping tank and save the wax, it catches a decent price....
Waste not Want not.

[Keith Jarrett]

Why let wax get on the floor .

Ya....

Rob, why are you letting that happen. LOL

[high rate of speed]

Oh man are you telling me I have to put a screen door screen over my drain,loosing alot of small particles.LOL.

[hollybygolly]

In our honey house we have a 2' x 2' x 2' grated cement pit. The drain pipe is located about half way down with a 90 degree elbow pointed down. The dirt and other heavy sediment settles to the bottom below the opening of the elbow. The wax floats on top and does not make it into the drain pipe because the opening of the elbow is about 1' below the water line. Periodically we pull the grate off and clean everything out. The wax goes into a barrel for rendering and the sediment goes in the trash. As long as we are processing and washing down everyday, the water never gets sour.

[dcross]

A properly functioning septic system shouldn't let anything that floats go to the leach field...

[pahvantpiper]

"My shop is 110 feet long, the drain is 80 feet long, I put 1.5% slope from the ends & sides so that any where in the shop it would drain."

Keith, I'm definately planning those big trough drains like you have with grating over them. We use the same thing on our dairy. The only concern I have on a 1.5% slope is stacking supers up 16 feet tall. I'm still trying to decide wheather I should slope the whole floor or leave out my comb bank area.

"A properly functioning septic system shouldn't let anything that floats go to the leach field..."

dross, yes, but after a while the wax will build up to the point where it's deeper than the baffle and will get into the leach field.

I really appreciate all (or almost all) of the great ideas and advice. Thank you so much.

[Keith Jarrett]

" The only concern I have on a 1.5% slope is stacking supers up 16 feet tall. I'm still trying to decide wheather I should slope the whole floor or leave out my comb bank area..

Rob,

I haven't found any problems with the slope floors, some supers are stacked 15-20 feet high on pallets.

[Ian]

>>but after a while the wax will build up to the point where it's deeper than the baffle and will get into the leach field.


Ya, thats one point the fellow hasnt considered. Wax tends to float, not like a two year clean out would prevent the wax from overflowing into your leach field.

Considering your on a farm, why not install a septic tank, with a pump out spicket? What doesnt get pumped out will get cleaned out later on.

[Ian]

Quite the honeyhouse Keith! Is that a cement treatment that makes the floor shine or did you wash it just before your picture?

What does your motorized SS tanks mix? Honey processing? Or sugar mixing?

[Keith Jarrett]

Is that a cement treatment that makes the floor shine or did you wash it just before your picture?

What does your motorized SS tanks mix? Honey processing? Or sugar mixing?

Ian, yes the floor was just washed down.

Motorized tank help lighten my honey up, just add about 30% HFCS and wallaaa you WW honey. LOL:):)

[Ian]

Ha,

Now seriously Keith,
Do you pack alot of honey? Mighty big mixing tanks,

[Keith Jarrett]

Ha,

Do you pack alot of honey? Mighty big mixing tanks,

Ian, those are my small ones (tanks), and yes I used to pack alot of honey but not as much lately.

P.S glad to see keepers with a good sence of humor. :)

[high rate of speed]

[QUOTE used to pack alot of honey but not as much lately.]

What happend Louie to much syrup in the honey?

Or did the price of syrup scare you away from packing.:D

[Ian]

>>those are my small ones (tanks),

How many barrel tanks are those? Looks big to me!
Didnt think your operation produced alot of honey, being mainly focused on pollination,