FRAMEshift, I think your comment about insulating the top is important, the insulation keeps the cold outside temps from cooling the inner surface of the top where condensation would otherwise occur, sort of like condensation on the inside of a single pane window versus no condensation on an insulated double or triple pane window.
Acebird, I am using an inexpensive old radio shack temp/humidity sensor with radio transmitter to receiver in house. funny you should mention it, I just ordered two topcar cameras or whatever they are called (just kidding). Also, I built and placed a 2" shim on top of the deep hive body, this I plan to use for feeding purposes, I placed a small piece 1lb of fondant there, and this is where the temp sensor is.
two interesting observations, for a new beek anyway, today with temps in low 30s I decided to check the bees with minimal disruption of the colony, so I thought. I wanted to lift the inner cover and check to see if the bees had found the fondant I had placed in their dining area. Well what I found when I removed the outer telescoping cover was a shitload of bees pushing through the large vent hole in the inner cover. I didn't dare remove the inner cover to check the fondant, just closed up the hive. what do you think motivated the bees to congregate at the top of the frames? are they there for feeding purposes? this could pose a problem for a new beek like me. I don't know if I can remove the inner cover to place fondant on top of the frames without having a few thousand bees in flight?
the second observation -- late this evening with the wind howling I was out and went to check the weight on top of the hive. I just barely touched the weight, intentionally to test my hypothesis that whenever I am anywhere near the hive, the temp in the hive goes up. when I went into the house, as anticipated I watched the temp in the hive go from 49deg F to over 53deg like in less than 5min, along with that the %humidity increased as well. my conjecture is that anything that disrupts the hive cause bee commotion that results in an increase in metabolism, the consumption of food and the production of H2O. Sound plausable?