Forum Activity for @Melanie Boudar

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Mike will look into all these this week. One question... How noisy is it. I work about 6 hrs a day so noise could get to me.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Melanie -

If you do decide to go this way - the 10HP machine will work. I don't know the relative pricing.

Mike - thanks for the heads up on these guys. I have not come across them before.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hey Melanie, I've been running my Selmi Plus off a Phase Perfect digital phase converter for two years with no issues. Here's their website: http://www.phaseperfect.com/ Don't know how their prices compare to other brands because I bought mine used. You should have your electrician help you pick out the model that suits your needs.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Which is why I always recommend that my potential FBM customers get an electrician involved to know exactly what the customer has to work with.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The reason for my question about the exact supply voltage in the new location is that 208V 'single phase' is really two phases of a three phase supply, whereas 240V single phase is a true single phase.

If you have 208V from two legs of a three phase supply, then you can use a transformer to generate the third leg.

-Jon

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The voltages on the Selmi and FBM machines and others are going to be 208~240VAC 60Hz -- that's 220V +/- 10% --either single or three phase.

FBM handles single-phase power by putting inverters on the motors that need to run in reverse plus changing out components that handle the input voltage from the wall. Some internal components are 60Hz specific. Given what Louise said about Selmi charging 700 to support single phase they are probably doing the same thing.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Jonathan -

We looked into static phase converters as they tend to be less expensive. However, they are not good in situations where the load varies considerably - in the case of a tempering machine, where the cooling compressor kicks in. Now if it were just a melter where the load was more or less constant - then you could use the static converter.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

And to add to my last question: is the voltage in the location that you are moving to 120/240V or 120/208V.

Is the selmi set up for 208V 240V or 480V three phase?

208 and 240 often get confused or are (mistakenly) considered the same thing.

480V is what you would find in a modern industrial facility

240V is what you might find in an old industrial facility

208/120V is what you would find in an office/light industrial facility, because it is a three phase system that gives 120V directly for receptacles and the like.

-Jon

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I forgot, there is one additional option: a 'static phase converter'. This is electrically similar to a VSD set to fixed frequency with all of the necessary filtering to run a generic three phase load.

Anywhere a rotary converter can be used, a static phase converter can be used.

If in Clay's experience the rotary converter mentioned works with the machine, then that will very likely be the cheapest approach.

However you just added a significant detail. You said that there is 3 phase at the main building where you are located.

What voltage is your Selmi rated for, and what voltage is actually being supplied to your location (both at the main panel and in the space where the machine will be located).

Thanks
Jon

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Clay that's what I needed the actual phase converter. Weighing the cost of that vs pulling the 3 phase in from the panel on the main bldg.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Melanie -

Your headline is misleading: you don't need to convert from 3-phase to single phase at all. Any 3-phase supply automatically includes single-phase power - it's all in how you take the power off the panel (the number of breakers and wires; single-phase 220V will use three wires and three breakers and 3-phases uses four wires and four breakers).

If the Selmi Plus a 3-phase machine and you're moving to location where there is only single-phase power, then you need a ROTARY phase converter because of the variable nature of the load (e.g., the compressor cycling on and off). I suggest you contact American Rotary ( www.americanrotary.com ). You are going to want to purchase their 10HP (AD10-S) converter. I don't remember the price and I have never quoted shipping to Hawaii. We have several people running these on changing loads with FBM machines for well over a year without any problem. What is a problem is if you order one that's too small. Then some of the issues that John mention may crop up.

From my experience, it is NOT possible to convert a machine that has been shipped from the factory at one electrical configuration to another electrical configuration in the field -- cost effectively, or at all. Even if you could it would require many hours in the hands of an experienced (on Selmi equipment specifically) electrician. In my experience, it is much cheaper to change the external power supplying the machine than to change the power inside the machine.

VSDs will not work for this application because of the control electronics of your machine. If you were directly driving just the motors, maybe. But you're not - the electronics of the Selmi are. You'd need to attach the VSD to the CPU in the Selmi and that's not an option.

Another option for the rotary phase converter is to power a panel instead of directly power a machine. This way you can wire and power more than one 3-phase machine off the same converter. If the combined load is to great (you trip the circuit breaker) then it's easy to switch between the two at the panel. Plus the electrical inspectors prefer this method over running long cords.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I am in the process of buying a new tempering machine.

