Sublimox, inverter and battery.

[Newbeeneil]

I'm investigating the purchase of a sublimox. What size inverter and battery ampere hour do people use and how long does it last?
I have a couple of 12v 7ah motorbike batteries. Would these be adequate for 20 colonies?

 

[Murox]

Personally IF i had 20 ish colonies I would choose to use some thing like the gas-vap

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have a 75 AH Leisure battery and a 600W Inverter
By the way, How many of you running a sublimox use an RCD?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Personally IF i had 20 ish colonies I would choose to use some thing like the gas-vap

I have a gasvap but found that it's becoming a bit temperamental after doing about 20 hives. (I have 60+ hives to treat but tend to do them in batches up to about 20.) The torch now only lights when it wants to and the nozzle is becoming wobbly. I have bought another torch but was looking at other possibilities. I have a 500 watt inverter and the small batteries already so I was just looking at alternatives.

 

[Murox]

I have a gasvap but found that it's becoming a bit temperamental after doing about 20 hives. (I have 60+ hives to treat but tend to do them in batches up to about 20.) The torch now only lights when it wants to and the nozzle is becoming wobbly. I have bought another torch but was looking at other possibilities. I have a 500 watt inverter and the small batteries already so I was just looking at alternatives.

Got it does however make for extra kit to hump around - you'll have to invent a neat little trolley

 

[pargyle]

Got it does however make for extra kit to hump around - you'll have to invent a neat little trolley

Would you not be better off with a pocket sized generator ? You would be hard pushed to run an inverter from two motorcycle batteries and have enough current to drive a sublimox for any length of time.

 

[robinharman]

I use a small generator with my Sublimox. Do about 150 colonies in about 8 apiaries. Does the job perfectly.
I have an old golf trolley to wheel along the row of hives.
This is the one I have Clarke G720 2 Stroke Petrol Generator - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

 

[Apple]

I use a small generation with my Sublimox. Do about 150 colonies in about 8 apiaries. Does the job perfectly.
I have an old golf trolley to wheel along the row of hives.
This is the one I have Clarke G720 2 Stroke Petrol Generator - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

About the same but in more out apiaries as like to spread them across the the two counties either side of the Tamar... most are in Cornwall
740 Watt pocket Generator is by far the easiest when combined with the Sublimox....

 

[GuyNir]

Same here. Using Autojack 800w generator. Always there when needed and could be useful not just for beekeeping.

 

[Nige.Coll]

I have a 1600w inverter wired into the van, it was an ex power company vehicle.
There is also a 1600w inverter wired into my 4x4.
I can drive within 70m of all my bees and have long extension leads.

The sublimox is around 300w I think from memory. A small generator will be more reliable than a battery left in a shed for most of the year.

If your worried about being electrocuted then change the plugs for weather proof ones they aren't expensive and easy to change over.

 

[NiallD]

I'm investigating the purchase of a sublimox. What size inverter and battery ampere hour do people use and how long does it last?
I have a couple of 12v 7ah motorbike batteries. Would these be adequate for 20 colonies?

To answer your questions directly; an inverter of at least 300w is specified and a minimum battery requirement of 45Ah..... The inverter you already have is adequate,your batteries are not.......Leisure batteries are best but for batches of 20 hives I wouldn't overthink things......I treat 150+ hives and can recommend the Sublimox.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Thank you all very much! I had a small generator a few years ago but it died a death so only have a much larger 2.2kva 4 stroke machine which is a bit big to transport. But as Murox said I will have to make a trolley or maybe use my hive barrow.
Many thanks again for your prompt responses. It's what makes this site so good!

 

[ericbeaumont]

Simple to use a generator, Neil. The Impax IM800I is 4-stroke and half the weight of Robin's 2-stroke Clarke G720 (8.5kg/17kg) and fewer dBs (48/65) at 7m, but is twice the price (£190/£96). Lugging the Impax is a doddle and won the game for me.

