FAQs

For dipping candles:

Equipment or combinations of equipment with an immersion depth of at least 40 cm are fundamentally suitable for dipping candles.

For candle dipping with beeswax, units with a maximum of two melting pots (tubular inserts) or one melting basin are suitable. See our Art. Nos. 26360, 26361, 26362, 26800, 26810 and 26820.

For candle dipping with coloured wax, combinations of equipment with a correspondingly higher number of melting pots (tubular inserts) are required. We supply units with 4, 5 or 7 or 9 pots, see our Art. Nos. 26363, 26364, 26380 and 26381. For bigger candle dipping events, it is best to use a number of units, each with two correspondingly bigger melting pots, see our Art. 26361.

For moulding candles:

For moulding candles it is best to use combinations of equipment with correspondingly small and easy-to-handle wax melters, such as our Art. Nos. 26450, 26455 and 26382. For use on hotplates, we recommend our Art. 26460 or 21810.

For moulding single-colour candles, it is also possible to use our Art. 21810 or, for big series, our units with a heated drain valve, Art. 27130, 27140, 27145 and 27150.

For overdipping wax lanterns or decorated candles with pure paraffin:
Our dipping bath, Art. 26355, 26360 or 26362

For melting off the ends of candles immersed in a dipper:
Our finishing trays with an overflow, Art. No. 26110 and 26120

For dosing liquid wax through a heated drain tube:
Our flexible drain tube, Art. No. 27180, which goes with melting vats models 24/50/72/120

For keeping candles warm and cleaning candle moulds:
Our circulating air heated cabinet, Art. No. 28003

For melting off or flattening wax surfaces:
Our hotplate, Art. 26205

For flattening candle bases:
Our melting plate, Art. No. 26130

For cleaning wax melters and pots:
Our industrial blow dryer, Art. No. 31100

For applying serviettes to candles, wax lanterns or wax lights:
Our heat applicator Art. No. 31140 and/or our hot air blower, Art. No. 31142

For soap moulding:
Our soap-melting unit, Art. No. 73100

Fundamental differences between the direct and indirect heating systems

Directly heated wax melters are double-walled and maintenance-free and generally have a separately heated drain valve; they are designed for continuous use and are correspondingly more expensive than indirectly heated units. They are thus used primarily in candle workshops or for big candle-dipping events. Our directly heated wax melters are an in-house development that we market under the designations of melting vat (Art. 27130, 27140, 27145 and 27150) and Type 80 wax melter (Art. 26800, 26810 and 26820).

In the indirectly heated wax melters, the wax is heated over a water bath (and hence "indirectly"!). They are thus equipped with so-called melting pots (tubular inserts). The water level must be checked on a regular basis and further water added when necessary. Their simpler design and the larger quantities produced make them considerably cheaper than directly heated units. There are also many more combination and equipment options for the indirectly heated wax melters. These are also in-house developments, which are marketed under the designations Type 30 wax melter (Art. 26305, 26315) and Type 20 wax melter (Art. 26400). These melters are also maintenance-free.

The first time the unit is switched on, or if the wax has completely hardened, it can take between 2 and 7 hours at full power, depending on the particular unit being used, the volume of wax and the ambient temperature. Once the wax has melted, the unit must immediately be set back on the required working temperature again.

The effective wax temperature must be measured with a thermometer, and the corresponding ideal position of the temperature knob (which gives the ideal working temperature for your application) should be marked. This is because the temperature set on the knob does not correspond to the effective wax temperature on account of the indirect transfer of heat (water bath) or, with directly heated units, on account of the indirect temperature measurement (on the outside of the unit's inner wall).

We fundamentally recommend that melters be switched off overnight or at least that the temperature be reduced to approx. 60°C. Switching the melter off and then on again can be conveniently performed with a daily or weekly timer switch. Reducing the temperature in the evening and turning it up again in the morning, by contrast, must be done by hand.

If the melters or pots are covered with a lid, the wax will only cool down slowly even if the melter is turned off, and it will be fully liquid again correspondingly faster in the morning. Turning up the temperature by hand, or switching the melter on again with a timer, should be scheduled for between 1 and 3 hours prior to the start of work, depending on the unit and the quantity of wax.

If beeswax is heated for a number of days without anyone working with it (such as in a workshop) then a "caramelisation process" will take place, which means that the wax will become darker over time.

Wax melters and wax melting units only need to be cleaned if they are correspondingly dirty. Items that have fallen into them (such as wicks) or particles of dirt will sink to the base or float on top. They can therefore be relatively easily fished out or skimmed off with a sieve. There are thus no compulsory time intervals after which the wax melters or vessels need to be cleaned.

The most efficient way of removing wax residues is always with heat!

To clean the wax melter, it should be unplugged from the mains electricity and emptied. Avoid using hard articles with sharp edges and, instead, use a plastic spatula which will not scratch the surface. The use of a hot-air blow dryer is also recommended. If wax residues are heated slightly, they will melt and can be readily removed with household or tissue paper. Caution! Wax vapours can ignite spontaneously as of 180°C. Make sure a sufficient distance is maintained between the hot-air blow dryer and the surface of the equipment being cleaned.

For emptying wax melters and pots, it is recommended that the liquid wax be poured into emptying trays ( Art. 31420). This gives conveniently-sized blocks of wax that can then be readily melted in the melter or pot again. If a sieve with a handle ( Art.31230 ) is held between the melter and the emptying tray, it is also possible to remove any particles of dirt at the same time. Very small particles will settle on the top and bottom of the wax blocks and can be scraped off with a wax scraper. As an alternative to an emptying tray, it is also possible to use empty (milk or fruit juice) tetrapacks.

Our wax melters do not generally develop any defects! Despite this, it can happen that a thermostat, an overload protection device or a heating element can break.

How do I determine whether the thermostat is no longer working?

By turning the temperature knob up and down, without connecting the appliance to the mains electricity, and establishing whether a slight "click" can be heard. If not, the thermostat is defective and must be replaced by an electrician. If there is a click, the thermostat should be working correctly.

How do I determine whether a heating element is defective?

Heating elements rarely break. If the thermostat is still working, it is thus probably not the heating element that is defective but the overload protection that has been triggered. To establish whether a heating element has broken, the base of the appliance must be removed by an electrician and the heating element measured.

How do I determine whether the overload protection has been triggered?

If the thermostat is still working, it is most likely that the overload protection has been triggered or the unit has shut down on safety grounds. With the melting vats and Type 80 wax melters, this safety device (safety thermostat) can be reset from the outside after it has been checked by an electrician. With the Type 20 and Type 30 wax melters, the overload protection is inside the base of the melter and must be replaced by an electrician after they have checked the unit.

You can download the desired instructions for equipment as a PDF file under the FAQs about "Instructions".

Our appliances have a guarantee period of two years as of the date of purchase. The purchase receipt serves as the guarantee slip.

The guarantee covers all the electrical components. The unit will be repaired at no cost if it fails on account of production or material defects, to the exclusion of any further claims. The unit should be sent to us, free of all charges, for this, together with a copy of the bill. Guarantee claims will be forfeited if the unit has been operated incorrectly or if it has already been opened.

Depending on where your melter is located, you can have it repaired at Exagon Switzerland or Exagon Germany. A repair may take several weeks, depending on the defect and the need to obtain spare parts. We keep the most common spare parts in stock, however, and we can send them to you or your local electrician upon request. You should thus get your electrician to check which component is defective and needs replacing on the unit.

We would ask you to understand that we cannot carry out repairs on your premises!