Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How do I keep my candy from melting??

This is topic How do I keep my candy from melting?? in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Chris Medley (Member # 2145) on 06-02-2004, 02:50 AM:

It seems that the higher temps and humidity have brought around the annual problem of candy melting...I know this is a common thing but my problem is that the computers for our registers can only be stored in the space behind the candy draws and there is not much ventialtion back there.. any ideas that you all have tried to combat this problem?? It is mostly my chocolate candy that is melting, but if I can't come up with a better way to do this then all of the chocolate candy is going to have to come out of the registers every night. I had an idea to maybe drill a few holes under the lip of the counter and install one or two small computer fans at each register to give it more air flow to expel the heat, but I don't know how hard that would be...or if it would help. Any ideas or advice would be good.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 06-02-2004, 05:17 AM:

The only thing you can really do is to eat all the candy before it melts.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-02-2004, 05:45 AM:

Is a refrigerated storage case out of the question? Could you run a duct from the air conditioning system directly into your storage cabinet?

Posted by Rob Butler (Member # 2274) on 06-02-2004, 09:05 AM:

You could possibly build a refrigeration system into the existing case. I've never tried this before but I got the idea a while ago, go to WalMart and get one of those big ice-less coolers, look for the kind with a plastic interior with vents, I've seen a few which didn't look like it would be all that hard to remove the cooling unit, just take the cooling unit out of the cooler and somehow build it into your case. If it will fit in a cooler, it can't be all that big, and usually they run on 12 volts and come with a transformer. It might take some creativity, but it could be done for under 30 bucks (per case).

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 06-02-2004, 09:32 AM:

This is ALWAYS a problem down here. We try to keep the chocolate and other meltables seperate and as far away from heat sources.(even flourescent lamps in candy cases!) The other stuff like Sour Patch and Starbursts should be fine.

Keeping them in the same cabinet as the computers is a BAD idea. Computers generate more heat than you think, especially in an unventilated cabinet. I would seriously consider finding a way to vent the cabinet, if not for the candy then for the computers. Can't sell candy without registers! (Well, you can, but most theater employees don't know how to make change.)
[Embarrassed]

=TMP=

Posted by Chris Medley (Member # 2145) on 06-02-2004, 10:22 AM:

Rob you just gave me a great idea...I don't have room for the cooler system since the candy draws are under each register...but what if i went and bought some of those re-freeze ice things that go in lunch boxes and tossed one in each drawer in a zip lock over night when it gets hot...would that cool the temps enough to make a difference??

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 06-02-2004, 05:01 PM:

Forget the candy, it's cheep; you are cooking your computers. Heat damage to electronics is cumulative over time, and will shorten the life of your computers. If you think it's hot where the candy is, just think of how hot the microprocessor is. Save yourself some money, vent the heat.

Posted by Mike Pennell (Member # 1692) on 06-02-2004, 05:20 PM:

Chris that probably wont work. We usually pack all the chocolates up and put them in the fridge over nite. 104 degrees and counting here in Az.

Posted by Rick Meister (Member # 689) on 06-02-2004, 07:47 PM:

HI everyone
I had the same problem and installed a ductless air conditioner and did all the work myself in the concession. my concession is rather small so with the popper the pop machine and the pop cooler. It was getting 90 in there during the show and too hot even after the show in the summer.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 06-03-2004, 08:44 AM:

Liquid Nitrogen? [Smile]

Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 06-04-2004, 12:50 AM:

yeah, you are decreasing the hours that your computer will run by a lot...is there a way, even like a 4inch gap that you could put a piece of wood and come CPU fans? It's quite easy to hook up and you can even piggy-back onto yout computer's power supply...

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 06-04-2004, 01:14 AM:

Just keep your candy storage area at a reasonable temperature. If you store the candy in the same room as an air-cooled icemaker, forget it. You will always have a big pile of goo.

Posted by Rob Butler (Member # 2274) on 06-04-2004, 09:30 AM:

Take a look at frozencpu.com