Air Conditioners and hives

[FindlayBee]

Hello,

How far does a hive need to be from an air conditioning unit? I am thinking about moving the location of my top bar hive closer to my house. This will put the hive about 8 feet from a 18,000 BTU air conditioner. Back of the hive will be towards the a/c unit. Entrance will face the South.

My hive is ready for a package next spring. Currently it sits in my side yard with the entrance facing North to keep the bees from flying across a sidewalk. If I move it closer to the house, I can face it South and will have a lilac bush and a hedge near our neighbor's fence that will help direct the bees upwards. This will also put the bees closer to my BBQ. Any issues with a BBQ nearby?

[Swobee]

I don't see why locating near the condensor unit would pose a problem. They would probably appreciate a nearby source of water (that which will condense off the system vapor line). Perhaps a noisy start up situation could cause some unrest with the hive. Unless there is something else that I'm missing, it shouldn't be a problem.

[SwedeBee1970]

Wouldn't recommend putting any hive within 10 feet of an AC unit of any kind. Home compressors let off an abundant amount of heat and could overwork the hive trying to keep it cool. Make sure this area has some air flow in summer and not much flow in winter. Air flow is suctioned through the coils to cool itself off.


Also, wouldn't recommend any BBQ grill within 50' of hives. The smoke may confuse them or cause an evacuation. Burning and heat can be just the enemy not wanted here.

[FindlayBee]

This is a window unit. I should have mentioned that earlier.

The unit will be higher than the hive by about 2 feet.

[SwedeBee1970]

Got that from the first post. "18,000 BTU air conditioner" This is a fairly big unit and can produce a vacuum effect to the condenser coil when operating. Bugs, including bees may get struck to it and have to be cleaned off now and then.

As long as the heat does not get trapped by low air flow, OK. Suggest moving the BBQ elsewhere, however.

Use caution when moving hives towards the house. In confined spaces where people walk or visitors visit may setup a bad scenario, especially in honey season.

[Swobee]

As a former HVAC sales/service person and today a certified energy auditor, Iam not an expert but do have some expertise in this issue. Bugs getting sucked in? Little chance of that happening. The units do not create that much vacuum and what little vacuum exists is very localized... read within inches of the coils. One can hold your hand over the exterior of the coils and feel next to nothing, but over the fan and there is a considerable qunatity of moving hot air. As for heat, a standard condensing unit releases the heated air upward. Again, the pressures would be minimal after a very short distance unless placed under an obstruction such as covered patio cover, etc.

Now, instead with a window unit, the condensate usually dribbles from a port or tube at the rear of the unit giving a reasonably large quantity of fresh water. I could see bees liking the nearby water source. They are often noisy, especially compared to newer high efficiency split systems. They do blow the warmed air from the condensing section horizontally, so placing a hive directly behind one is not a good idea. Maybe offset the hive a little rather than directly in line would be better.

By the way, I have a back yard (side yard actually) hive about 10' or 11' from our heatpump condensor and would have placed it closer yet, but that was the best spot I could find for concealment in that part of the yard. Man, if my wife ever ventures to that corner of the yard and sees another hive... I'm gonna catch it big-time!

[PCM]

Originally Posted by SwedeBee1970

Wouldn't recommend putting any hive within 10 feet of an AC unit of any kind. Home compressors let off an abundant amount of heat and could overwork the hive trying to keep it cool. Make sure this area has some air flow in summer and not much flow in winter. Air flow is suctioned through the coils to cool itself off.


Also, wouldn't recommend any BBQ grill within 50' of hives. The smoke may confuse them or cause an evacuation. Burning and heat can be just the enemy not wanted here.

If I May;

I must have some messed up bees, BBQ most weekends and some afternoons during the Spring, Summer. Fall about 25 ft. from the hives, and a 55gal burn barrel about 20 ft the other side of the hives.

Some honey glased chops sound Good ! Tomorrow !!!!

PCM

[SwedeBee1970]

I'll bet their honey stores taste like mesquite near your BeeBeeQue.

[NasalSponge]

Mine are close to my unit and so far no ill effect....although when they are moody and it kicks on the go over and try to give it a what for.

[EastSideBuzz]

Nice color choices. I think that these are far enough from the outdoor unit. That is not close in my book. Mine are right next to the kids trampoline but, will be moved this winter to the back 40 while they await the other 50 hives I plan to start next year.