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Author Topic: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?  (Read 1580 times)

Online Ben Framed

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Cooler weather will soon be coming!! What is your opinion concerning  "oil tray" type SBB. Should they be removed and replaced with a solid bottom board? Or simply add a slide in solid bottom? Or just leave as is? Other? Thanks

Phillip






 
« Last Edit: January 06, 2024, 11:07:07 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2018, 01:02:37 pm »
Phillip,
I just leave the trays in during winter. You can also slide a plastic sign board under it to close off the air flow but unless you have windy winters, I would not bother.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2018, 03:55:42 pm »
Thanks Jim...
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Van, Arkansas, USA

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2018, 05:41:23 pm »
Mr. Ben, I live North of you: North Arkansas and I leave in my screened bottom boards all winter.  The bees seal the top cover so there is little draft,,,,, sometimes to little draft.  I did lose one hive to condensation last winter.

The hive that died out had a huge cluster, much bigger than my other 19 hives.  The winter cluster was so big they generated more heat, thus more condensation.  By the time I discovered, in Feb, the winter kill, it was to late as the cluster was wet, very damp and frozen.  I was sick I tell ya.  This dead out was my only Carniolean {sp?} hive, just a beautiful black, gentle bee that supposedly is known for small winter clusters and late spring start up.

So the dead bees were clustered, all huddled together, plenty of food as there was no dead bee head first in cells.  The beautiful solid black queen was in the middle of the cluster.  I think next year I will purchase another carniolean queen, they are just a totally cool beautiful black gentle productive bee.

Point is, screen bottom boards may or may not produce draft.  With this one hive, out of a total of 20 there was not enough ventilation.  Go figure???

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2018, 09:57:54 am »
Mr Van, Thank you for your reply. Im sure the freeze out was a hard pill to take. Makes me sick for you. I can't imagine how  disappointed you had, to discover they had frozen.  This will be my first winter and I have been concerned about the  possibility of condensation. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have to decide if I should just simply leave the bottom open or not. I certinally don't want this to happen to you again or myself either. I have been told that if I leave the bottom open and add a 1 inch of foam board between the inter-cover and top, this will stop the condensation and the bees will be ok?? In a way this makes sense but I am wondering about the condensation that may build up on the inside walls. Maybe the open bottom is what takes care of this?  Did  you by any chance, do something similar with your top? Thanks again for sharing your experience. I am very sorry for your loss. Sincerely, Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Van, Arkansas, USA

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2018, 10:27:25 am »
Mr. Phillip, for a top board, that is the cover, I use those plastic double wall tops.  The double wall contains dead air space which is the insulation.  In each corner the top board is dimpled to create ventilation.  However I find the bees seal this top board.  The inside of top board is arched so if condensation does form, the moisture will run down to the sides of the hive.

My mistake was to leave the inner cover which is flat in the hive.  I placed fondant on the inner cover.  I should mention last year in 2017 Arkansas had sub zero winter which is rare.  Sub zero winters are one per ten years.

Offline paus

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2018, 11:33:35 am »
Many of the members of my bee club leave their SBB or DSBB open all winter.  I leave the oil pan in or an old political sign cut to size and lay it on the screen this lets air flow around the sign because  the screen is not air tight.  When I make my deeps I use 1X12 lumber after the glue is set I set my table fence to 1 5/8 inch and cut the excess then I set table saw to 3/4 inch I take the square and ease it down on the saw so that I cut a small cut in all four sides of the 1 5/8 hive body cut off.  Then I staple the #8 screen wire to that and this my screened top board.  In winter I place a cloth in the top and put 1" of saw dust on the screen, this is an insulator and also absorbs condensation.  In the spring  just dump it.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2018, 02:40:31 pm »
Thank you three for the much needed help and details. Y'all provide good reasonable common scene input here.  Mr Van part of what you said was going to be my next question to y'all.  As long as the condensation goes down the inside side walls, and thus to the bottom, all will good? This is what I was thinking, "as long as the bees don't get wet irreguardless of the potentially wet walls, all should be fine"  is this correct?  I really appreciate y'all sharing your knodlege and experience.
Sincerely,

Phillip






 
« Last Edit: January 06, 2024, 11:06:34 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2018, 08:20:20 pm »
Phillip,
Condensation on the inside of the walls is important to have as a water source for the bees to dilute the honey when they are not able to fly to get it. You just cannot allow it to be dripping on the cluster.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2018, 03:09:18 am »
Phillip,
Condensation on the inside of the walls is important to have as a water source for the bees to dilute the honey when they are not able to fly to get it. You just cannot allow it to be dripping on the cluster.
Jim

Thank you Jim..  Very important information. This information should  get me through as far as condensation is concerned. 🤞🏻 Thanks to all that responded!!
Many thanks,

Phillip





 
« Last Edit: January 06, 2024, 11:06:17 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Sputnik

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Re: Should Oil Trey SBB Be Left Open During Winter Months? Your opinion?
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2018, 08:53:53 am »
I leave the oil trays in thru the winter. My bottoms are built with a rear access to remove the trays. I build a door that I can open in hot weather or close off for the winter months,

 

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