Homemade Oxalic Acid Vaporizer

Immersion Heater amzn.to/3p690mZ
12 volt DC Immersion Heater amzn.to/3jp88Zn
Please see the following comments. Many have tried and their vaporizer burned out. I will put up another video soon with the new one.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional charge to you. Experiences may vary per person, day, and event. My videos are for informational and educational purposes only, you should consult with a professional before attempting anything seen or done in my videos.

[@hischild8899]

I made one of these and of far it works great..I have an oil tray bottom board with a screened board and this fits into the try space just below the screen. Thanks, saved me a lot of money

[@mcifrani]

His Child awesome! just watch it because the screen can rust really quick with the acid

[@hobbyhomesteader984]

Love It!!! This will definitely save me $175..plus shipping. This is awesome!

[@mcifrani]

+Hobby Homesteader Thanks! please be aware that the heaters are liable to short out. I am working on a new design and should have it finished in about a week. Stay tuned!

[@Terrazocultor]

You can use some cheap dimmer for regulate the resistance's temp. Directly connected to A.C. power, the oxalic acid not only vaporizes but jump in chunks. Nice job.

[@mcifrani]

+Terrazocultor jose manuel Thank you! yes a dimmer is a great Idea to help reduce the voltage flow

[@abellotambfiblo3937]

+Terrazocultor jose manuel Tienes abejas?

[@prestonkhalil1199]

InstaBlaster.

[@chipfriday8166]

By silver soldering the cap into the warmer will help heat transfer a bit better. The heater does not oxidize the oxalic acid, it just changes the state of the solid into a gas.... same stuff, no chemical change.

[@samdumaquis2033]

Great vid, good work

[@rabidavid614]

Just seen an equivalent video on YT suggesting the use of a diesel glow plug to heat a brass bored out nut. Surely using something that is designed to heat up to such temps, powered by a battery, might be comparable in price and have greater longevity?!

[@baddestbees5924]

made it!!Works good these won't get hot enough to make formic acid .These work good BUT are pretty slow I used one on bunch of double Nucs today,formic acid and carbon monoxide don't occur until 372 degrees , this just ain't gonna happen with these too much heat loss

[@mcifrani]

+Dave Chapple I used a 3/4 inch cap but remember in the video, I explained that i pounded the cap out to make it thinner.

[@kurkdockins6262]

+michael cifranic also try a 3/4 sleeve cap. goes inside the fitting not over the pipe

[@pionirsrka]

+Kurk Dockins tnx

[@dfabq]

I had a hard time " pounding" the 3/4 inch cap into the heater. finally got it in after sanding/pounding. It worked twice ,then nothing. I measured resistance in heater.......it was open. I think I broke it during assembly. Anyway, thanks for a new idea.

[@mcifrani]

+john smith i sanded and pounded for about 30 minutes and was able to get it to fit. I am sorry you are having issues with it.

[@PatRoe]

+john smith I used a vice to make the bottom smaller, but like you, my heater broke (two of them actually) during the twisting process. I went slowly and I used the vice to press the cap in after making it smaller but still had two breaks. now after reading the comments, I am concerned about this burning too hot.

[@maclifer]

Fantastic! Quite clever and creative. Thanks.

[@mcifrani]

+maclifer Thank you, please check out my 2016 update

[@kyguy-wr6bo]

nice job brother. I will try this. I want to have a few vaporizers to run at same time to make treatment faster

[@iowaunemployment]

fantastic idea for the do it yourselfer. I am going to do this.

[@Batman3231852051]

Very good video, very helpful, I just left a statewide Bee meeting and saw these same type vaporizers, for $269

[@Light_Worker]

I like the idea but this project fir me didn’t turned as cheap as you said. The main thing I struggle is how did you twist the metal part to make it fit I to the entrance ? I wish you would show the video step by step how you did that. The heater cost me $10 each at the bath and beyond and unfortunately something happens when I bend and pound on it. At this point I don’t know if it will be cheaper to buy ready to go or continue spending money until it work. I am sure if you would show on the video how you did it I wouldn’t have to waste my money. Thanks

[@SatosushiMikimoto]

Curious about the wattage because I like the speed with which your vaporizer does the trick. I want to use a small 12V sealed lead acid battery like what is found in security alarms (due to cost, weight and ease of portability). Trying to determine how many hives I can vaporize before the battery requires a charge.

[@rebeccarendeiro2656]

What are your thoughts on placing the hot element below the bottom screen board? Mine are; no burnt bees and more a robust distribution of the vapor if the operator can move the wand slowly back and forth.

[@kevinmcgeath7482]

Do you pull the this out before t It start sputtering in the hive during treatment?

