Newbee interested in Hive Scales - Any experience of Beeportal.net

[dvearn]

Hi all,
I'm towards the end of my theory course and have been doing my research to try and prepare as best I can for managing some bees this year.
I'm a bit of a techie and love a bit of data, so my eye has been caught my the concept of hive scales. Other than general interest, my main objective with scales it to try and help with store monitoring and feeding over winter, as this seems one of the main reasons for losing colonies (lack of food).

As I'm planning to go with Abelo Poly Langs, i've been drawn to the BeePortal.net scales offering on their website.
So I would be interested in any experience people have had with BeePortal.net please - there is virtually nothing available when Googling.

 

[pargyle]

Just get a good set of luggage scales or a heavy duty spring scale ... put a screw eye in either side of the hive stand, weigh each side of the hive and combine the weights . write it down with a chinagraph pencil on a piece of white melamine and keep it under the hive roof. You will know if the weight of the hive is going down over winter and what rate it is going down at.

Save your techie pennies for something that might be really useful in your beekeeping - like some varroa vaping equipment or more supers ...

The reason that you don't find much about them in a google search is a bit of a clue ... nobody (or at least very few !) uses them ... when you've been keeping bees a couple of years you will just be hefting hives over winter ... the three finger test ...

Three fingers to lift and they feel nailed to the floor... they are fine
Two fingers to lift and you can't hold it there too long ... Ok for the time being
One finger to tip them up ... Jeez - better bang on some fondant before they starve

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just get a good set of luggage scales or a heavy duty spring scale ... put a screw eye in either side of the hive stand, weigh each side of the hive and combine the weights . write it down with a chinagraph pencil on a piece of white melamine and keep it under the hive roof. You will know if the weight of the hive is going down over winter and what rate it is going down at.

Save your techie pennies for something that might be really useful in your beekeeping - like some varroa vaping equipment or more supers ...

The reason that you don't find much about them in a google search is a bit of a clue ... nobody (or at least very few !) uses them ... when you've been keeping bees a couple of years you will just be hefting hives over winter ... the three finger test ...

Three fingers to lift and they feel nailed to the floor... they are fine
Two fingers to lift and you can't hold it there too long ... Ok for the time being
One finger to tip them up ... Jeez - better bang on some fondant before they starve

 

[drex]

Bees can manage perfectly well and thrive without any high tech. Make sure you have enough of the essentials. Get some practical experience and you

will slowly get a feel for your bees. In the end that will tell you more than any high tech equipment. If in doubt, ask a mentor or just leave it to the bees.
Feeding is a balancing act and you will get the hang of it. In your early years, if in doubt, give them a slab of fondant. It will do no harm and is a lot cheaper.

 

[thorn]

My bee buddy bought a set out of curiosity. They're a toy, nothing more. But it's fun watching the fluctuations when there's a good flow on.
On all but the one hive we use luggage scales.

 

[blackcloud]

More than half the appeal of beekeeping for me is the low tech.
Just me ,some wooden boxes (some older than I am) and some bees.
In a field in the middle of nowhere,no phone signal no humans.
Absolute paradise.

 

[Goran]

I don't use any scales, but my mentor use the one in the link. He said battery lasted for 6 years without changing/charging..
His phone is receiving reading every day.. It would be a bit annoying to me.. The one which is all inox for now cost around 750 euros ( around 670 gbp). The most is important to him while he is moving from forage to forage to estimate the right time for the move ( drop of flow or increasing). Cause, the forages are overlapping and he has to move quickly. Sometimes I help him when I have time in migrating, I myself am stationary and price doesn't justify luxury to buy such scale since my income doesn't allow me to be wasteful with finances.. Especially we are now in state of wild west ( uncontrolled importation of honey) and price for our own extra class honey is misery..

https://www.microel.hr/products/gprs-sms-beehive-scale-xlog-bee#id3

 

[Poly Hive]

£245? As said buy some supers, frames and foundation. Dinna waste your money on tech. Bees dinn a use it nor should you. Let the bees tell you.


PH

 

[Dodge]

Anyone used these scales in the last 12 months? Wifi only are £155. Tempted to use at hone to see how flows come and go and how the weights changes through the day.

I have read the comments on this thread and all I have to say is that once you have Solar Panels installed and you are technically minded then:

Statistics through the day such as how much electric is coming in, battery status change etc becomes addictive And hence the fascination with hive weight and weather on flows etc.