I got a quote from Selmi of 700 euros extra to order the Selmi plus in Single phase rather than 3 phase in January.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Before you go down the path of 'synthesizing' 3 phase power from a single phase source, the first thing you should do is contact Selmi and find out how much it would cost to convert the machine for single phase operation. I found a Selmi Plus user manual online, and it shows a couple of three phase motors...but most of the machine is using single phase power. Any heating element can be reconnected for single phase operation, and the control circuits use 24V derived from a single phase converter/transformer (it is not clear to me from the manual if the control is 24V DC or AC).

It may be that Selmi has already designed for an internal single to 3 phase converter to run the motors.

Failing this, there are several approaches to producing 3 phase from single phase; however these all have their issues.

The cleanest (and most expensive) way to produce 3 phase is a 'motor generator set. This is as simple as it sounds. You have a single phase motor that runs off your single phase supply, and drives a generator which produces 3 phase power. This is not really a likely option, but I mention it for background.

A very common mechanical approach is something called a 'rotary phase converter'. This is simply a 3 phase motor with two of its terminals connected to your single phase line. A special starter triggers this motor to turn, and the third terminal of the motor _generates_ the 3rd terminal of the three phase supply. The benefit of the rotary phase converter is that you get clean sinusoidal output, and only part of the power is actually passing through the converter; for a load that only has a portion of 3 phase loading, the bulk of the power can come directly from the single phase supply.

The downside of this is that the output may not be well balanced, which can cause heating issues in motors. Also you have a spinning machine which means mechanical noise, and the need for bearing maintenance.

The final approach is something called a VSD or inverter. These are actually used to control motor speed, but can also be used to convert single phase to 3 phase power. They work by taking their supply power, converting it to DC, and then using electronics to convert the DC to 3 phase AC. The output AC can have arbitrary frequency and voltage, which gives you the ability to control the speed of a three phase motor.

These devices are relatively inexpensive, and have no moving parts. The downside is that the output AC is rich in electrical noise and harmonics. These units are really meant to drive _motors_, not general purpose 3 phase loads. You would almost certainly need additional filtering between the VSD and the Selmi. Because these units are really meant to drive motors, the 'cleanest' approach is an internal VSD that only drives the motors, leaving the rest of the Selmi using single phase power directly.

(A quick aside: if you have a two terminal AC supply, then it is 'single phase'. If you have 3 terminals, then it is 'three phase'. To see why, draw two points on a piece of paper, and connect them with lines...you get a single connecting line. Now draw three points and connect them with lines....you get 3 connecting lines. Since a circuit requires a closed path between the supply terminals, a pair of supply terminals gives you one phase but 3 terminals give you 3 different paths.)

-Jon

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There are two different type of converters. One is cheaper and VERY loud and puts out a lot of heat. Can't remember much more, but do your research before buying.

Converting from 3 phase to single phase

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have a Selmi plus and need to move to a facility where running a 3 phase line is a costly endeavor.i,ve been told I can get a phase converter or possibly switch the motor. Anyone have thoughts or more importantly experience with this?
updated by @Melanie Boudar: 04/11/25 09:27:36

AS / SAN plastic Molds vs PC Molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for your input! I went ahead and ordered three AS plastic molds. We'll see how they perform.Call me crazybut I would never use the same mold for 25 years. Plastic, as I understand, all leaches chemicals to one degree or another, a process I'm led to believe increases with age.It may be urban myth, but I've also heard that in the aftermath of the BPA scandal, if you can call it that, manufacturers rushed to remove BPA from their processes and swapped in other chemicals in this BP series.Anyway, for fun I've gone ahead and ordered one mold made of wood to see if that's a possibility. Yes, wood!

AS / SAN plastic Molds vs PC Molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Using ABS is not something I have seenused for chocolate molds. FDA Styrene like HIPS does have a place in the chocolate industry for plaques and packaging but in my opinion does not have the strength to have a useful life in chocolate molding.It's hard to put a Lifeon it but I know manufacturersusing Polycarbonate molds for over 25 years and they still are functioning. I know others who use cheaperPET or rarely Styrene and they crack/replace molds every year.

Regarding the BPA topic. Recent news regarding BPA content in polycarbonate has resulted in somepeople asking for clarification on the topic. We have been watching and researching the topic for some time.At this time, research shows polycarbonate to be safe for use in chocolate molds, and most news regarding BPA is related to baby bottles. Of course everyone has to make their own decision but attached are a few articles that may help clarify the topic for you.

AS / SAN plastic Molds vs PC Molds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Been shopping for molds.

