Has anyone tried using an upside down fish tank as a Solar Wax Melter?

[Adrian Quiney WI]

I was thinking that old fish tanks are cheap on Craigslist; They are waterproof and would be bug-proof if put upside down on a flat piece of board. Has anyone tried it and found any problems or could see any problems with this idea?

[6r33n63ck0]

Sniff, sniff... naw!

[beeware10]

I think you had better go back to the drawing board. better off using an old window. google solar wax melters. stick with a more proven design. good luck.

[Steven Ogborn]

No. but, that's a good idea to try. There's alot of ways to rig up solar melters. Like a hive body with a piece of glass over it. I do
understand how hot a fish tank can get in the sun. I've stored some outside before. I also used them like mini greenhouses
to start seeds in peat pots.

[Steve10]

Adrian,

Tried a few designs, but not that one.

Sounds like a fun idea to try. You wouldn't have to tip it to face and/or chase the sun like the typical box-based solar melter. Be interesting to see how hot it gets compared to a typical one.......

Keep us posted.

Good luck,
Steve

[MichaelShantz]

The whole trick of an efficient solar wax melter is insulation. The heat has to enter faster than it exits. When it heats up the heat radiates out or is conducted out more rapidly. So if you heavily insulate the parts of the fishtank that don't face the sun, and add a double layer of glass or plastic with air space between, on the side facing the sun and minimize air leaks, it should work.

[zippelk]

I think it's a good idea Adrian, in fact, it was already on my list of things to do this winter! I was thinking an old 10-gal aquarium, sides painted black on the inside and insulated on the outside, upside down on a black board, aimed at the sun. Or, an old picnic-type cooler, as they are already insulated and even have a drain, with a glass lid. I'll let y'all know if/how mine works.

[Gibbus]

That is exactly what my son and I used the first time we had cappings. Little bit of strategically placed foil and black paper on a sunny day and it worked fine. Even used it last year for his 4-H beekeeping project (Products of the Hive) to show how "...simply using materials you find around the house..." etc
Practically, I dont advise it if you have more than a few hives, but it theoretically works

[MichaelShantz]

Mine works great with only duct tape, insulation board and two layers of 1/16" plexiglas.
It worked fine a few weeks ago on a sunny November day.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Michael...58449294053970
https://picasaweb.google.com/Michael...58457078808802

I'm not sure that the fish tank adds anything.

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Thanks for the replies. This summer I used an old window on top of a box which worked, but it isn't bug tight and didn't work as well as I'd like. Yet I notice that my car heats up in the sun quickly almost everywhere I leave it; I'm going to give it a shot next summer.

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Well it's bug tight and works well enough on a hot day. I ended up using the right way up and put a piece of glass on top instead of turning it upside down. I am keeping it in the bee yard now as the first piece of glass got broken when a raccoon took an interest.
http://s1110.photobucket.com/albums/...Wax%20Melters/