Spraying frames full of syrup

[The Honey Householder]

I start in the fall after the bees are shaken out. I bring all of my hive bodies into the shop. After I scrap all the bur-comb off the frames I spray 5-6 frames from each with FHC- blend syrup.

Sprayer setup: I have a 30 gal bottling tank that I heat the syrup up to 150 deg. From there is a fill pipe that runs into a heavy steal tank that I can hook a air line to. This tank has a hose from a fruit spray that comes out the bottom. I set the frames in a large tub and spray them full one side at a time. It takes me 10 min. to fill the 5-6 frames needed. I do over 850 hive bodies a years for packages and splits. It takes me 4 weeks just to spray frames full of syrup. I use over a half a truck load of syrup just to spray frames.

I've used this setup for over 7 years, and there has to be a faster way. Something that will fill both side at the same time.

Anyone knows who makes what I'm looking for?

Thanks,

o/o Ron Householder

I'm one that would like to work smarter, then harder!

[alpha6]

Try dipping the combs in a tub full of syrup.

Check out his site. Check out the pic in the middle.

http://www.frenchbeefarm.com/galerielivraisonsirop.htm

[Tom G. Laury]

Hey Ron check the link in post # 81, Price of queens thread you started. Just what you're talking about!

[The Honey Householder]

Hey Ron check the link in post # 81, Price of queens thread you started. Just what you're talking about!

Thanks Tom,
I looked it over and was wondering if someone makes it. I wish I had a better picture I can probly make it myself. I wonder how thick of syrup you can use.

[RDY-B]

http://www.frenchbeefarm.com/framefiller.htm RDY-B

http://www.frenchbeefarm.com/video_r...urdecadre.html

[jean-marc]

I made one once. Make 2 manifolds that spray in the middle. Drill holes abour 1/8 of an inch. The trouble with this set up is that after cleaninf your frames there is a lot of fine wax that will plug your manifolds. So you want the excess syrup to drain off into a tank below. That's where the pump is. You'll need a screen to catch that wax and other debris. You also want to be able to disconnect those manifolds quickly, so they can be cleaned. If the wax plugs things up then the spray can stop or be random and end up spraying you, or the ceiling or someplace other than the inside of the frame.

I never got it just right. I bought one from Walter Kelly. It's **** noisy. An electric motor would be better. I would have needed time and resources to find the right size holes in the manifolds and the right pressure in the pump to fill frames. I don't think it should be that hard but I moved on to other things at the time.

Jean-Marc

[Terry G]

I agree with jean-marc. I built one a couple of years ago and had issues with my manifold plugging with wax and dead bees and other junk. the Sugar water needs to be filtered of all garbage. I bought a screening unit used to screen water for large agircultural crop sprayers, very inecxpensive and should be able to be purchased at any local farm supply store.

[jean-marc]

Terry:

Do you still use the system. I just found it too noisy and messy. It seemed like a lot of work for the desired result. Constant cleaning. It's like a crew would need 2 machines, 1 to work with, the other to clean until the first one is clogged up. Then switch. Keep going until you throw your arms up in despair and get the hose out and start filling the frame feeders. In theory it's a great idea but when you are out in the bee yard it's another story.

Jean-Marc

P.S. It was 80 F here today, and the bees were pulling in a lot of bleuberry nectar today. It's been years since I've seen it like that. I was starting to think it was a thing of days past. To the despair and chagrin of the growers these bees were getting the nectar from the neighbours field... they just won't listen.

Jean-Marc

[Terry G]

After I purchased the screen type filter unit I did not have a problem with the manifolds plugging up. mind you I needed to change them a coulple of times a day. It is amazing how much crap falls of a frame when filling it. I found that a simple garden hose sprayer. the kind with the drench or is it the rain setting works quite well, only problem is that it is messy and should only be used at the hive outside.

I have only used my frame filler one season and now it is in my bone yard till the next feed emergancy. I made it mit in the back of my 3/4 ton truck and built it in a sliptank that holds a 100 gallons of sugar water and use a honda water pump to run it. Yes it is noisy but that is what I had at the time. Myby next time I need it I'll go electric.

Well

P.S. It was 80 F here today, and the bees were pulling in a lot of bleuberry nectar today. It's been years since I've seen it like that. I was starting to think it was a thing of days past. To the despair and chagrin of the growers these bees were getting the nectar from the neighbours field... they just won't listen.


Sweet It was 26 celcius here today no blueberrys around here, tomorrow 2 inches of snow and frost warnings We need some real spring weather around here. things are progressing to slowly

[tecumseh]

thanks ron... I think the temperature of the syrup might be important. what is FHC blended syrpu?

I think I will consult some old bee magazines when (in the next day or so) I build a syrup sprayer here. I suspect I will use locally available sprayer nozels in the manifold. !/8" holes in the manifold sounds terrible large??? with sprayer nozels strainers could be incorporated at the pump and at the sprayer to limit wax clogging the spray unit. I would also like the entire manifold to be capable of be dissambled for cleaning (between uses).

anyone that used the old kelley unit know if the noise was assoicated with the motor or the pump? or could it be (reasonable) associated with cold syrup?

[BEES4U]

Thanks for the great information!
I have seen a few of these and your design is the best.
Ernie

[purvisgs]

for the low-tech check out walt wright's coffee can method, messy but it works well. http://www.beesource.com/resources/p.../fall-feeding/

tecumseh - I would tend to think that simple holes in your "tube type" manifold may work better than sprayer nozzles as far as quickly efficiently getting syrup into cells and clogging goes. think of a "stream" vs "mist" of syrup

I can just envision having to unclog a bunch of little nozzles being much more difficult than flushing out a manifold with holes.

awhile back I built a setup like this out of pvc (1/8" holes about right) using air (pressurized tank) to "push" syrup. it was scrapped together and can't say that I like it/ use it, but I "think" that I do like the idea of spraying syrup in the frames, especially in fall around here. I might go back to this idea again.

why "pump" syrup when you can "push" it ... Although I don't have a compressor built into my truck (small time here), some of y'all probably do/ should.

Design- my limited experience suggests that you may want to try to have supply lines going to both "ends" of the manifold -if you are using "holes in a tube" like the frenchbeefarm setup. setup w/ one side- I was never able to get even flow. I know more work to disconnect. I was using an inline large marine raw water strainer to filter.