I've noticed molds in "AS" in addition to the standardpolycarbonate (PC). Anyone have molds made ofAS plastic? If I'm making the connection right, according to Wikipedia , AS is a B short of ABS, which last I checked wasn't food grade or even non-toxic. (That said I did chew no a fair amount of lego as a kid and I'm just fine today lol)

It's interesting because the place I'm seeing the molds sells two versions of just about every shape, cheaper in AS, pricier in PC (22 vs 35, not dollars but you get the idea).

Thanks!

Lee

Edit : I now see this , so maybe even the polycarb molds have BPA, a famous good-times toxin. EWG also says avoid polycarbonate .

Edit 2: I see now that ABS is only "made" of toxic stuff, and is very stable as a finished product. A crylonitrile styrene (AS) or styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) is seemingly an equally safe relative. Maybe its time to start looking at these puppies :P

updated by @Lee2: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Chocolatier Bar Maker turns into success, such an inspiring story

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

I liked the article and his bars look good

Chocolatier Bar Maker turns into success, such an inspiring story

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

I was looking for ideas to distribute bars and this article pop up.

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130506/PC05/130509567

This is a excellent story and reflects many of us who want to initiate or are already in the business.

Read in between the lines and you can get many answers and details.Look at the type of shops he distributes to, mostly gourmet shops. That's really great.

I which in my country their would be more fancy stores like this so I can expand more easily.

I will try to distribute to candy shops, gourmet artesanal candies and fancy bakeries with 1oz. bars.

Is someone has any thoughts or want to share any story your are welcome.

updated by @Wannabe Chocolatier: 12/13/24 12:16:07

What is the difference : INNO CONCEPT grinder ICGC C 65 / ECGC 65

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hola, preag and Marinko,wanted to ask if these machines are good and if the company is reliable? thank you

What is the difference : INNO CONCEPT grinder ICGC C 65 / ECGC 65

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Dragi Predrag, javite se kad budete na godinjem, bit e mi drago.

Ja sam u poslu sa zainima 25 godina a sa okoladama 8 godina. Proizvodim od Callebaut couverture a evo planiram poeti i svoj bean to bar. Kudvik-ove maine su kao Mercedes , odline ali skupe, a ove Indijske su kao Yugo45, jeftine ali funkcioniraju, samo sa njima treba malo vie truda. Pogledajte moj web nadalina.hr

lijepi pozdrav

What is the difference : INNO CONCEPT grinder ICGC C 65 / ECGC 65

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Marinko!pozdrav ja slicno razmisljam o takvim masinama.Najbolje sto sam video to je masina od mislim da je Kudvik Rus je to napravio.Nisam procitao tvoju stranicu pa cu to ovih dana to napraviti.Godisnje jednom sam u Rijeci Pa bih zelio da se cujemo I vidimo irazmenimo iskustvo u cokoladi.pozdrav

What is the difference : INNO CONCEPT grinder ICGC C 65 / ECGC 65

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Does anyone have information , what is the difference between the INNO CONCEPT grinder ICGC C-65 (price $ 2,999) and ECGC 65 (price $ 7,400).

I'm talking about models without additional equipment.

Both have the same engine and the same capacity.

updated by @Marinko Biskic: 04/11/25 09:27:36

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

What about Caramels using Beer? These days it is popular to flavor caramel with beer. Tocreate a caramel candy,When should one add the beer to the recipe? Should one reduce it separately and cook the alcohol off first? I create a soft caramel, but one that we cut and then enrobe.

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks very much for this thoughtful response. Now that our weather is very cold and conditions are very dry, I noticed that my caramel is setting up at lower temperatures. I now know why. Thank you for the insight!

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

To answer this, I need to clarify where and how I have worked with sugar. There have been two types of locations: sea-level at reasonable humidity rates (50-100%), and high altitude (5500 ft +) at low humidity rates (less than 15%) and at reasonable humidity rates (50%+). I would love to try working sugar in a low humidity/low altitude location, I just haven't been in the right place at the right time to try it. Based upon these different locations, here is what I have experienced:

From a crystallization point of view, I have not seen much difference in avoiding crystallization at different humidity levels. The techniques to avoid crystallization (use of glucose in the recipe, careful when agitating, etc) are the same. I have seen a difference in timing and temperature due to humidity and altitude changes to reach a desired caramel/sugar consistency, however.

