Hive monitoring - DIY

[fatshark]

Hi DR
I've been toying with two solutions to sensor placement. The first is to cut a small notch out of the top of the hive body and run the cables in from there ... the advantage here is that I should be able to remove the crownboard and rummage about with disturbing everything. The alternative I was considering was a sheet of Correx (what else) with holes or flaps at particular positions I might be interested in placing probes. These could be lowered down and then held in place on top of the Correx with the inevitable strip of gaffer or duct tape. By marking the cable with a pen or strip of tape I can lower it vertically to the centre of the brood nest.

I'm concerned that solution 1 might have the cables dropping out of place unless they're attached to the top bars. I currently favour the Correx sheet.

I've generally found that if it's a choice between something else and Correx then the correct answer is Correx. This conclusion is influenced by having acres of the stuff. I'm going to build a Snelgrove-type board out of it shortly. I already use it for bait hive floors, roofs and landing boards. I stupidly bought black, rather than a mixed pack. I'd like a sheet of white to make some more Varroa boards.

[The Drone Ranger]

Im curious to know where everybody got with the project,
Have you agreed that temp and humidity of Brood, hive , are important and external temps as well this will indicate if hive needs ventilation, if queen has ceased laying i.e no brood so treatment can be given.
Sound will indicate if swarming is eminent?? (Maybe its just raining)

Hi GG
I'm pretty sure taking the measurements in several places for temperature and probably just one for humidity should be fairly easy
I always say something like that and end up regretting it

I'm not really sure though what to do with the data and what it might reveal

Before working out how to get the readings sent back to my iPhone there are a couple of things I would need
1) a reason for doing it
2) An iPhone

Seriously though nobody wants the hive looking like a rolled up set of Christmas lights
So thats the first problem to address before anything else, it has to be workable
Fatshark is doing the prototyping at the moment so that should provide proof of concept

There was some attempts in the past to predict swarming by monitoring noise I think that might have been the Apidictor or something
Don't think it caught on most people seem to prefer climbing up a ladder with a box

Did you have some thoughts on any of that
John

[The Drone Ranger]

http://www.simblee.com/Simblee%20Use...de%20v2.05.pdf

I think this could be a useful way forward
Its small low power and simplifies some of the problems by having software for interfacing with the phone etc
programming it is pretty similar to Arduino
Don't know if the android app is available yet for smart phone or tablet
The Simblee looks good though
One downside is you probably need to buy the USB shield because although you can use Arduino as an IDE for programming 5V logic level chips this one uses a 3.3V logic Level and that means either a lot of fiddling or a converter board from Sparkfun or somebody
In the end the USB board with built in voltage converter is easier
Price wise about £30 from Radiospares and another £20 or so for the USB shield
But it could save a lot of hassle potentially

[The Drone Ranger]

Hopefully this will give anyone interested the means to make their own box
You will need to have downloaded Fritzing http://fritzing.org/home/
And the Arduino IDE https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/OldSo...eases#previous
V1.6.5 is best as the latest release has some bugs associated with Attiny85 (might be fixed now)

This link give all the files for Fritzing and Arduino plus PDF's of the boards for printing and BOM
https://drive.google.com/folderview?...lk&usp=sharing
Use this page for programming your attiny85 chip
http://highlowtech.org/?p=1695

Attachment 2539Attachment 2540
Attachment 2541

I posted this earlier in the thread but if anyone doesn't want to tackle the build then I have a couple ready to use on Ebay listing 252286145677 under beekeeping or just search Varrox timer or something
Cheaper than buying all the parts £20
They take a long time to make (when I do them anyway)

[mbc]

Looks very professional DR, well done!

[The Drone Ranger]

Thanks mbc
I should have helped a bit on the hive monitoring front
fatshark has the whole thing underway
I keep getting side tracked
You should make a few of your mini Sublimox kits

[mbc]

You should make a few of your mini Sublimox kits

And be somewhat responsible when someone gets a lungful of oxalic vapour? no thanks. If anyone wants to build their own, its not rocket science nor secret, I'm a big believer in open source information and if anyone wants to know where to get the bits and how to put them together I'd be happy to help.

[The Drone Ranger]

Suppose that might be a problem, but your still around so it can't be that dodgy lol!

Sent from my LIFETAB_S1034X using Tapatalk

[Greengage]

heard a heater from diesel ignition works well

[mbc]

heard a heater from diesel ignition works well

Apparently they do, and are probably the best home fix method of 12v heating for those with a few hives.
I've gone for a ptc crucible so I can leave it plugged in as I go round the apiary, if it does what it says on the tin it stops drawing current when it reaches ~ 230c, which is a not bad temp for oav.
Its certainly not a design I want to sell on as using it involves spooning oxalic acid crystals onto a hot plate before the device blows clouds of acid vapour into the hives, as you can probably imagine this is a bit hazardous for the operator if they haven't got their ppe sorted.
Sorry for the thread diversion.