OA sublimation into the hive or under the open mesh floor ?

[Rivachaz]

Hi,

I had a few poly hives, was wondering what would be a safer way to OA Vapor the hive ?

I’d be using a pan type 12v tool, would it be easier to place under the mesh floor and allow the gas to flow upwards through the open mesh or close the floor off and put it thorough the entrance ?

I wouldn’t want a burnt hive with poly ?

Any thoughts ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I singed frames going in through the entrance with a varrox so moved to under the omf

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've always vaped from under the OMF, never had any issues - you also don't need to faff around closing the entrance

 

[Rivachaz]

I singed frames going in through the entrance with a varrox so moved to under the omf

Ah ok -that’s what I would be afraid would Happen with a poly hive.

 

[Rivachaz]

I've always vaped from under the OMF, never had any issues - you also don't need to faff around closing the entrance

Great - thank you as well for the reply back .

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah ok -that’s what I would be afraid would Happen with a poly hive.

It happened to me with a wooden hive. The bottom bars got scorched.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just get yourself a steel plate the size of the inspection tray (or a wooden one with a metal/ceramic pad in the middle) insert the tray, put the loaded varrox in, close the gap between the plate and the floor with a piece of foam or cloth (no need to jam it in, loosely will do) and then fire away

 

[Brenda]

Hi,

I had a few poly hives, was wondering what would be a safer way to OA Vapor the hive ?

I’d be using a pan type 12v tool, would it be easier to place under the mesh floor and allow the gas to flow upwards through the open mesh or close the floor off and put it thorough the entrance ?

I wouldn’t want a burnt hive with poly ?

Any thoughts ?

I too have wooden WBC’s therefore had someone cut out tiny trap doors on floor and retained the cut out plug to reinsert with turn buttons to keep this in place when not needed. This works well for me with stainless steel mesh on the floor inside, no disturbance in December when I am using the sublimation tool. They fizz well!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi,

I had a few poly hives, was wondering what would be a safer way to OA Vapor the hive ?

I’d be using a pan type 12v tool, would it be easier to place under the mesh floor and allow the gas to flow upwards through the open mesh or close the floor off and put it thorough the entrance ?

I wouldn’t want a burnt hive with poly ?

Any thoughts ?

Much will depend on the brand of polyhive but having seen the scorching of wooden frames using a pan sublimator I'd be cautious. I moved to gas vap to permit work from the top and avoid potential risk of heat damage. As I use eccentric space clear crown boards with wooden frames the gas vap emission tube only contacts the wood where it goes through a 10mm hole.
As an aside and maybe negates the idea of not using/carrying batteries I was recently musing about a gas vap type unit with an electrically heated chamber.