For instance, when working at my current altitude versus sea level, and at low humidity levels, I reduce the temperature to which I cook the sugar solution by 8-10 degrees versus what I would do at sea level at higher humidity. If it is humid here (which is sometimes is during monsoon season), I only reduce the temperature by about 4-6 degrees. This indicates that both factors are a component. As a specific example, right now at 10-15% humidity and 5500 feet in altitude, if I want a soft ball stage caramel I will cook it to 228-230 degrees F. In July or August here the humidity will jump to 80-100%, and I will cook the same recipe to 232-234 degrees to hit the same viscosity. At sea-level, I would have taken the recipe to 238 degrees to hit the same. This convention (come across by great trial and error), holds true for any of our sugar based confections: fondant, caramel, toffees, nougats, pulling sugar, etc. We hit the standard sugar stages at lower temps at low humidity levels. My assumption for the reason for this is that at lower humidity rates and higher altitudes the rate at which the water evaporates from the supersaturated solution is higher at each degree of temperature than at higher humidity levels, meaning that we are losing water from the caramel at a faster rate and reaching the appropriate water/sugar ratio for a given stage earlier. Note that this is merely conjecture, but it is what I am seeing in practice.

Back to the question of alcohol, upon reflection, every once in a while I will add alcohol (particularly a wine that may have residual sugars and adversely impact the desired flavor of the caramel) during the cooking stage, but only after the solution has come to a boil. I have not had any crystallization issues with this, although it does seem to also speed up the stage levels but I have not experimented enough to come up with a quantified effect.

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

what effects does no humidity have on caramel and crystallization?

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

We routinely use combinations of caramel and alcohol - and the easiest way we have found to use it is to add the alcohol AFTER the caramel is made and after cooling if using a soft caramel (we add it to the piping bag itself with the caramel and massage to combine). Crystallization has already occurred in the caramel itself, so the alcohol does not affect the caramel batch. Adding after the fact does affect the viscosity of the caramel, so if we are going for a specific consistency we will cook the caramel slightly longer (take it to a few degrees more) to thicken the output prior to adding in the alcohol. If adding the alcohol to a toffee/sugar candy, we add it just after taking it off the heat. This limits the effects on crystallization. Note that we only use the wet method of caramel making, as it is easier to control the output at our altitude and humidity levels (we had to adjust sugar temps for soft stage etc due to being a mile above sea level and almost no humidity).

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I'm no chemist, but my husband told me that alcohol is all some sort of fermented sugar, and presumably that is why the adjustments need to be made as Mark has said. My caramel tasted sooooo good, but I don't know how to adjust formulas, so I guess I'll have to skip it.

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Mark,

Your insight is very helpful. I never knew that about Alcohol. Understanding and controlling how caramel crystallizes is so important. During the summer, I find that is when I have the most problems with crystallization. Do you know if Sorbitol will help? What about Lecithin? I add a bit of lemon juice to my recipe. I also add a good amount of glucose. Thanks again for your contributions.

Daniel

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Alcohol reduces the solubility of sugar. If your control'scombined recipe and texture had your caramel on the edge of graining (crystallization) the alcohol can take you over that edge. To compensate you can reduce the sucrose, and increase the doctors (glucose syrups, etc.). Another option would be to control the crystallization, getting it to grain in much smaller crystals, done through technique. However this will start to shorten the texture.

adding liquor to caramel

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Has anyone tried adding liquor to a batch of caramel? I'm thinking of Christmas (can't believe I'm thinking about it already) and adding rum as well as spices for a "hot buttered rum" type caramel. In my experimenting, I'm getting some crystallization (I'm a novice, so I think that's what it's called) around the edges of the batch: sides and bottom. I've thought that liquor would work in caramels and toffees, etc., as long as they didn't have sugar of their own in them, like I think Kahlua would, for example.

Does anyone have experience or thoughts on this?

Thanks!

updated by @Nicole5: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Chocolate Distributor Business Concept

Posted in: Opinion

Hi everyone! I owe a chocolate store 3 years now and have to close for personal reasons 1 year ago. As mentioned before in this forum people dont know what they are getting into, is a tough business. During my operating time the business was ok, but not as lucrative as I thought. My chocolatier where mostly truffles oriented, people love our chocolates, started to distributing truffles on other stores and find that other sellers didnt take care of our product and customers think it was pricey.

We dont have a culture for fancy chocolate, although people recognize it when they taste product. Now I try to reopen just from a different perspective.

Just bars and distribute, cut all the retail myself as the local demand is not huge I will cut down some costs and place the business as a side income.