 

[Hachi]

I use a small generator with my Sublimox. Do about 150 colonies in about 8 apiaries. Does the job perfectly.
I have an old golf trolley to wheel along the row of hives.
This is the one I have Clarke G720 2 Stroke Petrol Generator - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

Ditto although I have the 1100 version

 

[Jimmy]

I have the Impax 800w generator and it works fine for me treating up to 60 hives with a sublimox across 3 apiaries. IIRC Hivemaker preferred a higher power generator.
I don't use a RCD but realise that I probably should. I think the one I bought wasn't compatible with the surrounds of the plug socket on the generator.

 

[oliver90owner]

a 12V 7Ah battery is 84Wh energy capacity - not all of which us available - unless you want to send your batteries to an early grave. Say 30% discharged only - that means only 30Wh is a sensibly usable.

If your heater uses 300W (doubtful as the varrox was only about 150W) would mean one fully charged battery (in ‘as new’ condition) would last just 6 minutes before needing to be recharged.

Just some simple physics - and simple maths to calculate it out. Does that help you make a decision?

The answer is no, if you want your batteries to last. Incidentally, automotive batteries (this includes motorcycles) are not manufactured to be discharged to any great extent as they will only last a very limited number of ‘full discharge cycle equivalents’. They are normally returned to full charge soon after operating the starter motor and power for ancillaries is derived from the automotive generator while the engine is running.

I think you need to investigate the power consumption/supply, as well as just the sublimox (and more about the sublimox than just source and price)

 

[pargyle]

a 12V 7Ah battery is 84Wh energy capacity - not all of which us available - unless you want to send your batteries to an early grave. Say 30% discharged only - that means only 30Wh is a sensibly usable.

If your heater uses 300W (doubtful as the varrox was only about 150W) would mean one fully charged battery (in ‘as new’ condition) would last just 6 minutes before needing to be recharged.

Just some simple physics - and simple maths to calculate it out. Does that help you make a decision?

I rather hoped you were lurking RAB ... I rather figured that would be the case but didn't have the knowledge to do the maths ... makes a portable generator or a fairly big leisure battery for use with an inverter essential for a sublimox ... and with the battery option it is still going to be limiting the number of treatments possible between re-charges . Deep cycle leisure batteries are big, heavy and will give between 85AH and 150AH .. if you can carry them about ...

A small genny is no brainer by the looks of it ...

 

[Newbeeneil]

a 12V 7Ah battery is 84Wh energy capacity - not all of which us available - unless you want to send your batteries to an early grave. Say 30% discharged only - that means only 30Wh is a sensibly usable.

If your heater uses 300W (doubtful as the varrox was only about 150W) would mean one fully charged battery (in ‘as new’ condition) would last just 6 minutes before needing to be recharged.

Just some simple physics - and simple maths to calculate it out. Does that help you make a decision?

The answer is no, if you want your batteries to last. Incidentally, automotive batteries (this includes motorcycles) are not manufactured to be discharged to any great extent as they will only last a very limited number of ‘full discharge cycle equivalents’. They are normally returned to full charge soon after operating the starter motor and power for ancillaries is derived from the automotive generator while the engine is running.

I think you need to investigate the power consumption/supply, as well as just the sublimox (and more about the sublimox than just source and price)

That's the info I needed, my physics is limited to GCE grade 2 standard .
So I think a generator is the answer at present and if I invest in the Sublimox next year I will initially use my existing heavy generator in apiaries where I can drive the van to. Those I can't get to I'll either use the hive barrow or Gasvap.
Thanks again for your comments.

 

[polymath]

I went through several car batteries before being explained things. Car batteries are designed for gentle continual charging from the alternator. What you need, and I know have is a leisure battery, i.e. for Caravans. Weighs about 10 kilo so not light. Designed to be charged and then run down and fully charged. I run two vapourizers off it at once and next year may run three as it makes the whole process quicker. Just google leisure batteries about £70

 

[Swarm]

I find it quite disappointing that a piece of £300+ equipment needs another outlay in expense (£70) to make it work. Not forgetting the price of a charger for the other piece of kit if you don't have one already. For 300 quid I'd expect an on/off switch.