# 12 volt hive heaters



## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

I tried a hive heatrer last summer with a NUC and it did really well. We can get cold nights in May and June rain periods, so wanted to keep my NUC toasty. Set it about 80F.

I used a 2 x 6 hive stand and screened bottom board above it. The 2 x 6 base height gave me room to install a 120V trouble lamp connected with a baseboard wall temp control. Temp range can be set to turn on from about 30F to 90F. Actually used an appliance bulb(tried a 20 & 40 watt) and they give off lots of heat, however burn out after a month or two.

So I am going to try a single burner hotplate(around $20 here) mounted in the base, connected through the baseboard temp control(available here from Home Depot). Baseboard temp control is beside the hotplate.

Also contemplated using it for winter hive heat, but didn't. Think it should be set around 40F-45F so bees are mobile but not consuming excess food.

With the 2 x 6 base, I inserted a 2 inch thick piece of styrofoam below the screened bottom board. Have a 2x4 frame inside the 2 x 6, screen bottom board on top of teh 2 x 4 inside frame and plywood below.


----------



## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

"... more bees are active and milling about, would they consume more stores than a cluster that is "hunkered down"? 
thats the way it works. keep in mind millions of hives are overwintered without "gadgets"


----------



## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

You could also burn down your house or your shead.
Ever heard of a stuck thermostat or welded contacts in a relay?


----------



## mythomane (Feb 18, 2009)

The sky could fall too. Better get a shelter. If you are in Northern Climes, keeping them warm is kind of standard. Allen Dick keeps them in a toasty quonset. He is at honeybeeworld. Also posts on Bee-L -- Some ok info if you can stand Peter Loringworst droning in on every single topic. I only check in twice a year.


----------



## Sully1882 (Jul 18, 2011)

you read my mind as I have been thinking of some way of doing this with a feral hive I transplanted into a hive box a few weeks ago... I don't mind feeding them whatever they need if they are kept warm and happy and survive... I am all ears on this subject! Plus I think my wife would like this idea better than me trying to overwinter the hive in the garage with a PVC exit on the outside wall. 

Sully


----------



## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Yes, there is a slight risk but thermostat is in a metal electrical box and hotplate thermostat is set on low, but it sure did get my NUC through 32F nites and rainy weather.


----------



## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

please dont anyone mistake my meaning- if heating/sheds or whatever you do works for you, GREAT. these aids and such are not necessary for the vast majority of beekeepers,though. the heaters in question are just a marginally at best plausable aid, and will be the death of 99.99% of the hives useing them,IMO.


----------



## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Soil heating cables can also be used. Or, heat tape.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Colonies kept indoors aren't kept warm, they're kept cool. I guess someone had success doing this, but it really isn't necassary. Especially in Virginia. Wha?


----------



## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

If you have more than one hive (which everyone should) you can place a weak hive over a strong hive to steal some of the warmth, just take the cover off the strong hive put a screen top on then place the weak hive directly on top without a bottom board. Just make sure the top hive has an entrance on the opposite side as the strong hive. If you don't have 2 hives you can place those cheap Christmas lights that stay lit even if some are missing in the bottom of the hive, just remove half the bulbs so it doesn't get to hot and put on a timer so it only goes on during the coldest part of the 24 hours. And check the food because if they are warm they will eat more....


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

HONEYDEW said:


> If you don't have 2 hives you can place those cheap Christmas lights that stay lit even if some are missing in the bottom of the hive, just remove half the bulbs so it doesn't get to hot and put on a timer so it only goes on during the coldest part of the 24 hours. And check the food because if they are warm they will eat more....


Here is a idea that I came up with last year for my weak hive. The thermocube I bought from Ebay, and for the Christmas lights I wired together two sockets I got from an old chandelier end to end then placed a strip of sheet aluminum along side as a heat sink, the bulbs are in contact with the aluminum ( makes them last a long time ). You can buy these bulbs as shown or the old Christmas type bulbs at the dollar store and they can be 5 watt or 7 watt, add as many as needed to attain the desired wattage for heat. You can run several hives from one thermocube.

