Upside-down Abelo poly Ashforth feeders for fondant

[Paulypaul]

I recently invested in Abelo Poly Ashforth feeders for all 5 of my National hive colonies.
They're excellent for rapid feeding. I can get kilos of syrup into each colony in a a few days.

The Abelo site states:
"During the winter months the Ashforth feeder can be turned upside down and placed over the block of fondant to create a warmer environment for your bees to feed."
(National Poly Ashforth Feeder)

Using the feeder in this way would create 10ltr+ empty chamber over the colony. They're roughly the height of a shallow super.

Does anyone have experience of using a poly ashforth feeder in this way? Is it too much empty space for the bees to heat?

 

[blackcloud]

Not if filled with fondant....

 

[Paulypaul]

Not if filled with fondant....

I would hazard a guess it would take over 15kg of fondant to fill each ashforth feeder space. By December, my bees would be diabetic.

 

[ericbeaumont]

experience of using a poly ashforth feeder in this way

I've used them upside down to feed fondant for years, but only in conjunction with the Abelo deep unventilated poly roof. Helps to put the fondant on a QX.

The two polys together give good thermal insulation. Don't use a vented wood roof in this way because thermal loss will be extreme.

The Abelo feeder has five uses: syrup feeder, fondant feeder, crownboard, split board, floor.

I keep the feeders on permanently (the right way up) which means I have no need to buy or make, clean or store crownboards.

 

[Paulypaul]

I've used them upside down to feed fondant for years, but only in conjunction with the Abelo deep unventilated poly roof. Helps to put the fondant on a QX.

The two polys together give good thermal insulation. Don't use a vented wood roof in this way because thermal loss will be extreme.

The Abelo feeder has five uses: syrup feeder, fondant feeder, crownboard, split board, floor.

I keep the feeders on permanently (the right way up) which means I have no need to buy or make, clean or store crownboards.

That's great info. Thank you.
4 of my 5 colonies have shallow Abelo rooves, which I acquired in an Abelo equipment job lot.
I've spent so much on equipment in this, my first year, also buying a poly deep roof, despite it being my preferred roof style, is going to be a bit too much.
How about I use Kingspan solid insulation and a silver reflective sheet, both of which I have in abundance? I can put them under the cedar deep roof I have on the 5th hive.

 

[ericbeaumont]

shallow Abelo rooves

The Abelo shallow roof has a recess around the rim which locks into a lip on the poly crownboard rim. This later design is incompatible with the original flat rim of the first gen. Abelo poly hive roof, CB, boxes and floor.

The Abelo poly Ashforth feeder is compatible only with the original Abelo National poly hive design. Edit: or with any standard wood National kit.

Have you acquired both designs?

spent so much on equipment in this, my first year

Yes, set-up costs are steep, but after a while you can recoup by selling honey at a proper price at the right outlet.

 

[ericbeaumont]

under the cedar deep roof

Good idea: put as much as you can under there and tape the block in permanantly; make sure to seal the roof air vents before putting in the Kingspan.

An advantage of the deep roof overhang is that it protects any top hive layers - eke, feeder, crownboard - from ingress by water & wind. The shallow Abelo roofs have no such benefit and seal only the top joint with the plastic locking lip.