Fat melter

[Tony]

I like this:

http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Simple_fat_melting_and_de-watering_tank.

I take it you sit the tin in hot oil to melt the contents, then pour them in with the mix?  How do you filter the hot oil for BCBs?

[Julian]

You could use oil, but the intension was to use water, less messy.

I've mostly used it on semi liquid oil that will just about pour, probably a different story in winter.  It heats oil quite quickly, but as stated it does need a stir to get the very bottom hot.  It's left to settle, water drained off and oil skimmed off the top with the Mono via this ... http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Tips_and_wrinkles#Foot_strainer.

When the oil is more solid, I'm guessing I could heat and settle, drain water and then reheat without stirring, hopefully leaving all the BCBs in the stagnant bottom section.

Great little device for dealing with rubbish oil, I've just got nowhere to put it!

[Julian]

Oh, forgot to say ... for semisolids, a large sieve or strainer sitting in the top would be a good idea.

one like this ...  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quality-Double-Strainer-Beekeeping-Equipment-/270760212927?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Bee_Keeping&hash=item3f0a90f9bf

or this ... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/kitchen-colander-sieve-vegetable-rice-pasta-strainer-/180672491828?pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item2a10eb7134

[Tony]

Ah maybe you should mention it's a water based heater on the wiki page.  Nice idea, I do like that.  I'm getting increasing quantities of solids or semi-solids but no way to handle the stuff at the moment.  Just need to apply heat somehow, and the idea of a water heater appeals - but I'd need one big enough to sit my 60l clip-tops in (or bail them out by hand, eeeeeew)

[Julian]

It can be either water or oil, depending on what you are doing.

Water is mentioned in the "Using the tank" section, but good point, I agree, it's water operation should be made more obvious at the beginning. I'll change it later if I get a chance.

What's the diameter of your 60 litre drums?

[Rotary-Motion]

first post link not showing to me?

[Julian]

Oo Er, me neither, strange.  Try this one

http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Simple_fat_melting_and_de-watering_tank.

or the link on the main menu works.

[Julian]

Nope, weird ... I'll try and suss out why, mean time the link on the main page works ok.

[K.H]

Oo Er, me neither, strange.  Try this one

http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Simple_fat_melting_and_de-watering_tank.

or the link on the main menu works.

Ha Ha,bleedin armature

[Julian]

Ok, ok ... I feel suitably admonished.

It's the full stop.  I'll remove it from the title, no other page title has a full stop ... trust me to screw it up.

[Julian]

There you go, removed the full stop and the links work.

Now, about this unresolved problem on your processor ...

[Tony]

I bought one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRAVEL-HEATER-ELEMENT-WATER-COFFEE-IMMERSION-500w-220V-/270707176206

Actually very impressed, drop into a 60l drum of slops, leave for a few hours and it gets up to a good 60C.  Could possibly even dewater by air bubbling while the heater is on.

Small enough to fit through the hole in a cubie too

[Julian]

Make sure it doesn't touch the sides ... melted cubie ... Exxon Valdez!

[Tony]

I was worried about that, so I deliberately pressed it against the side of the HDPE drum I was using to see if it would melt in - but it didn't.  I guess the oil around it keeps the element cool enough not to be a problem.

Perhaps that's why kettles are OK, they're plastic but have a heating element in close proximity - so long as they're covered with water all is OK.

I'll try the same with a cubie - if anything is going to melt it'll be that.

[Tony]

I tried boiling water in a PET bottle and holding the element hard against the sides - no trouble at all.

No good for melting oil that's thick in BCBs though (bottom of barrels) - get bubbles coming up with smoke in them    Burns onto the element.