My hive had a small cluster and was weak and low on stores, the heat was added to assist them, and it did just that.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/WWW3156/Bees/Nuchive7.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/WWW3156/everyday pics/DSC_0010.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/WWW3156/everyday pics/DSC_0011.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/WWW3156/everyday pics/DSC_0009.jpg


----------



## canoemaker (Feb 19, 2011)

The hype in the ad for the heaters I saw on eBay suggested that they would be beneficial to fall and spring nucs, supplementing the heat to a small cluster. They are flat, about four inches square, and don't require a thermostat because of their low power use-12 watts. While I think the concept makes sense, it seems like the application of it could be tedious, especially on a large scale.


----------



## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

You have to be very careful added a heat source, it also changes your clusters moisture out put. Just don't add enough winter heat for the queen to start cranking out brood or they will plow into your honey stores. I'm going to put my hives in an unheated building with access out side, no heat, but no wind, or rain.. and see how they winter.


----------



## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

In the book Honeybee democracy, he claims a hive cluster could generate up to 400 watts of heat, but when they cluster in winter they can survive by putting out 40 watts of heat. He dosn't state, size of cluster, out side temp but 40 seems like it could be close , I've felt the heat from 15watt, 25watt and up light bulbs. I have a 15watt on under my observation hive in the garage when it starts freezing out side.


----------



## diablod3 (Dec 6, 2011)

you may try the ceramic heat bulbs that are used for reptiles, i don't think they give off light just heat. not sure how long they last or the amount of heat output. but they will probably outlast a regular light bulb.


----------



## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

WWW said:


> ....You can buy these bulbs as shown or the old Christmas type bulbs at the dollar store and they can be 5 watt or 7 watt, add as many as needed to attain the desired wattage for heat. You can run several hives from one thermocube....


You beat me to it!

I,ve been using successfully above mentioned Christmas lights for powering poultry incubators, bird brooders and bottom heat for plant/seeds propagation for years. I buy string of 25 for a couple of $ the day after Christmas sale, then I just cut them in sections according to the needs.

They have several advantages over heating cables, heating element or tape: Price, reliability, custom application. Since the C7 and C9 lights are 110V they are connected in paralell just like all lights in the house, you control the total wattage by choosing from 1 bulb to multiple bulbs in a circuit.

Reliability: I have about 20 of those light powering my poultry incubator, if one or two bulbs burn out, the rest stays on and it does not affect the total operation in any significant way.

When heating element or tape fails, your embrios are dead.

I am in Fl so I am not looking to heat my hives in winter. However if I was in winter heavy country and decided to try heating hives over winter, I would use Christmas lights in a heartbeat.

Another trick/gymmic I use successfully, I run those lights through dimmer switch which allows me to control (limit) amount of heat beside using a thermostat for cut off point.


----------



## Spomenko (Jun 3, 2010)

12 V DC or AC, 110 V AC ,???? 
The temperature of the hive floor only to + 5 degrees celsius. 
12 DC, bulbs from the car 0.2 to 3 pieces. 
above and below the alufoil. 
connected in series with the thermostat. 
3 thermostat to 100 hives. 
Light should not be seen. 
Higher temperature it easier to spread disease. 
Light, the eggs are laid early, before any fits. 
110 V AC, light bulbs 10-15 w.one the hive. 
What is important is the temperature, and no light. 
Only for winter conditions.


----------



## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

No 12V car bulbs, too much wattage, connecting in series no good, no reliability, if one burns out all go off.

120 V C7 or C9 bubs way to go. Connected in parallel, for 1 hive I believe about 20 Watts would be sufficient , it will take 3 or 4 Christmas light bulbs. Not the tiny Christmas lights they are very weak and connected in series - almost useless for heating purposes.

I'd put them in small metal box, for safety and heat conductivity. No light visible in the hive.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

pascopol said:


> You beat me to it!
> Another trick/gymmic I use successfully, I run those lights through dimmer switch which allows me to control (limit) amount of heat beside using a thermostat for cut off point.


Pascopol, I have a dimmer with my equipment but have not tried it as yet to control the lights LOL, you beat me to it.


----------

