Hi - Sorry Math Question

Couple of questions:

1) I been trying to google what the conversion efficiency of honey to heat is to no avail (likely not that critical)

Here is how I am converting the Metabolic Rate to honey consumed.

1kg Honey  =3040 calories (nutrional)
1kg Honey  = 3040 cals x 1.163 W-h/cals
1kg Honey = 3.5 kW-h

Assume a 2kg (4.4lbs) Cluster of Bees @ a Metabolic rate of 10 W/kg for 180 days

Total Metabolic rate  = 2 kg x 10 W / kg x 24h/day x 180 days = 86.40 kW-h

Est Honey "consumed" = 86.40kW-h /3.5 kW-h/kg
                                              = 24.44 kg  (53.76 lbs) currently assume 100% conversion to heat

2) The second question concerns the Tambient used to reference the metabolic rate. Note: Most of these experiments had the clusters exposed to those actual temperatures in cold storage.

If in my case I use well insulated hives and the heat lost from the cluster is able to maintain my internal hive temperatures (Ti furthest way from cluster) at between 5.3C to -8.5C

We Canadians are a bit weird when it comes to untis (metric and imperial). We use both for different measurements (body weight - lbs, temps in C, height in ft, distances in a mix of metres/ft (short distance) and Km for long distances.

(Comment for attached Jpg) This will hurt most of your heads (sorry). I am using some of the 1st principals equations to try to understand what are the drivers/limitations of each scenario. The other purpose, is that I will be increase my queen rearing this summer (July has the best rearing weather - however it will likely not have sufficient time to fill a double box). My goal is to give people/myself other options (overwinter as singles, double nucs or even as single nucs). This would give us (very northern Beekeepers) a huge advantage vs always reverting back to merging "weak" hives.  (now I will link it to my weather visualization tool - CDH 10C vs Metabolic rate based on Ti instead of Ta).


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