[@mcifrani]

No I pulled it out after the timer turned off. I timed the amount of seconds it needed to burn through everything. I have since bought an OA machine and love it. It was expensive but well worth it.

[@bennrg2001]

Can you please explain a little more about AC adapting splitter to DCd power and what and where to buy it. I'm not clear on what i need. Thanks.

[@diannaboykin7628]

OK, So, I totally appreciate your video on the vaporizer, it shows me my concerns, no one else had, and that is that the bombs at the end, weather packed or not, (besides at that time, it wouldn't have mattered how packed you had it, since it was all liquid)... In my opinion, any vaporizer needs a splash guard that goes over it to protect the girls from injury... BTW, you should have taken that outside, but I bet you dropped the bug population in your workshop, lol, THANKS AGAIN

[@montourpg]

wow you really stole a chunk of business from the Fat Bee man. Thanks for this great video. Your little device seems to work great for cheap.- cheers

[@TheTrooperGirl]

just wondering if you have tried using a temp gun to test the temp during the process?

[@1988ishGabriel]

My question is… does the temp exceed 372F degrees? Oxalic acid vaporizes at 315F degrees but when it reaches 372, it turns to carbon dioxide and loses its potency.

[@davidcatton3928]

Great, Thanks a lot. I have to say I can beat that, I can pick up the beverage heater for free with my Driver reward points at any Truck stop :P

[@davidw4346]

Good vid, well done

[@morganfrmn]

I like your work. But I think 2g might be for a large hive. But great work. I'm going out to build right now

[@mcifrani]

it is 1 gram per deep. I have 2 deeps per hive

[@mcifrani]

+morgan freeman let me know how it comes out!!

[@geraldseeley3663]

How much did you spend on the respirator? Maybe use the bottom of a soda can if the copper pipe cap doesn't work out easily. Maybe put the vaporizer under the screened bottom board if you are concerned about setting the beehive on fire.

[@davechapple9253]

I bought one of these heaters. The inner hole was way too small for the 3/4" copper plug, messed it up trying to bend it out :-( Maybe there is another type of cup that will fit in there (?)

[@kelvinkersey5058]

appreciate the video, I'm thinking about doing this but I wonder rather than put the heater in the hive could the acid not be heated outside and delivered via a tube into the hive? wouldmthere be objections to doing it that way, might it condense on the inside of the tube perhaps?

[@mcifrani]

thanks for the inquiry. I have thought about it myself but the answer is probably not. I have tried it and in order to properly sublimate oxalic acid, one needs to be in a certain temp range. Once the "gas" is making its way through the tube that is cooler than the heater, it will immediately crystallize. This is why it should be done inside the hive or RIGHT outside the hive. Thanks!

[@tszabo86]

Looking into OA for treating my hives. What is the likelihood that this will melt the wax in the frames and cause a fire? Have you tested with a wax frame in place to see how long that would take to happen or what the effects of the heat are on the wax? I do assume some bees will get burned either way but as long as the whole hive doesn't catch on fire it is a sacrifice worth making.

[@mcifrani]

Hi there, and thanks for the inquiry. I do not use this device anymore as it does not have a temperature control. It is really important that whatever design you use, it must fit under the entryway without pulling up on the bottom deep. I learned that if you do that, the device will be too close to the frames. I decided to use the oxvap110. It is pricey but boy is it worth every penny. Check out that video that I did.

[@tszabo86]

I'll check it out, thank you

[@tszabo86]

Dude that thing is sick

[@mcifrani]

you like it dont ya? Its WAY better. The designer of it did a great job and it is worth every penny. I have very low mite counts from a mite infestation last year

[@whesbach1]

I've sublimated OA over 100 times using commercial devices. While I appreciate your thrift, I would caution folks constructing homemade devices about the temperature where sublimation occurs. Commercial devices are tested to stay in a temp range that sublimates without decomposing the acid molecule. The idea is to vaporize the OA slow enough so that it stays OA and reforms as small crystals all over the inside where it kills the varroa. If you heat the acid too fast it will vaporize but you may be making a high percentage of carbon monoxide and formic acid when you really want it all to stay OA. Also please don't sublimate OA in you house - the dog will thank you. :)

[@DennisAtwoodify]

Listen to +Bill Hesbach here. I've seen a lot of videos on youtube of Oxalic Acid turning liquid in homemade vaporizers. What you should know is that OA does not melt. When it gets hot enough it degrades into formic acid which is a liquid - that's what you're seeing. Oxalic Acid actually sublimates. It turns directly from solid to gas, and does so at a lower temperature. Many beekeepers are unknowingly treating their hives with boiling formic acid instead of oxalic acid because of homemade vaporizers that run too hot. I know because I made the same mistake, but after lots of research and consulting a chemist learned I was initially wrong. Sublimation takes much longer - several minutes, and the powder just slowly disappears from the pan as it turns to gas and then forms fine crystals in the air which appears as a white fume. These tiny crystals that find their way all about the hive are what kill the mites.

