On the topic of ventilation

RHBee · April 18, 2014, 10:29:38 AM

I have built 8 nonstandard bottom boards and top entrance inner covers. I plan to have 4 medium 8 frame supers as my brood chamber. The bottom entrance is an opening cut with a dado blade and measures 5/16" x 3" and is intended to be primarily a drone entrance. The top entrance is full width and 5/16"in height.
Summers get pretty hot here and I would appreciate opinions and comments as to whether this will provide adequate ventilation. I want to make sure that they can reduce moisture of the honey properly and maintain hive temperature adequately.

Bush_84 · April 18, 2014, 11:42:21 AM

Sorry to say but pictures aren't working.

Edit-if you click on them it'll like you to the pics. Interesting setup. I think it'll be fine, but that's just my humble opinion.

BeeMaster2 · April 18, 2014, 01:07:46 PM

Quote from: RHBee on April 18, 2014, 10:29:38 AM
I have built 8 nonstandard bottom boards and top entrance inner covers. I plan to have 4 medium 8 frame supers as my brood chamber. The bottom entrance is an opening cut with a dado blade and measures 5/16" x 3" and is intended to be primarily a drone entrance. The top entrance is full width and 5/16"in height.
Summers get pretty hot here and I would appreciate opinions and comments as to whether this will provide adequate ventilation. I want to make sure that they can reduce moisture of the honey properly and maintain hive temperature adequately.

I guess you have to click on the ? box to see the images. :imsorry: :idunno:

Sounds like it will work. I keep mine reduced most of the time. Helps the bees from being robbed. Why not make the top opening the same size as the bottom?

sc-bee · April 18, 2014, 02:12:22 PM

Guess I am the dooooofus---- I see no ? box. Dang Ray you have got to do better for us challenged folks :-D

RHBee · April 18, 2014, 02:23:23 PM

Quote from: sc-bee on April 18, 2014, 02:12:22 PM
Guess I am the dooooofus---- I see no ? box. Dang Ray you have got to do better for us challenged folks :-D

wow :roll: I don't have a clue why the pictures don't display. Maybe I'm the doofuss. Could be to big??

Okay, click the links!!

10framer · April 18, 2014, 03:29:08 PM

i've never run top entrances but i have started reducing mine year round. i may try this but do more like what jim suggested and run two small entrances.

RHBee · April 18, 2014, 05:28:26 PM

Jim and Rob,
My reasoning behind the larger upper entrance is to maximize air flow. My bottom boards are double screen. The inner screen is #6 mesh and the outer screen is #8 mesh. My pans have some intentional side to side slop that allows air flow. Could be over designed but that's just me. This summer I would like to not see the kind of bearding I've seen in the past. Our high humidity coupled with the lack of ventilation last year might have contributed to the high moisture content honey I harvested. I also did away with the flat landing board because I believe this caused my pans to overflow during heavy rain. Made a mess.

Wolfer · April 18, 2014, 06:17:34 PM

My top vent is the 1/2" notch in the inner cover. I keep my bottom reduced all year. I reduce it till the opening is full of bees without slowing traffic too much.
As long as the opening is full of bees robbing is a non issue. The bees can and want to control their own temps.
Remember, while 95 deg is hot to us that's where they need to be.

Cedar Hill · April 18, 2014, 06:35:53 PM

Very nice work! I think that you might see some bees clustering at the smaller bottom entrance when the queen is laying in the bottom super. Bees try, but not always, to take the shortest path to where they need to be in the hive. When it gets too hot, I just crack and push the second deep super back about an inch and do the same to my inner cover with the top cover slanted as you have. My screened bottom boards are always opened all summer. Your theory is right on, in my opinion, the more air they are allowed to vent out the greater the decrease in hive moisture. I just use simple chimney bricks to support the bottom board. The higher the bottom board, the more difficult it is to remove the heavy honey supers. OMTCW

sc-bee · April 18, 2014, 11:32:02 PM

You guys are killing me no ? mark no link no pictures :tumbleweed:

RHBee · April 19, 2014, 05:45:44 AM

Quote from: sc-bee on April 18, 2014, 11:32:02 PM
You guys are killing me no ? mark no link no pictures :tumbleweed:

Ok Steve, I was right my pictures were to large. I resized now they display properly. Hope this helps a bud out. :-D

sc-bee · April 19, 2014, 09:27:16 AM

MAn dem sho r sum bitsy pick ures :-D Nice job Ray!