Oxalic Acid Vaporizer/Sublimator PPE

[The15thMember]

I'm planning my first ever oxalic acid vaporizer (sublimator for you much more correctly phrased Brits) treatment.  .30WCF was generous enough to send me his old wand, since he recently upgraded.  (Thanks again, 30!  )  I'm trying to purchase a respirator and some goggles, which of course in this COVID world is proving somewhat challenging both for an excess of options and prices and limited availability.  I'm currently thinking about a half-face mask from 3M and some protective goggles.  I wear eyeglasses, so I'd need to be sure it would work to wear them with my respirator and goggles.  Do any of you who do OAV wear eyeglasses, and how does it affect the fit of your PPE?  Secondly, it seems that most protective goggles have vents to prevent them fogging up.  Are these safe enough when the goal is to protect your eyes from the oxalic vapor?   

[BeeMaster2]

Member,
Bee sure to get one that has the canisters on it that are replaceable and has a nose and mouth seal. I just use my regular glasses. As long as I have the mask on I never had any problems.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

Reagan I use a car painting 'respirator' sold by Harbor Freight, I can not smell any inkling of acid when wearing these mask . They are designed to filter out even harmful isocyanate fumes which are very harmful and found in some car paints. This might not be the correct mask for OAV but I am confident..

Phillip

[Ben Framed]

Member,
Bee sure to get one that has the canisters on it that are replaceable and has a nose and mouth seal. I just use my regular glasses. As long as I have the mask on I never had any problems.
Jim Altmiller

This is basically the description of the design I use Jim.

[rast]

I use a half face 3M 6000 series mask and these filters, 3M 60923. With all the testing of units that I do they work very well and do not leak on my face. My mask is the 6300 which is large. 6100 and 6200 are small and large respectively. I wear any kind of eye protection.

[The15thMember]

Thanks for the recommendations.  Rast, that's the exact mask I was looking at, so I'll definitely get that one. 

[.30WCF]

Thank you, and you?re welcome.
How many hives are you treating?


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[The15thMember]

Thank you, and you?re welcome.
How many hives are you treating?

Four.  I would have liked to have treated them already, but my one of my sisters goats just had 4 kids, so we've been busy dealing with them.  The only piece of the puzzle I'm missing is a battery, which I have to talk to my dad about.  I have no idea how to buy car battery.    Hopefully I can get my hands on that this upcoming week.  I had a warmer day or two last week where the bees were flying and some were orienting.  I wonder if that means I have some brood already.  Does anyone know if orienting in winter means brood rearing has started?  Or do bees who have been cooped up for a while in the cold reorient when the weather turns nice again?   

[.30WCF]

Was it orientation or cleansing if they have been cooped up for a little while?


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[The15thMember]

Was it orientation or cleansing if they have been cooped up for a little while?

I guess it could be just cleansing.  Some bees were definitely circling the hive.  Do bees circle on a cleansing flight? 

[Ben Framed]

The15thMember

Does anyone know if orienting in winter means brood rearing has started?

They make cleansing flights in winter when the weather permits. Also you have spoken recently of your bees bringing in pollen. Incoming Pollen stimulates laying by the queen from my understanding.

Phillip

[.30WCF]

I would guess that they just kinda fly around close by and drop a duce.
If it is orientation, then last week?s orientation flights might have been eggs from early December before it really cooled off. Wouldn?t they be nurses first?


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[The15thMember]

They make cleansing flights in winter when the weather permits. Also you have spoken recently of your bees bringing in pollen. Incoming Pollen stimulates laying by the queen from my understanding.

Phillip

That's the other thing that was making me wonder.

I would guess that they just kinda fly around close by and drop a duce.
If it is orientation, then last week?s orientation flights might have been eggs from early December before it really cooled off. Wouldn?t they be nurses first?

That's true, they could just be babies from before Christmas who are just getting out now.  I think they would be nurses first, but if there is little or no brood in the hive, they'd move up to forager rapidly. 

[Ben Framed]

Mature winter bees of the hive will take cleansing flights on days when the weather will allow. If is warm enough I have noticed they will get out and forage as you found your bees were successful in bringing in pollen just before the weather made the hard turn downward. December is the time of the lowest level of brood in my area. That has a great influence of why many treat with OAV in December, getting the most bang for the buck so to speak, for mite killing when brood is at its lowest levels and numbers of the year.

As for you noticing winter pollen, I had a youtube pop us notice that David at Barnyard Bees posted a video of 16 hours ago titled "Where does all the winter pollen come from". I have not watched the video, (yet), to see what his thoughts are about it.

Phillip

[The15thMember]

Mature winter bees of the hive will take cleansing flights on days when the weather will allow. If is warm enough I have noticed they will get out and forage as you found your bees were successful in bringing in pollen just before the weather made the hard turn downward. December is the time of the lowest level of brood in my area. That has a great influence of why many treat with OAV in December, getting the most bang for the buck so to speak, for mite killing when brood is at its lowest levels and numbers of the year.

I'm not exactly sure when I have the lowest brood.  I often put my hives to bed for the winter in November with several still having a small brood nest, and when I open the up the first time in March, they are usually all well on their way to a significant brood area.  I've never had the opportunity to check between those dates.  It's something I'd love to answer with an observation hive.

As for you're noticing winter pollen, I had a youtube pop us notice that David at Barnyard Bees posted a video of 16 hours ago titled "Where does all the winter pollen come from". I have not watched the video, (yet), to see what his thoughts are about it.

Phillip

How convenient!  Go ahead and post the link if it has good information. 

[Ben Framed]

Ben Framed
December is the time of the lowest level of brood in my area. That has a great influence of why many treat with OAV in December, getting the most bang for the buck so to speak, for mite killing when brood is at its lowest levels and numbers of the year.

Reagan I think it is because of, or has something to do with the Winter Solstice?

"i.e." the shortness of days?

Phillip

PS. Since I have not viewed the video, I sent the link to you in a PM.

[BeeMaster2]

Member,
If you need a battery, there is no need to buy a brand new one. Go to one of those auto junk yards and see it f they sell the batteries they removed from the cars they salvage. A shop near me sells any battery they have for $48. Pick the biggest one that you can handle. Make sure it has a strap to make it easy for carrying.
Jim Altmiller

[.30WCF]

No need for a big battery either. I like the smaller ones that just get used for battery backups on some of the electrical systems we put in. The one I was using might weigh less than 10 lbs and will do your 4 hives no problem.
I believe it?s a 12volt 20ah (20 amp hour) battery.

Here is a similar one. It?s 18ah, which kind of means that it will deliver one amp for 18 hours?ish.
I just looked around and couldn?t find out how many amps that wand draws, but your only running it 10 minutes in 2-1/2 minute increments for the 4 hives that you have. It will do just fine, it?s rechargeable, weighs a few pounds and is $35.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Mighty-Max-Battery-Mighty-Max-SLA-Rechargeable-Sealed-Lead-Acid-12180-Backup-Power-Batteries/1001107752?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-ggl-_-PLA_HDW_214_Auto-Batteries-_-1001107752-_-online-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W-PCUKT40dvgCvaUa06c_xsL&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W-PCUKT40dvgCvaUa06c_xsL&gclid=CjwKCAiA866PBhAYEiwANkIneLN_-fN8tdxFpJFkKGnrvtpuD31ois43RGmdDpCY-REpcyX0MI2ekhoCO8EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


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[Brian MCquilkin]

I use 2 options when running my oav, I have a generator on the back of my truck, and an inverter inside my truck both work well.

[The15thMember]

Thanks for the tips on the batteries, guys.  I'll see what my dad wants to do.