[@KeoweeChristopher1]

OK, so if the homemade unit is too hot, it's potentially dangerous to the bees. The natural question is: how hot is the coil? Has anyone measured the temperature of the immersion heater?

[@mcifrani]

+Chris Rucker I found a wonderful design on BEESOURCE that uses a temperature control snap disc. I will be building one in the next two weeks.

[@whesbach1]

+Chris Rucker >:how hot is the coil? That's a good question and I don't think they're all the same but normally immersion coils are rated at 120v and 300watts. The calculation is complicated, so measuring the temp would be easier. But here's the important part: According to the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics when heating oxalic acid, the water of hydration boils off first, then at 315°F the oxalic acid starts to sublime (go directly from solid to vapor), and finally at 372°F any oxalic acid which has not yet sublimed decomposes to formic acid and carbon monoxide. Make a unit that can stay between those two temps, for a given time period, and you have it. BTW- that's what a Varrox unit does. And forget about the bees, they move away from the heat.

[@mcifrani]

Bill Hesbach I didnt think the Varrox unit has temperature controls.

[@abellotambfiblo3937]

¿Cuántos Watts debe tener el calentador?

[@fayadchehade883]

Where can i buy this item online?

[@joelmeentzen]

Question: Does the heat of the cooking element heat up the wax foundation/combs right over it? Did you recognize damages to the comb like melting or deformation?

[@mcifrani]

+Joel Meentzen I havent checked a lot but I am sure it melts a little on the frames right above it but not much

[@smashtattoos]

Tried this with the ac unit from bb&b. Only works once, then burns out! Not saving money if I have to buy a new element after each use.

[@richardkuhn4358]

Vaporizers cost up to $400 you can buy a lot of these at $12 each. Put it in the rear under the mesh bottom board

[@dannyjohnson4160]

Good idea but the heater is not meant to work out of water. You might get 3 or 4 uses out of this before it burns out. so first of all, use a 5/8 " copper cap and it will make it easier to put it into the unit. Then you will have to buy a dimmer to run your electricity thru so as not to burn out your heater. A plug in dimmer is easier to use because you will have no wiring to connect.. Now you can regulate your voltage and not overload your heater. Only turn up the dimmer high enough to vaporize the acid.

[@Noahsoak]

And how was that pounded out?

[@SatosushiMikimoto]

Thanks Michael. Very informative video. Can you tell us the wattage of the immersion heater you used?

[@mcifrani]

Bill Dillard I use a 13 AH battery sealed lead acid and worked very well. Was able to do this 11 times without any time delay drop off. the wattage is 125 watts. I really enjoy this gadget. and i believe you will too!

[@larrylwill]

I bought a heater off ebay and it was way too small for a 3/4" and way too big for a 1/2" so I found a brass screw thread cap for a gas line that I could screw into the coil. It worked perfectly. The only problem is the first time I used it the plastic holding the aluminum coil started to melt. This is for a Top bar hive. It fits in a 1-3/8" hole.[IMG]i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/P1020552.jpg[/IMG]

[@mcifrani]

+Larry Williard awesome, Check out my 2016 upgrade. Works very well!

[@oswaldocordoba6935]

Como fabricarlo en los apiarios no hay energía

[@slt95]

I tried this twice and both times the heater burrned out after the first time I vaporized the acid. Not sure what I was doing wrong, but I guess I will have to pony up for the real thing.

[@mcifrani]

+Mark Mitchell i am sorry it burned out. How long did you run it for? You only need to run it for about 2 minutes and all of the crystals are gone. remember those heaters use the surrounding water to help it from burning out so you dont want to run it too long.

[@slt95]

I ran it for about 60 seconds. Just not my luck. I have ordered a vaporizer with a global plug. Thank you for your concern.

[@mcifrani]

no problem!! If you end up working on it again and figure out what it was please let me know. I know there are sooo many types of those heaters i just might have been lucky to get a good one. I am not into my 3rd week of vaporizing them. good luck!!

[@slt95]

I bought a pack of two of the same heaters you were using. I have since found threads that indicate if the heater gets too hot there is a fuse that blows in it. It was worth a try and if the heaters had not broken would work very well.

[@mcifrani]

is the the fuse that is in the plug? those are replaceable. I am working on another design that hopefully will work well.

