Spinfloat ICKO® Self-Discharging Honey and Cappings Centrifuge ICKO®

01 · 40 °C IN, NOT ONE MORE

And here the maker gets the number right

The honey-and-cappings mix has to arrive homogenised at 40 °C. It is the correct figure and worth underlining: 40 °C is also the honey's ceiling, because above it the HMF rises and the diastase falls.

If the honey comes in cold it will not separate; if you heat it further so that it separates better, you pay in analytical quality. The good band is narrow, which is why the preparation upstream matters as much as the centrifuge.

02 · EXCHANGER OR HEATED MIXER

The maker does not say the same for both cases

ICKO recommends a heat exchanger in cold climates or with viscous honeys, because it heats continuously as the product passes. For the ordinary case, the twin-auger heated mixer homogenises, tempers and also acts as a buffer while you work.

They are not the same thing and do not do the same job: one heats in passing, the other mixes and holds. Tell us what honey you handle and what room you work in and we will tell you which one you need, or whether you need both.

03 · Ø900 DRUM AND 1,500 KG/H

With one caveat about comparisons

The drum measures 900 mm across by 300 tall and the maker states up to 1,500 kg of honey an hour. It is the highest figure in our range for this family.

Now the honest caveat: stated capacities are not comparable between brands without knowing at what temperature and with what feed rate they were measured. A smaller drum with a bigger figure is not impossible, but it deserves a question before deciding. Ask us and we will look at your case.

04 · SINGLE-PHASE, 2.4 KW

Which in a small honey house is no small thing

The motor is 2.4 kW at 220 V single-phase, with a speed inverter. It does not ask for three-phase, which opens the door to workshops that do not have it contracted.

The unit measures 140 × 120 × 130 cm and weighs 370 kg. It does not get moved once placed, so choose the spot with the whole line in front of you: uncapper, mix preparation, centrifuge and where the honey goes.

05 · CLEAN IS NOT READY TO BOTTLE

And the daily clean still exists

What comes out is honey separated from wax, and dry cappings — which saves the cappings settling tank and a good part of the coarse filtering. What it does not save is the rest in the maturer: the honey settles like the rest of the harvest before bottling.

And although there are no cages to strip — which is where the hours go on a batch machine — there is still a closing routine: circulate hot water at start-up and at the end of the day.

06 · BEFORE YOU BUY

Preparing the mix is half the purchase.