Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Telescoping covers  (Read 2699 times)

Offline Big John

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 114
  • Gender: Male
Telescoping covers
« on: February 09, 2009, 08:20:12 am »
Has anyone had any experience with the plastic telescoping outer covers, I was talking with another beek yesterday and he said he had a lot of moister dripping from the plastic cover but his wood covers was just fine.
"Semper Fi"

Offline fermentedhiker

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 514
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2009, 09:08:04 am »
I've never seen a plastic one.  I have a couple styrofoam ones that work fine.  I can see how plastic would be a problem since it won't absorb or transport moisture and it's not a great insulator.
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
--Douglas Adams

Offline BMAC

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 615
    • http://WWW.OLEMCDONALD.COM
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2009, 09:11:30 am »
I have a couple and never had any issues with them, but I always run inner covers made from wood so maybe the inner cover absorbed any drippin.  Not sure.
God Bless all the troops
Semper Fi Marines!

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2009, 12:18:04 pm »
Ditto what BMAC said.

The climate may have a lot to do with the outcome.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline okiequeenbee

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Female
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2009, 03:38:49 pm »
I have some plastic telescoping covers and I like them.  They're durable and lightweight, compared to some of the homemade ones my mentor has.  I use them with wooden inner covers though.  I also have a few plastic inner covers and they seem to warp.
Today, I see Life as my eyes have never seen it before - and, OH, how they shine.

Offline bassman1977

  • "King Bee"
  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2009, 03:50:39 pm »
I have one.  I like it.  I don't recall ever having moisture problems.  I wedge my inner covers up a bit in the winter and I also have SBBs which are probably helping.
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(''')_(''')

Offline Brian D. Bray

  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Galactic Bee
  • ********
  • Posts: 7369
  • Gender: Male
  • I really look like this, just ask Cindi.
    • http://spaces.msn.com/thecoonsden
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2009, 10:17:56 pm »
I have one.  I like it.  I don't recall ever having moisture problems.  I wedge my inner covers up a bit in the winter and I also have SBBs which are probably helping.

Wedges, shims, tops built with ventilation ports, etc, are necessary to vent the excess moisture that can build up in a hive during the winter.  Granulated sugar dumped on top of newspaper works too, although not as well.  Fiber board also resists moisture similar to plastic, either would have a tendency to produce a lot of moisture in the hive.  When that moisture condenses on the underside of the top it is only a short matter of time before it rains down on the cluster of bees.  That rain is often triggered by freezing and thawing so if the moisture freezes then thaws chances are it will rain on the cluster.  If it freezes again before the bees can get dry you lose a lot of bees.

A vent at the bottom and the top is necessary for proper venting of moisture.  Without a vent at the bottom of the hive the moisture just recirculated through the hive.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline jdpro5010

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 290
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2009, 10:22:23 am »
I also have been using a few of the plastic tele covers.  My only concern with them is that you get no insulating value from them at all.  If you are in the north ,as I am, the difference between the r-value offered by the wood as compared to the plastic may be enough to make a big difference in your survival rate come spring.

Offline lakeman

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 242
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2009, 03:38:10 pm »
The plastic is probably like a metal roof on a building, if exposed directly to the air. at night when it gets below freezing, if there is high humidity, frost forms on the underside, then when the sun comes out it melts, and starts to dripping.
I am my own biggest critic!

Offline jdpro5010

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 290
  • Gender: Male
Re: Telescoping covers
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2009, 04:10:53 pm »
The plastic is probably like a metal roof on a building, if exposed directly to the air. at night when it gets below freezing, if there is high humidity, frost forms on the underside, then when the sun comes out it melts, and starts to dripping.


You may be right on that one lakeman.  Makes good sense to me.