[@dannykerrigan1873]

very good thank you

[@pauldow1648]

The blind leading the blind.

[@mescalp]

I tried it worked one time then the heater shorted. Not designed to work in air.. its for heating a liquid..so it gets too hot and burns the element

[@6969smurfy]

+Michael Josemans short intervals are required.

[@FloryJohann]

If you buy a 220 volt unit and you have 110 volt then you only use 25 watts with an 100 watt unit and it should not burn up. It may take longer, but it should not burn up. Will it get hot enough to melt the OA i do not know.

[@17peeps]

With the three heaters i ordered from amazon each one only worked one time, the first two i tested outside the hive (mistake as they only work one time) the third was done inside the hive and it really killed the mites. I left the heater plugged in exactly two minutes and the internal fuse still must have fried. If someone figures out how to solve the problem let me know.

[@mcifrani]

+peeps Maybe the battery is too strong? I have a small 13 amp hour battery. I am actually switching to a different system so i dont have to worry about the battery being charged and such. I will post a video soon

[@17peeps]

+michael cifranic Well maybe that explains it, i was using direct current .

[@williamkorb]

Michael, did you ever come up with a better design? I just ordered an AC immersion heater since my hives are near the house. Do you recommend a dimmer switch to limit temperature and avoid overheating/frying the heater? Thanks for the inspiration.

[@mcifrani]

Yes, I currently am almost finished with and updated design. Total cost is about 45 bucks but has temp control.

[@baddestbees5924]

don't need it doesn't get hot enough actually don't heat near fast enough,I know I saw u time it but mine is different in field with wind especially today light mist.One commercial guy makes comments an everyone freaking..calm down it ain't ALL that.Don't get me wrong it works I did 22 dbl Nucs today but it took forever,I mean NO disrespect for price I LOVE IT glad I saw this!!! But just works once u build u will see what I mean...

[@Xballawanaka]

do you know the highest temperature the heater cad get?

[@mcifrani]

Pentatome, I am sorry I do not. I have stopped using this model because of the lack of temp control. Please refer to my other videos for better models and updates! Thanks for watching!

[@pionirsrka]

can you send me a link of that heater

[@mcifrani]

+pionirsrka www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RPBH-012-12V-Beverage-Heater/dp/B001AQZI64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445577317&sr=8-1&keywords=12+volt+beverage+heater

[@scott33761]

How hives do you have? how many times have you used that? Thous are mad to be used under water I was wondering how many times it will dry fire? With 1 or 2 hives if it works 10 times that would be cost effective but if you had 100 hives it would not be, how many times have you used it?

[@mcifrani]

+scott33761 I have used it about 6 times including tests. I made a new vaporizer that uses a glow plug because a lot of people were having problems with theirs burning out.

[@eisbar3664]

Do you have a mask on?

[@mcifrani]

+Eisbär yes, if you dont, you will knock yourself on your butt

[@gregfotakis9548]

I am doing this too I order the stuff

[@privatebubba8876]

You should put it in under the screen bottom board.

[@17peeps]

i tried twice, both times the element only worked once.

[@mcifrani]

+peeps how long are you running it for? It should only run for about 2 minutes

[@17peeps]

+michael cifranic well to be honest i was not paying to much attention, both times were not in the hive I just plugged it in to see if it would work then when i put it in the hive nothing. My trials worked great, are you saying that 2 minutes and the internal fuse would not blow. thanks L

[@mcifrani]

+peeps yes. There is a thermal fuse in there and if it gets too hot it will blow. When in water, the water helps take heat away from the element which allows it not to blow. But since we aren't submerging it, we need to only run it for as long as we need the acid to vaporize. About 2 minutes for 2 grams. let me know how it is if you try it again.

[@17peeps]

+michael cifranic thanks i will try it again

[@PatRoe]

+michael cifranic any thoughts on the high temperature issue that are talked about in the comments?

[@irfanakman1068]

arılar yanar kullanışlı değil

[@joewilliams1727]

Ive used those in jail and let me tell you when someone leaves it plug up out og the water, it burns out. Happens every time.

[@johnsanchez2646]

looks too hot to me

[@pradeepkoushik5074]

The idea that something at 220 deg.c, pushing inside the hive itself is bad.Ideally keeping heating business out of hive,and sending vapours in thru a small pipe atleast 200 mm long to cool off is what is needed to avoid harm to bees,brood and comb.Actually a smoker with pine needles already hot(will not go much hotter than 250 deg.C with pine needles or grass or news paper) ,and toss in 2/3 grams of OA loosely wrapped in aluminium foil will do .By doing couple of times u know how much time is needed to vapourise all the OA.