>> Since we are discussing liquefying honey would someone comment on using
>> solar honey melters?  I believe the ABJ discusses building one.  Anyone
>> with any experience using these?
>
>We've been talking controlled temperature and the effects on honey.  Since
solar
>melters lack controls AFAIK, how much heat are you willing to use?

I have one.  It lacks controls, but I only use it for preheating.  It holds
two barrels (each one 209 litres = 55 US gallons = 45 imperial gallons.
Having different gallons is a big incentive to go metric), or many pails.  I
built it to liquefy barrels of corn syrup which had granulated.  However, I
found that it would not do this fast enough in March when I needed them.  We
rarely had daytime temps above freezing, and insufficient sun.  All sides
are insulated except bottom.  South side and top are big thermopanes that I
had salvaged, these are covered with styrofoam at night or sunless
conditions.  In summer or fall I can put about 500 kg (1100 pounds) of honey
in it and after one sunny day the honey is fairly well melted (but not
completely).  Then I put it in a water jacketed bottling tank with a
thermostat.  After two sunny days the honey would be completely melted (I
did this once), but I rotated the pails on the second day (bottom layer to
top and front to back).

I heartily agree with Peter Bray's comment that we are slaves to a North
American market that wants liquid honey.  It is worse in eastern Canada than
in the west.  I sell three or four times more liquid honey than creamed.  I
don't get complaints about overheated honey (but I personally think it IS
overheated).  But I do get complaints if honey ever starts to granulate on
the store shelf, both from consumers and retailers.