Best way to use the fogger?

[DCH]

Hi,

Okay, yesterday was my second application with the fogger. I noticed that the first hive I did resulted in alot of the girls staggering out of the hive and sitting in the grass as if they were stunned. After a while, most of them recovered but I was kinda concerned that I overdid something.

Do you usually put the nozzle of the fogger right at the entrance and pull the trigger?

There seems to be alot of force behind the fog when I do that - even when the propane feed is on it's lowest setting (I'm using a Black Flag fogger). As a matter of fact, the fog seems to come out of the thing in pretty good quantity without ever touching the trigger.

Thanks,
Doug

[Michael Bush]

Right where the oil comes out it is extremely hot. After it's advanced six inches or so the fog has dissapated most of the heat.

Here's a picture of Dr. Rodriguez fogging.
http://www.beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/abjjan2003.htm

You can see he is a few inches away from the entrance. This is how I've done it.

Sometimes the coil isn't hot enough yet, or the coil gets clogged and hot oil squirts out instead of the normal amount of fog. If this happens you'll need to do something. Some people have made modifications to allow more propane in to get the coil nicely hot. If it's cold out it's difficult to get the coil hot enough to vaporize the oil and again, you get the hot liquid oil coming out instead.

As long as it's working fine, meaning it's sends out fog, but no liquid oil when it's had a chance to warm up enough, then I would leave it alone.

But here are quotes of people who have done mods:

"I changed the pumps' gasket (substituted it with a leather
gasket) and drilled through the intake valve to allow more propane into the burning coil.
Perhaps stretching the spring may give it a little more zip to it, but in general it should be okay with just changing the gasket.
Like I say, I made these changes to improve its performance
Dr. Rodriguez"

"I reamed the coil and replaced the pump gasket myself. It is working like new.
Dr Rodriguez"

"Honey house" observation
you have been informed by knowlegable person about the propane behavior . Absolutely correct.
What you encountered is a possible restriction of the propane gas to enter the orifice at the input end of the valve . ( The stem which opens the tire valve of the bottle or the apdapter , when used ).
This is not one expects from a commercial product . However this is why you encountered a refernce to the "Modification".
Go fix !
Happy beeing, JDF"

"As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had to remove a small "gizmo" from my fogger to enable the brass adapter and a small 1.5kg (3lb)LPG bottle to work correctly.
Here's what I did:

Place the fogger on a table with the rear of the unit facing you. The fuel shutoff valve will be on your RHS and you should now be looking at the threaded portion the gas bottle screws on to.
Inside this is a reducer valve that has a
small hole in it's center and is plainly seen.
(I believe it is to reduce the gas flow from the disposable cylinder to the burner.)

You will need a small socket to remove this "gizmo".I found the rascal needed a bit of muscle to get it to move...but it will turn and it will unscrew.
Once this is removed, the "Rodriguez Adapter" will screw on alot easier than before and the fogging unit will light easily and continue to burn consistently.
I don't profess to be a gas expert but this mod works well and as I haven’t blown my self into the middle of next week, I consider it to be a success...

jim"


"I have repeately addressed the fogger issue , but may be I am a little too much expressive .
Forget about the pressure , hose length, size of tank and whatever else one can think about . I have FIXED mine after trials and errores and solved the problem with other foggers of the Burgess kind of a few comrade beekeepers .
How I "FIXED " Mine I rather not mention because one can loose the gadget and has to buy a new one . BUT ----- AT the intake valve of the FOGGER ( Not the hose the tank and the toilet bowl ) there is a STEM ( brass) with a hole in it to lead the gas to the lower valve body . This stem pushes against the propane source Tire valve to let the gas proceed . However, this brass stem also has SLOT for the gas to go around to enter the stem (Conduit) with the hole. This slot may be too small to let the gas pass around it . Take a slot saw ( Or a ground down hack saw blade) and widen the slot . Not too much though . You still need "meat" to open the tire valve stem !. You will find that opening the supply valves just a crack is enough to smoke the neighborhood . And your fogger does not estingush in wind or when lighting .
Happy hacking
JDF"

[JohnBeeMan]

I light my fogged at the garage and walk out to the beeyard letting it 'warm up'. By the time I get to the beeyard (about 150-200 feet) there is a small wisp of fog coming out - about like a cigarette smoking. I then give a small pump to increase the fog and use this to 'warn' the guard bees - then give about 3 or 4 slow 'full' pumps - until fog is coming out the hive seams (about 5 seconds).

I sometimes do this just before dark so the heated coil is easy to see - the whole coil is a bright red/yellow color. All this from opening the value the recommended 1/4 turn.

I have not had any bees appear to fall to the ground. Frequently a couple of 100 come out and buzz the front of the hive. But they do not appear angry - I do not suit up to fog and they have never tried to attack me (knock on wood). http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by JohnBeeMan (edited October 04, 2004).]

[Oxankle]

DCH:
As far as I can determine from many posts such as Beeman's, and from my own experience, it is normal for hundreds of bees to come boiling out when you fog the hive.

Generally they do not get excited and I almost never get stung fogging bees, even when they bump into me.

Keep your fogger good and hot, blow a bit of fog at the bees from a distance to warn them you are coming, then put the fog in the hive from about eight to ten inches away, holding the fogger level.

When fogging top bar hives I lift the back bar and blow fog inside until it comes boiling out the entrance. This actually takes a lot less time than the same treatment for a Langstroth hive. More bees come boiling out my TBH's than out of the langs, so I think the fog is relatively more pervasive in the Top Bars.
Ox

[DCH]

Thanks all. I think my problem is I was sticking the nozzle right at the entrance and letting loose with a blast. I'll back off a few inches the next time.

Cheers,
Doug