Flow Hive leaking water

Honeyeater · June 09, 2020, 02:53:24 AM

Hi. I have a Flow hive that whenever it rains I?m finding water pooling on the Corflute bottom. The roof was leaking water but I fixed it.

When the Corflute slider is in the top slot, any water that finds its way inside will have nowhere to go and adds to condensation.

This is a design fault from what I can see. I told Flow about this but didn?t really answer my question and told me to put silicone on roof gaps.

Short of replacing the bottom board which I can?t do now in winter are there any tips?

Acebird · June 09, 2020, 09:13:35 AM

Hives should tip slightly towards the entrance.

Honeyeater · June 09, 2020, 09:31:50 AM

Not Flow Hives and their Bottom Boards.

They tip backwards to help harvesting the Flow frames, but the actual bottom is level. Even if they tip forward, they have a lip that prevents water to pour out.

Was wondering whether there are any Flow hive users here, that use the Flow Classic bottom board and have this problem too.

CoolBees · June 09, 2020, 06:31:00 PM

Honeyeater - beautiful picture! I'd like to see one of those birds in real life someday.

There are several flow-hive users here. But they are around only sometimes. I'm not one of them. ... if you don't get a response, bump the post in a couple weeks.

Welcome to Beemaster.

Honeyeater · June 09, 2020, 08:03:23 PM

Thanks Coobees. That's a Western Spinebill, a type of Honeyeater, which I sometimes get in my garden.

I did post my question on the Flow Forum first but a friendly chap there warned me not to expect a lot of community help because of some moderation issues and members lost faith in the forum.

I also emailed the company and told me to silicone the roof even after I told them I had already done pretty much that. To help me further they want my order number which I do not have because this hive model was bought as new but second hand.

It is not broken or missing parts, it is just a design fault and thought it would be good to know how people deal with it.

Have a good day!

Skeggley · June 10, 2020, 02:36:33 AM

Hi mate, I'd recommend fitting a migratory top and a solid bottom board. Our migratory top, different to the northern hemispheres which telescopes, fits inside the pretty Flow roof so aesthetics aren't compromised.
As to the other forum, there are posters there who are helpful and knowledgeable, I just can't stand the beard.

Honeyeater · June 10, 2020, 04:19:04 AM

Thanks Skeggley. Fitting a migratory lid under the Flow lid sounds like a good idea though I?m pretty sure I fixed the leaks for good now.

Replacing the Flow hive bit by bit is like the Ship of Theseus. Can?t replace the bottom board till spring anyway but still have to sort the water pooling there.

Yeah FlowHive have let me down this time. The same girl replied my email lecturing me on how to silicone the dodgy roof instead of giving me a solution for the design fault of their bottom board.

Oldbeavo · June 10, 2020, 06:34:18 AM

If your hive doesn't slope to the fron, when It rains the water can run down the front face and into the entrance.
When you come to harvest slope it back if you have to.
Don't the flow hives have a mesh floor?

Honeyeater · June 10, 2020, 09:50:10 AM

Quote from: Oldbeavo on June 10, 2020, 06:34:18 AM
Don't the flow hives have a mesh floor?

They do.

But then there is a plastic Corflute slider that goes under the mesh. It has two positions. The top slot is where I like to keep it so it becomes like a solid bottom and reduces draft, and keeps bees warmer in winter. When it is in the top slot, any water gets trapped because it becomes a tray with no open sides.

Oldbeavo · June 10, 2020, 07:31:22 PM

Just crack it open 1/8" to let the water out, if the bees think its a draft they will wax or propylis it up.
We run some paradise hives that have a mesh floor and we don't cover it up in winter. There are no vents in the lid and so the warm air is locked in the top of the hive.

Honeyeater · June 10, 2020, 10:33:23 PM

The bees won?t be able to seal it up because the slider is under the mesh, so they won?t reach it.

Probably the simplest solution is to just check it after rain and empty the water. Not ideal, but hey....

Oldbeavo · June 11, 2020, 06:37:04 AM

If you crack it open at the entrance end I bet they wouldn't seal it, if they could.

