For some time, I have been hesitant to post messages to Bee-L because of difficulties that have resulted in my messages being hard to read. With the help of Allen Dick, I have discovered a work-around to eliminate those difficulties, so will share some thoughts on types of feeders and state inspection programs. To reduce the lengths of the messages, I will do this separately.
I have made extensive use of three of the types of feeders previously discussed, and my thoughts are:
Not much can beat a glass gallon jar upside down with holes in the lid. However, if one is going to put this directly on the top bars or over the inner cover hole, a surrounding deep is required to prevent wind, raccoons, etc. from tipping it over. A further disadvantage is that a single gallon of syrup is not much good for anything. Two to four gallons is really necessary for either feeding or drawing foundation. That means at least two trips to refill.
A better idea is to use a hole saw to cut a hole in the inner cover so that the neck of the gallon jar can sit down inside. This will prevent wind and raccoons from easily tipping it over. (I’ve done this with hundreds of jars and have never had one tip over.) Moreover, holes for up to 4-gallon jars will fit; meaning that only one trip with syrup is ever likely to be necessary. If you do this, a surrounding deep is not necessary. Even the amount of rain entering the hive from a thunderstorm will not hurt the bees. Just put the outer cover beside the hive and replace it when feeding is complete.
The only disadvantage is that if you need a lot of gallon jars they can be hard to store in the off season. But that is a small disadvantage, especially to someone who can get the jars free. (Try restaurants that serve pickles or bars that use maraschino cherries in mixed drinks.)
I don’t like to see beginners feeding with 2 or 3 gallon pails as that much syrup in one pail seems to quickly get moldy and go off taste…so it is wasted.
Frame feeders are just "ok". I have a couple of hundred, but have mostly stopped using them. No floats really work, as wax and propolis quickly keep the floats from doing their job, which is reducing the number of bees that drown. They only hold about 3 quarts so must be frequently refilled. During the discussion, one respondent said that bees will fill them with comb and considered that a disadvantage. IMHO, that is an advantage, as the comb will substantially reduce the number of bees that drown.  
Use frame feeders only if nothing else is available.
"Miller-type" hive top feeders are, IMHO, the best of all. Kelley (800-233-2899) offers them unassembled for $15.50, which as to be one of greatest bargains available to beekeepers (Cat. # 12). However, the glue they supply will not waterproof well. Use GE bathtub Silicone on all inside corners and joints. Paint inside and outside with two coats of very high paint.
These feeders are exactly the length and width of a Langstroth hive and sit on top of the highest hive body. The bees come up into them through a slot in the bottom and take the syrup through an 8-mesh screen.
Bees cannot come in contact with the syrup, so cannot drown. The feeders hold about 3 gallons each. Put directly on top of the hive (with or without the inner cover underneath) and put the outer cover on top of the feeder.
This tool will last a lifetime. Use it and enjoy.


Lloyd

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http://www.rossrounds.com
Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturer of round comb honey equipment and Sundance pollen traps