-=> Quoting Int:[log in to unmask] to Watchman <=-
 
 In> On Mon, 23 Dec 1996, Mark D. Egloff wrote:
 
 >      Gentlepeople:
 >   >      As I was looking at all the miscellaneous holes and other areas
 >      which provide both emergency exits and ventilation, I
 >      remembered reading, I believe in one of Brother Adams books, an
 >      admonition about having "draughts".  I began to wonder if there
 
<<<<< portions clipped for brevity >>>>>
 
 >      In several of my hives I have modified the innercovers to allow
 >      more ventilation which seems to help keep them dry, but when is
 >      "to much of a good thing"?
 >
 In> Hi David, I'm glad your back. Don't worry about the sharks, they
 In> have no teeth.They wont be doing the judging anyway.
 
<<<<< Description of Roy's insulated cover clipped >>>>>
 
 In> I have another model with a condensing chamber , that will run the
 In> water out and keep the heat in. Remmember that the water will condense
 In> in the coolest part of the cover. The mfr. of this unit is not easy
 In> enough so far.
 
Hi Roy,
I just had a brief brainstorm that you might want to try. Build a deeper top
cover that slopes up towards the rear. It would also be a couple of inches
longer than normal so it hangs off the back of the hive a few inches. This
of course would leave a big gap at the back of the hive. Here you would nail
up another board to close the gap to the desired thickness. Here also is the
biggest difference. Through a slice in the top place a sheet of aluminum
angled towards the rear so that its bottom edge is in the newly created
overhang in the rear. The slice would be about 1/3 of the way from the rear
of the hive. You would also leave about 6" of this sheet sticking out of the
top and then seal it against the weather. The way it would work is that your
insulation idea would keep the hive warm. The sheet would be radiating heat
away and would therfore be the coldest thing inside the hive. Any moisture
would condense on the sheet and then run to the bottom edge which is 'outside'
of the hive proper. Here when it drips off it would only temporarily collect
on the draft blocking board and then drip outside to the ground. A passive
dehumidifier. I'm not sure but this may even work in the summer due to the
differences in cooling rates although you would probably remove the insulation
and open up the blocking board a bit more. (It would be working summer nights
that is when there is no solar heating of the metal...)
 
Comments? Have I overlooked anything? I only have one hive butI may try this
as soon as I get time to build it.
 
Carl Powell
[log in to unmask]
Tidewater area of Va.,US
 
 In> We have new snow on the ground this morning and about 30 F.We may get
 In> a little winter after all. I do think that it is about our turn for a
 In> winter.Here in Washington State ( western part ) we do not get
 In> extreemly cold. We do get wet. So moisture is our real problem.
 
 In> Have a Happy New Year
 In> Roy
 
 
 
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