Sump, pump, filter or pail?

[PerryBee]

I have a used Dadant 20 frame extractor that I got for a good price. I removed the old pipe coming off of it and replaced it with a nylon gate. I just read that you should never run a machine this size with the gate closed so my option is what? A series of 5 gallon buckets and swap them out as the extractor runs?

I also just got a new 25 gallon bottling tank that will help a lot but have I missed something integral in between? Do I have to invest in a sump or clarifier and then I suppose I would need a pump and maybe a filter?

Boy, what I thought was gonna make life easier suddenly looks like it could get real expensive.
Anyone else running a 20 framer and what set-up do you use?

Perry

[Beeslave]

When you start the extractor leave the gate closed. As the honey starts to settle to the bottom open the gate and drain out a pail full of honey. Take that pail and pour(place on holder) into settling tank(through a filter if you wish). While that pail is draining into the settling tank have a 2nd pail to drain into from the extractor. 2 pails(maybe 3) should be enough for that size extractor.

After the honey settles for a few days it will be ready to be put into the bottler. If it is filtered before going into the settling tank it can go into the bottler anytime.

No need for a sump, clarifier, and pump unless you can't extract fast enough using the pails.

[Broke-T]

We have a 21 frame Kelly. It is mounted on stand higher than 5 gallon bucket. The honey flows out a ball valve thru a short piece of PVC pipe into 5 gal bucket with plastic strainer on top. 21 frames contains over 5 gal of honey so you need at least 2 buckets with strainers. We can cut off ball valve to change out buckets. Dump bucket into bottling tank and start over.

Johnny

[RDY-B]

when i used a twenty from dadant-I always ran a couple spins
first before i started talking honey from the gate-it always ran better as far as balacne and speed with a couple bucks in the tub-dont let it overfill and it is fine-buckets and five gallon paint strainer bags worked for the 20-when you get a biger reell you will need sump pump and so on-you can do alot with the twenty if you keep it moving-RDY-B

[Fuzzy]

Just remember that a full 20 medium frame load is just a little more than one full five gallon bucket of honey. So, you will have to change out the bucket while spinning. OR you will have a mess.

[HONEYDEW]

A mess my rear!!! you,ll have a good old fashion cuss fest!!!!!!!

[MAXANT]

Perry, are you running a double sieve on top of your bucket? Try one if you arent, they do a wonderful job catching alot/straining.
Some people will run a clarifier directly under their extractor, and pump it directly into a bottling tank from there.
It wont hurt to close the gate momentarily while you swap buckets, just have them ready on stand by!

[Beeslave]

Try to avoid letting the honey level get into the bottom bushing and definately don't let the level get high enough so the reel starts hitting it. That will cause lots of air bubbles in the honey.

[PerryBee]

Hi Jake:

I am finally going to retire the Maxant 2 framer, it has served me well and is truly bulletproof (wish I could say the same of my shoulder)
I have the double sieve strainer and I drain directly out of the extractor thru it into my pails. I find that the strainer can only handle so much honey coming out of the extractor and I have to close off the gate. This is with only a 2 framer, what will it be like with the 20? I am guessing that I can't strain right out of the 20 framer and will just have to run straight into pails and then strain at a later date?

Perry

[MAXANT]

You can absolutely run the sieve right from the 20 framer!

[Alf57]

I run a 20 frame Maxant. This year I upgraded to a Dadant water jacketed sump tank. My honey flows from the extactor into the sump, is heated to 130 degrees and most of the wax is removed by the baffles. The heated honey flows into a 3/4 inch brass gear pump and is pumped into my settling tank. With this setup, I can concentrate on just uncapping and extracting until I fill up the settling tank with 30 or 40 gallons of honey, then I need to bottle.
Al

[SWM]

I have this same extractor and there is nothing wrong with running it with the gate closed. However, you need to watch closely as the honey rises along the coned bottom. Start draining it off before it reaches the lower bearing. My extractor is elevated off the floor, drains through a double sieve, then through a nylon strainer and into 5 gallon buckets.

[LSBees]

Different people and different answers; I have a Maxant 1400 and it is my experience that I have to extract, then strain. When I tried straining directly into the bucket the strainer would overflow as the honey comes out of the extractor faster than it flows through the SS double sieve.

Hi Jake:

I am finally going to retire the Maxant 2 framer, it has served me well and is truly bulletproof (wish I could say the same of my shoulder)
I have the double sieve strainer and I drain directly out of the extractor thru it into my pails. I find that the strainer can only handle so much honey coming out of the extractor and I have to close off the gate. This is with only a 2 framer, what will it be like with the 20? I am guessing that I can't strain right out of the 20 framer and will just have to run straight into pails and then strain at a later date?

Perry

[Roland]

We have a 2 story "honeyhouse" . Extractors upstairs, tank downstairs. Let it sit in the tank a few days, and it will be clear.
Gravity rarely fails.

Roland

[PerryBee]

LSBees - this is exactly what I was thinking would happen. Could you open the gate enough to stop the extractor from plugging up and still not overflow the sieve?

Roland - Ah, the ultimate honey pump - gravity - right price too
How do you get your supers upstairs though?

Good responses, thanks.

Perry

[Roland]

Two doors, one up top for the beekeeping truck, one downstairs for barrel shipments.

Roland

[edward]

That exactly how I plan to build my honey house .!

I have an natural embankment on my land , i plan to drive up unload and Extract the honey on the top floor
Then with gravity's help filter the honey on its way down to the room below.

No expensive pumps no back breaking lifting = beekeeper

mvh edward

[SWM]

Different people and different answers; I have a Maxant 1400 and it is my experience that I have to extract, then strain. When I tried straining directly into the bucket the strainer would overflow as the honey comes out of the extractor faster than it flows through the SS double sieve.

I keep my extracting room at about 90 degrees when I extract. It flows fairly quick through a double sieve, however, I watch it closely and if it gets close to overflowing I just close the nylon gate for a minute or two.

[LSBees]

Maybe that is my problem, that beeing maybe the room isnt warm enough.

I keep my extracting room at about 90 degrees when I extract. It flows fairly quick through a double sieve, however, I watch it closely and if it gets close to overflowing I just close the nylon gate for a minute or two.

[StevenG]

Alf57, how many colonies are you running? That sounds like a nice setup. I'm currently running 26, but because of weather, didn't get a large crop this year...still expanding too.

My setup is a 20 frame Dadant, drain into 5 gal. bucket slowly, to keep some honey in the extractor as weight. I bought a Kelley 85 gal. jacketed tank, with their strainer screen. I took two 1x4's, and made an X to fit inside the strainer, dividing it into 4 compartments.

I then put a piece of strainer screen in each compartment. I pour a bucket into a compartment. The next bucket of honey goes into the next compartment... I'll have two sections straining at the same time. And when the strainers start to clog, I'll pull them, put them all into the 4th compartment to drain, while putting new strainer material in the now empty compartment... Clogged strainers no longer slow me down. And at the end of the day, the honey is ready to bottle.

As I get bigger (going to 50-60 colonies), I'll definitely consider sump and pump.
Regards,
Steven