Author Topic: Moisture Boards (Read 11234 times)

Bakersdozen · « **on:** November 04, 2016, 03:08:45 am »

Has anyone tried moisture boards in winter? http://www.mannlakeltd.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=mannlake&Screen=SRCH&sType=1&Search=moisture+board
Do they work?

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** November 04, 2016, 07:12:59 am »

Never tried them. I tried newspaper early on but ended up with a soggy wet mess. I just provide upper ventilation now and let that moisture out.

rwlaw · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2016, 07:39:25 am »

Second what Perry says. I also put a 2" pc of foam board on top of the outer cover, that breaks the heat transfer and resulting condensing.

yes2matt · « **Reply #3 on:** November 04, 2016, 10:38:47 am »

What are they made of?

Knucs · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2016, 11:40:10 am »

This is what I'm doing, 1/2 plywood, 2in foam, 3/8 rim. Theory is warm wet air rises, does NOT hit cold top cover, does NOT condense & "rain" on bees.

Barry n Abbie · « **Reply #5 on:** November 04, 2016, 11:42:49 am »

If they are the same as what I seen at the local bee supplier here, it (they) are basically two pieces of perforated foil that has silica beads in-between the layers. Concept is to have the silica soak up the moisture, similar to what you see when you buy a new pair of boots, that little package of silica in the box.

I think anyways.

I am a student of Perry's and also have used foam and the upper / lower opening. Its my first winter as a keep so time will tell.

rwlaw · « **Reply #6 on:** November 04, 2016, 08:12:03 pm »

The stuff my mentor uses is called sound board, you can buy it from Menards.

CBT · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2016, 08:32:30 pm »

I like the idea of using your miller top feeder full of shavings to absorb the moisture with a candy board under it if you need one.

Jen · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2016, 11:54:15 pm »

Riverbee taught me last year to staple #8 mesh screen, like your screen door netting, to the bottom of a hive box, I used a medium hive box. Fill it with straw, not packed, but piled up. Take off the lid of the hive, place the screened straw hive box on top of the inner cover. Put on the lid. Done

Worked like a champ, and by the end of winter that straw was wet, gray and black. Better the wet and mold in the straw than down below on the bees.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #9 on:** November 05, 2016, 06:48:57 am »

Quote from: yes2matt on November 04, 2016, 10:38:47 am

What are they made of?

The moisture boards I am referring to look like they are made from compressed wood pulp, possibly. It looks as though they would swell if they were left in the rain. They are 3/4" thick.

rober · « **Reply #10 on:** November 05, 2016, 09:45:17 am »

i'm with perry. I notch the front rail of my inner covers for a top entrance which adds ventilation. I put a 1" piece of blue foam on top of the inner cover which also helps reduce condensation. my candy boards are built like an inner cover with a center hole & upper notch as well so work the same way. the sugar in candy boards will also absorb some condensation.

Riverrat · « **Reply #11 on:** November 05, 2016, 10:35:01 pm »

I would crack the inner cover enough to ventilate the hive and call it good. Bee Supply houses are always thinking of products to sell that are not really needed.

neillsayers · « **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2016, 01:09:31 am »

Quote from: Jen on November 04, 2016, 11:54:15 pm

Riverbee taught me last year to staple #8 mesh screen, like your screen door netting, to the bottom of a hive box, I used a medium hive box. Fill it with straw, not packed, but piled up. Take off the lid of the hive, place the screened straw hive box on top of the inner cover. Put on the lid. Done

Worked like a champ, and by the end of winter that straw was wet, gray and black. Better the wet and mold in the straw than down below on the bees.

I essentially do the same thing with a quilt box, 4 inches deep covered on the bottom with burlap and filled with cedar shavings. My top cover is ventilated. I lift the cover about once a month and if the shavings are damp I replace.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2016, 06:17:12 pm »

Moisture boards might work well, and they might not. They have a finite amount of "absorption" that they can handle.. depending on your humidity AND bees those boards can be overwhelmed and start to drip.
I have personally seen and heard bad reviews about them in this area, and I often have icicles hanging out of my upper entrances. SO have never tried them. I use the foam over the inner covers and an upper entrance and have always done quite well.

Jen · « **Reply #14 on:** November 06, 2016, 09:39:38 pm »

Ya know.....I just thought of something..... I worked in an assisted living facility about 10 years ago. One of my duties was to help people get to the bathroom, and assist with showers. Many of them wore Depends undergarments for incontinence. And sometimes they would have one of those Depends on all day and into the evening. Let me tell ya, those adult undergarments can hold a truck load of moisture, like, they blow up bigger than a basket ball.

Why not set one of those on top of the inner cover, away from the feeding hole, put the lid on the hive, and let that Depends do what it does best... I mean Why Not?

Chip Euliss · « **Reply #15 on:** November 06, 2016, 10:49:52 pm »

The cheapest thing is buffalo board. Menards, Lowes, etc will carry it. I use the 1/2 " thick and lightly nail it to the top of the hive, sans the lid; I don't use inner covers. Cut a 1" opening on the outside edge (looks like a reduced upper entrance) and wrap in whatever you use; I use the silver plastic wrap insulation for water heaters because I can use it over and over again--you can also reuse the buffalo board. Cut a small hole in the wrap that matches the hole in the buffalo board, staple it down so it doesn't close on the bees and you're done. I winter a few dozen hives each year (this year about 100) and they winter very well even here in North Dakota where our temps can fall to -40 (F and C are the same at that temp). I think I only lost a couple of hives out of 48 last winter but I had some that were too light going into winter. The hole allows the carbon dioxide and water vapor from respiration to exit the hive and the buffalo board absorbs any excess moisture. I forget what buffalo board costs but it is dirt cheap and can be cut with a utility knife.

Knucs · « **Reply #16 on:** November 06, 2016, 11:34:06 pm »

Jen,

So we gets looks & knowing glances with a cart full of sugar, what can we expect with a cart full of depends?

But hey, worth a try right!

Jen · « **Reply #17 on:** November 06, 2016, 11:37:58 pm »

Knucs,

How about a cart full of sugar and depends

I don't know how many depends are in a box, but you'd probably only need one box.... or maybe you have a grandparent....

Knucs · « **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2016, 09:32:47 pm »

Jen, if I went thru the checkout with the cart full of sugar & depends, they'd think Im just an old guy with prostate problems staying up all nite to make moonshine!

Jen · « **Reply #19 on:** November 07, 2016, 09:37:00 pm »

And the problem with that???

Just remember to share that shine