Ben Framed · June 11, 2020, 10:19:56 AM

I think there may be some confusion? Oldbeavo only meant good. There was a not so nice comment made in between your comments that seems to have been taken down?

BeeMaster2 · June 11, 2020, 10:24:01 AM

Quote from: Ben Framed on June 11, 2020, 10:19:56 AM
I think there may be some confusion? Oldbeavo only meant good. There was a not so nice comment made in between your comments that seems to have been taken down?

Ben,
No confusion.
I had to delete the thread Honeyeater was referring to and send a warning.
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · June 11, 2020, 10:26:41 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 11, 2020, 10:24:01 AM
Quote from: Ben Framed on June 11, 2020, 10:19:56 AM
I think there may be some confusion? Oldbeavo only meant good. There was a not so nice comment made in between your comments that seems to have been taken down?
Ben,
No confusion.
I had to delete the thread Honeyeater was referring to and send a warning.
Jim Altmiller

Thanks Jim, I just wanted to make sure Oldbeavoi understood Honeyeater wasn?t referring to his last comment lol

Ben Framed · June 11, 2020, 10:28:03 AM

Just in case 😊

Honeyeater · June 11, 2020, 10:45:46 AM

Oh... that last comment of mine above is a reply to another comment that is now deleted. Maybe mine can be deleted too to avoid misinterpretations.

Oldbeavo is being helpful of course.

Thanks moderator for the quick response.

Ben Framed · June 11, 2020, 10:49:50 AM

Jim does a great job!

Ben Framed · June 11, 2020, 10:53:49 AM

Actually if Oldbeavo is a good sport I can see humor in this situation! lol 😂

Garigal · June 15, 2020, 05:31:46 AM

Quote from: Honeyeater on June 10, 2020, 04:19:04 AM
Thanks Skeggley. Fitting a migratory lid under the Flow lid sounds like a good idea though I?m pretty sure I fixed the leaks for good now.

Replacing the Flow hive bit by bit is like the Ship of Theseus. Can?t replace the bottom board till spring anyway but still have to sort the water pooling there.

Yeah FlowHive have let me down this time. The same girl replied my email lecturing me on how to silicone the dodgy roof instead of giving me a solution for the design fault of their bottom board.

Hey mate,

Don't have a flow hive so can't comment on their roofs but I've used MG covers with hive mats, inner cover + telescopic lid and currently inner cover with a meshed vent + gabled telescoping tops.

I have to say that I'm not really a fan of MG tops for a variety of reasons and am moving back to the telescoping types, the gabled ones are good for keeping rain off and provide abit more air space for heat management, but they also provide a place for ants to colonise so watch out for that.

My favourite is definitely the inner cover (no vent) with a flat telescoping top as that is what I had when I started out, I find them much more solid and heavy so it never blew off, but you can put a brick on it too, and when you do inspections the upside down outer lid makes a great place to put any boxes you take off. The inner cover can be harder to pry off but I prefer that to burr comb under an MG cover, I find my bees usually block off the MG vents too.

I intend to move back to these kind of covers when I can find some decently made ones, as all my local Aussie suppliers seem to have moved completely to MG covers.

I've also used several different hive bases with varying levels of success. Started with the old flat type with risers and cleats and a retrofitted SHB trap ($30). wasn't too bad. 'Upgraded' to ones with full mesh bottoms and a pull out oil tray ($85 each), these were good at catching beetles but also had design flaws that harboured beetles too - not ideal. They will also let SHB in in huge numbers if you try running open bottoms for ventilation (learnt that the hard way and almost lost two hives to sliming overnight).

Looking at Flows baseboard and how basic it looks I don't know how they think its worth $140+ (depending on what timber you use), seems like gouging to me.

I've just changed my hives over last Saturday to two new bases made out of marine ply and stainless fixings and after two days I think I can already see some noticeable improvements, they are also more economical than the aforementioned bases I've used and look like they will last for years. They have a version to suit Flow too.