Heating honey

[swarm_trapper]

Working on a new project for the honey house this winter and am trying to have a 5 barrel tank that will heat the honey. The tank is only a single wall tank, so i am thinking in order to heat the honey i might make a set of copper pipes that go in the tank to run hot water through just like in a kelly coffin wax melter. Do you think that this method of heating darkens the honey? am i much smarter to go with a double wall tank? or other thoughts on heating the honey in the tank? regards Nick

[Fuzzy]

I have also thought of the copper coil approach. However I am afraid that the PH of the honey (acidity) will leach copper into the honey over the long period of time that contact is required. So, my decision has always been to not do that.

[greenbeekeeping]

Why build a tank to put barrels in. I would think it would be cheaper to construct a hot box that would hold the barrels and heat them with warm air.

[swarm_trapper]

oh its not to hold barrels of honey just 5 drums worth of honey to be barreled

[honeyman46408]

I think I would stay away from copper tubeing Stainless Steel would bee a lot better if it will have cantact with the honey== my 2¢

[suttonbeeman]

Purchase a old milk tank, hookup a hot water heater and circulating pump to the cooling lines. Honey only touched stainless and can be found at usually about $1/gallon

[Beeslave]

Pex tubing is what I run in mine. It's an old milk tank but I didn't have time to hook into the tanks lines(they were all cut flush and when I went to pick up the tank it wasn't what I was told it was). Pex is good up to 180 deg. F and you don't have to get it near that warm/hot. You can buy inline thermometers that the water will run through to insure you are not set to hot. My settling tank heat lines are the last run on my extracting set up. I've got valves so I can bypass hot water from everything(1 device or all seperately) when not in use allowing me to keep the settling tank heated overnight and allowing me to not heat the settling tank if I need to up the temp for extracting(cappings tank and clarifier tank). Since you have a single walled tank I would wrap it in insulation though.

[swarm_trapper]

great ill look into the pex tubing. i have a milk talk but it is bigger than what i want this tank will fit nicely. stainless steel is a great idea but wow that would probably cost a fortune. thanks Nick

[doc25]

How about a magnetic oil pan heater stuck on the outside of the tank? If your stainless isn't magnetic then use some type of hose clamp. Maybe an immersion heater used for watering stock? (not sure if thermostat is adjustable on them).