Dehumidifiers

[Barbara99]

I have a lot of frames this year only half capped and the honey measures 19 plus, I am wondering if anyone had advice on using a dehumidifier to get the water content down and if so would you do it on the frames or with the extracted honey. Thank you

 

[Erichalfbee]

In the frames. Stack the supers up over a fan heater with a dehumidifier in the room. Use smallest room you have …. Not the loo
That’s how I did it before I invested in a dryer. Hardly use it for that but it’s brilliant for keeping supers warm in the extraction queue

 

[bignikki]

I use a very small dehumidifier that I put in the stack of supers using a couple of empty supers as"ekes".
It works well.

 

[Barbara99]

I have a lot of frames this year only half capped and the honey measures 19 plus, I am wondering if anyone had advice on using a dehumidifier to get the water content down and if so would you do it on the frames or with the extracted honey. Thank you

Thanks for the advice, really useful

 

[gregior]

I had some wet honey last year at 21% I extracted it and ran it slowly through a double strainer 3 times with the dry emerging air from a dehumidifier blowing under the strainer. The honey went down to 17%

 

[ericbeaumont]

Stack the supers

do it on the frames

To maximise airflow through the stack, put the first super on two lengths of timber, then stack each super at 90° to the next.

 

[Jimmy]

To maximise airflow through the stack, put the first super on two lengths of timber, then stack each super at 90° to the next.

I get the timber supports at the base but with frames perpendicular to each other aren't you limiting airflow? Murray M/ITLD often talks about bees preferring vertical corridors achieved by having frames on the same spacing throughout the hive, one of the perceived benefits thought to be better airflow.

 

[ericbeaumont]

limiting airflow?

Not sure, but by twisting each box by 90° a triangle is opened at each box corner through the stack, which may result in faster exchange of air.

It was the method recommended by Peter Little.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine now go stacked on the warmer at the same orientation.

 

[jeff33]

Not the loo
That’s how I did it before I invested in a dryer.

What sort of dryer did you get Dani? I was going to set up something this year to reduce water content in honey. I may just invest in a dehumidifier and stack supers.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What sort of dryer did you get Dani? I was going to set up something this year to reduce water content in honey. I may just invest in a dehumidifier and stack supers.

It's Abelo's supers honey warmer. It will take six (I think) supers. I put an empty one on first. It works really well but only for hobby keeper quantities. It's taken around 24 hours per stack. I haven't used it for that for quite a while but I think it will come in useful this year. There is only so much honey I can put under the bees

 

[jeff33]

It's Abelo's supers honey warmer. It will take six (I think) supers. I put an empty one on first. It works really well but only for hobby keeper quantities. It's taken around 24 hours per stack. I haven't used it for that for quite a while but I think it will come in useful this year. There is only so much honey I can put under the bees

I have had to gamble with the uncapped as I had nothing to reduce moisture content. My buckets come in at 19% for the moment

 

[Mint Bee]

a few years ago I extracted honey that was in the early 20% moisture and put a couple of buckets into my honey warming cabinet @ 38C, with a tray of desiccant. I mixed the honey twice a day before testing to ensure accurate measurement of bulk honey. this brought moisture content below 18 in a couple of days. Same could be achieved in a low oven, but might not be popular with other oven users with that timeframe