Overview of Wax Baths

Overview of Wax Baths

What is a wax bath?

Wax baths are electrical devices that are used in the treatment of sore joints; they offer therapeutic relief from pain and promote blood circulation in the appendages.

Components:

Not all wax baths are made equal, and their features will be determined based on the industry in which the bath was designed for. Wax baths made for commercial use will have more functionality than those designed for use in small offices or at home. Wax baths consist of the following components;

-Tank: The tank is usually made of stainless steel or high-grade plastic and is used to hold the melted wax. The tank is typically insulated in a casing to protect the user from burns as the wax can get up to 210 during a high heat cycle.

-Heating Element: Some wax baths consist of two heating elements. One of the elements is used to sanitize the wax while the other element is used to maintain the operating temperature. Wax baths with limited functionality will consist of only one element. This element is used to maintain the operating temperature.

-Indicator light: The indicator light is used as a visual representation to inform the user as to whether the wax bath is at a safe operating temperature and can be used for treatment. If the wax bath is not safe, the indicator light will change colour. Typically the green/amber light represents that the unit is safe usage and red for unsafe.

• Thermometer: The thermometer allows the user to check the temperature of the wax before usage to ensure safety.
• Timer: The timer is used to turn on the high-temperature feature that is needed to sanitize the wax. Typically the timer runs a sanitation cycle for 45-60mins, and then the timer turns off
• Wax/Paraffin: Paraffin wax is used in wax baths as its colourless and odourless (some paraffin can contain colour and scent, but this is typically used in spa treatments). Paraffin wax becomes flammable above 300, however during most treatments, the wax should be at 130F.
• Thermostat: A thermostat is a safety component that stops the wax bath from exceeding a predefined temperature. The thermostat keeps the wax bath at its safe operating temperature, again typically 130.

Before using a Wax Bath

For safety purposes, it is recommended that the following checks at a minimum be made before usage:

• Make a note of the colour of the indicator light and the corresponding meaning
• Check the thermometer and ensure that the wax is within its safe operating temperature, typically between 125to 135, with an ideal temperature being 130.
• If equipped, ensure the plexiglass-slat is present at the bottom of the tank.
• The wax level should be above half full and ideally set to 75%.

Common failures

The most common failures on wax baths are:

• Operating Lights – Once the unit is plugged in, the operating light will illuminate. Over some time, the LED burns out.
• Drain valve – As the name suggests, the drain valve is used to drain the wax from the tank. The rubber bushing inside the drain valve assembly fails; this results in wax leaking from the wax bath during normal operations.
• Heating Elements – when the wax bath is overfilled or transported while the wax is still hot, the wax seeps between the tank and the outer casing. When this happens, it puts wax in direct contact with the heating element. What this causes the heating element to burn as well as caused damage to the wiring inside the unit.

Figure 1: The image above shows a failed heating element caused by overfilling a wax bath.

TRH Services Annual Preventive Maintenance

During our annual preventive maintenance, TRH Services fully disassembles the wax bath to perform a deep clean. Replace worn out operations and safety lights. Do extensive testing, with a focus on electrical safety and ensures that the built-in safety features are operating according to manufacture specification; calibrations are performed as deemed necessary to ensure the wax bath is safe to use. We also do complete rebuilds on wax baths, even the ones that are no longer supported by their manufacture. Our maintenance program extends the life of your wax baths and is cost-effective, especially in a commercial setting.

For more information on TRH Services, and the work that we do with Wax Baths, please call 1-844-371-9488 or email info@trhservices.ca

Here are some common wax baths that we work on at TRH Services:

Written by: Andre Sutherland

Edited by: Tyler Hasenpflug, C.E.T.