heating honey

[funbee1]

Anybody ever try heating 5 gallon pails of honey with farm style pail heaters? Did it/will it work?

[rdy-b]

 yes they work --these are set at a max of 110 deg so it is prety forgiving on a soilid bucket -about 12 hours--RDY-B

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH&Store_Code=mannlake&sType=1&Search=pail+heater#!HD-358/0/

[funbee1]

Actually I was thinking of the submersible type or the heating element that that sits under the pail type. Much cheaper.

[rdy-b]

Actually I was thinking of the submersible type or the heating element that that sits under the pail type. Much cheaper.

if your asking about heating water that a bucket of honey sets in yes it works and there are different approaches
from dadant and kelley-sounds like you are going to design your own system --RDY-B

[funbee1]

I ended up ordering a strap type pail heater from brushy mountain for $105. Should last for years and years. Anytime I've tried to save money and make my own I end up spending the same money, lots of time and it doesn't work as well.......then I buy what I should have in the first place so I'm really out twice as much plus my time. For once I said screw it and just paid the money.

[danno]

A waterbed heater on ebay goes for about 10.00 and will work better than the strap

[tefer2]

Build this, http://www.michiganbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Bucket-Heater_20100726.pdf

[BeeMaster2]

A waterbed heater on ebay goes for about 10.00 and will work better than the strap

Keep in mind that a water bed heater is designed to be in full contact with the bottom side of the water mattress. My waterbed warns not to plug it in until the mattress has been filled. It gets to hot without the water to dissipate the heat.
Jim

[danno]

A waterbed heater on ebay goes for about 10.00 and will work better than the strap

Keep in mind that a water bed heater is designed to be in full contact with the bottom side of the water mattress. My waterbed warns not to plug it in until the mattress has been filled. It gets to hot without the water to dissipate the heat.
Jim

Mine says the same thing and also says its could be a choking hazard and not for internal use.  Sorry Jim couldn't resist!   I have one that I've been using since 2007.   It only gets as hot as the therm is set for.  I also use mine for brewing a couple of beers that require alittle higher temp for fermentation

[BlueBee]

I liked tefers heater link.  I do fear that beeks will be hoarding all the incandescent light bulbs though.  It would also be wise to wire that baby into a GFCI circuit.  Liquids and electricity is not the most fail proof of systems  :)

Anytime I've tried to save money and make my own I end up spending the same money, lots of time and it doesn't work as well.......then I buy what I should have in the first place so I'm really out twice as much plus my time. For once I said screw it and just paid the money.

LOL, isn't this the TRUTH!!!  I can't even count how many times I've wasted time and money re-inventing the wheel.

[bailey]

an old chest type freezer works very well with the 100 watt bulb and a digital thermostat.
been using mine for 4 years.
bailey

[beehappy1950]

I have an old but good refridgerator and we use it to keep garden produce in. When its empty I put a 40 watt bulb in the bottom. It will decristalize  buckets of honey in 24 to 48 hours. Works good.