Try to come with a competitive product keeping its quality to compete with chemical global manufactures as a local, with the niche flavors.

I will like to hear any advice from you or if any one has initiated distribution, what was your experience?

updated by @Wannabe Chocolatier: 04/10/15 20:47:10

Getting a delicious Cherry filling for Cherry Chocolate Bar

Posted in: Recipes

Hi Im making a cherry coconut confection as a filling to dip it in milk chocolate to make a CHOCOLATE CHERRY BAR. I used cherry and coconut, I tried to keep my recipes as natural as possible.

I used maraschino cherries, desiccated coconut and icing sugar. I thought I will be needing some vegetable oil but no need since further grinding of the coconut release all its oil. I end up with a cherry coconut marzipan. I was expecting some difficulty on this recipe because cherry is a very tricky ingredient. I guess nothing beats the whole cherry.

Then I gave some to my best critics (family) and their comments where are following. They are really tough but that helps to only the best product goes to market.

- I dont know what it is

- What is it

- It is coconut or cherry

- It has some chemical to it

- It takes like medicine

- This one was interesting. If I bite a small piece it doesnt even tastes, if I bite a small ball it has flavor.

- It leaves a dry taste in your throat

- From one to ten , a 5

- I leave some aside at is got dry and the cherry flavor got more tasty.

As you see, the comments where as expected from a cherry filling. My question is how do I improved this recipe and keep it stable for chocolate filling. I add some rum and improved flavor , the I cook it and improved texture. I was thinking on natural flavoring . Any suggestions?

updated by @Wannabe Chocolatier: 04/15/15 07:13:06

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Ah ha, well caught! The cinnamon was air dried at ~70C for 24 hours while in a rough powder form. so I'm thinking it will be very low H2O by now.

Thanks for raising that point!

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I agree that microbes from the cinnamon will not grow within the chocolate due to its low water activity. But since the cinnamon comes in form of inclusions, it's maybe more relevant what water activity the cinnamon has. If it is in dried form (like cinnamon mostly is when we use it as spices), everything should be fine.
I would only worry about C. Botulinum when using inclusions of high water activity.

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks to both of you! I greatly value your scientific perspective.

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It's surprising indeed! I'm not surprised about the water activity, however. So it looks like between lack of water and presence of oxygen, I'm ok in terms of botulism. On to steaming...

Thanks Sebastian!

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

C. Botulinum - the organism responsible for the botulinum toxin - requires a VERY high water activity - well over 0.7 (many say as high as 0.95). Chocolate has a water activity somewhere in the 0.1-0.25 range. There's not nearly sufficient water activity for any organism to vegetate, i'm afraid. C Botulinum is an anaerobic spore former, and spores of course will remain viable for very long periods of time, but the toxin is only produced when the organism is in it's vegetative (i.e. growing and reproducing state). It doesn't matter how much oxygen can penetrate the chocolate if there's insufficient water for the organism to grow. It's a bit like saying humans require oxygen to live - which is true - but if there's no water in your environment, it similarly doesn't matter how much oxygen is present...

I know this as i've led global chocolate research for decades. The high oxygen permittivity of chocolate surprises most people.

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

In terms of botulism, whether chocolate contains / is a barrier for oxygen is critical in my view. Botulism only becomes a health hazard when the related bacteria find themselves in an anaerobic, low-acid environment. So if the interior of a piece of dark chocolate is low oxygen and no new oxygen can get it, the bacteria can quickly use up the available oxygen and begin producing botulinum toxin.

However you are saying chocolate is not a barrier for oxygen. How do you know this? I'm not doubting you here, just curious to know where I might find more detailed information.

As to other bacteria, of course there are always concerns, although it's my understanding as well that chocolate is by and large an inhospitable environment for most things, hence the 2-year shelf life. Again, could be mistaken! Your mention of steam sterilization is very useful though, thanks. I'll look into that further.

Botulism

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Lee - i've only seen cinnamon come from tree bark - not roots - so that's interesting. Anytime you're working with a raw agricultural product, but it from above the ground or below, there's a risk of unsavory microbiological elements. Bacteria will not grow in chocolate, but may remain viable, and yes, chocolate is a terrible oxygen barrier, but that's not really important for this. Usually cinnamon is steam sterilized prior to use to ensure a low(er) micro count, but even then spices are notoriously high in micro load. If i was making it for personal use and consumption i'd be less concerned about it, if i was making for my business and others to consume, i'd pay far more attention to it.