Vapouriser

[MikeT]

I can anticipate the answer to this question.

Has anyone bought the Vapouriser advertised on Ebay from the Ukraine?

I expect it is not worth the money and I should buy the correct equipment for next year

 

[wessexmario]

I've been looking at the amazing range of prices for what is essentially the same item...

A well known online bee supplies shop sell a varrox vaporiser - £140
I bought a "Aluminium enclosed 12V 80W PTC Heater/Heating Plate ~175℃ Max Temperature" from a popular online auction site - £7

What's the difference? Well, the expensive item has a nice label on it, and doesn't come supplied with a long lead and battery clips (I had some in the shed, but could have bought new for around a fiver)

I just screwed the PTC plate to a small piece of scrap plywood to stabilise it (the cable I used, however I lay it out, likes to keep twisting) I tested mine outside in the cold this afternoon, and it worked a treat, so now I'm all set up for treating them after christmas.

I have a digital thermometer on a multi-meter, so watched the temperature of the PTC plate during the test.
The plate was inside an empty super (to protect it from the cold breeze, and replicate it being in a hive)
It took 3 minutes to get up to 178C, and then held that temperature +/-2C for the 4 minutes I had the battery connected.

 

[stewart carnan]

Vaporiser

I bought a cheapo from ebay and it does the job not up to the standard of my expensive one, i found it is quite flimsy and would probably not last if doing a lot of hives, the one at £140 can be purchased for £106 elsewhere.

 

[Erichalfbee]

the one at £140 can be purchased for £106 elsewhere.

Agrinova

 

[stewart carnan]

Vaporiser

Yes that includes delivery.

 

[alanf]

I can anticipate the answer to this question.

Has anyone bought the Vapouriser advertised on Ebay from the Ukraine?

I expect it is not worth the money and I should buy the correct equipment for next year

The one I saw was mains voltage. Not very convenient and I'd be wary of the insulation safety when it's on wet grass in winter.

 

[Apple]

I can anticipate the answer to this question.

Has anyone bought the Vapouriser advertised on Ebay from the Ukraine?

I expect it is not worth the money and I should buy the correct equipment for next year

My sister bought one a couple of years ago..... dangerous rubbish!

"One it seems get what one pays for" to quote big sister!!!


James

 

[Little John]

I bought a "Aluminium enclosed 12V 80W PTC Heater/Heating Plate ~175℃ Max Temperature" from a popular online auction site - £7

Is this one one of those jobs advertised as being 7mm thick ?

What is the overall thickness of the one you've tested - is it indeed 7mm ?

LJ

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

A well known online bee supplies shop sell a varrox vaporiser - £140
I bought a "Aluminium enclosed 12V 80W PTC Heater/Heating Plate ~175℃ Max Temperature" from a popular online auction site - £7.

http://www.fleabay.co.uk/itm/Alumin...0?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET

Where fleabay needs de-nicknaming. <ADD>The target temperature feature looks pretty neat</ADD>

If you have, or have access to, the skills, the diesel glow-plug vaporisers people talk about on here look pretty good. And the cheapest source of Varrox has been posted above. Without access to metal turning, I just gritted my teeth, dipped into the budget, and told myself it would get me an extra 20 jars (which is probably true). And am never going to touch any other form of treatment again. Bloody marvellous.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Agrinova

actually pains is cheaper atm £100 including free delivery!

 

[Arfermo]

I posted several times about sublimation (I got a virtually new varrox some years ago for less than half price inc. battery) and was derided. Now loads of people seem to have been converted. I wouldn't change back and science confirms I was right to change for a more effective oxalic method. Just hope more come on board for as long as varroa continues to thrive.

 

[Paul in Poole]

I have made my own vaporizer out of a glow plug from a diesel car and a car battery it seems to work well. I have used it on 12 colonies so far with no problems.

 

[alanf]

Varrox is made in Switzerland. Buying anything in Swiss francs recently has not been cheap, see also Apidea.

 

[steph333]

Hi

I have the mains version and have had to conect a cigarette plug . I have also bought a 12v power adaptor to change the mains voltage.Just tried it and it does work but has now cost me over £50.So if i get electrocuted its not going to have been a bargain.If anyone can think of any more possible problems before i use it on the girls let me know.I have the appropriate mask and goggles.

Stephen

 

[Little John]

Hi

I have the mains version and have had to conect a cigarette plug . I have also bought a 12v power adaptor to change the mains voltage.Just tried it and it does work but has now cost me over £50.So if i get electrocuted its not going to have been a bargain.If anyone can think of any more possible problems before i use it on the girls let me know.I have the appropriate mask and goggles.

Stephen

Would you care to expand on that ? I do hope you're not suggesting that you're running 230 volts AC through cigarette plug type connectors ...

LJ

 

[steph333]

Hi John

No I have an adaptor which changes mains to 12 volt a Mobilcool 12v adaptor.

Stephen

 

[alanf]

Hi John

No I have an adaptor which changes mains to 12 volt a Mobilcool 12v adaptor.

Stephen

You have a device built to work at mains voltage, but have replaced the two pin plug with a cigarette lighter plug and are expecting a "mains to 12v" "adaptor" to run it? You may need to talk to an electrician.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

You may need to talk to an electrician.

Or an undertaker.

 

[Tim1606]

I suggest that you read scientific beekeeping on oxalic acid, especially that some vaporisers get hot too quickly and decompose rather than evaporate the acid.

I have the varrox and have no problem with it, but DIY or cheap vaporisers may be false economy.

 

[alanf]

...I have the varrox and have no problem with it, but DIY or cheap vaporisers may be false economy.

Agree entirely, but you wont know until you try it. And for many of these unbranded imports, try each device itself because we have no ideas what standards they are built to.

l'Apis, the Italian bee magazine has an "excerpt" version in English translation available as a free download (registration required)

http://www.lapisonline.it/index.php/en/l-apis-excerpt-download

The latest (Oct-Dec 2014) has some limited trials of Api-Bioxal (i.e. oxalic) vaporisation and dribbling. "Slow vaporisation" i.e, Varrox and "fast" i.e. Sublimox were tried. Results for all three methods at a single dose were concluded to be equivalent.

There are published results for established products, such as the Sussex LASI results using a Varrox - presented at various talks, due for publication soon? Fundamentally, the problem with anything homebuilt is each one is a one off. It may be superbly engineered, amazingly efficient and work to your absolute satisfaction, but only commercially and widely available products will ever get reviews and papers because any results should be reproducible. There were various suggestions in the earlier development of vaporisation treatments involving assorted plumbing pipe adaptations and blowlamps. Most of the devices currently sold look more effective than those on the surface, but you just never know until you can do your own trials, and the risk is losing a colony or several.