50amps of Battery Power, Ready to Run the InstantVap Ragged

a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog

[@LorobBees]

Glad to see you’re doing the math and sharing it with your following on the cost and the amp hours needed to make this feasible at a large scale. Did the Canadian dealer explain to you about cleaning the units with the pink caps? It’s something that I would recommend every 50 to 75 hives. It’s extremely quick and will mitigate the loss of efficiency and the potential for clogging. Api boxial oxalic acid among other OA brands are 97% pure and the other 3% can clog the unit when enough away is run through it. You can simply rinse water through the unit however, the quick cleaning caps do not call the unit off and allow you to steam clean the internals, letting you continue down the line after about a 32nd cleaning.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

The did suggest a cleaning after each yard. Boy what a blast! Lol

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Rob is this the unit that you sell in the US? The InstantVap in Canada is sold through Dancing Bee

[@LorobBees]

Yes, they are the only Canadian dealer and I am the only guy in the US that can import them, I also do all the service work as well for them if needed. Oh I have a few guys in the states that are 10,000+ counties that run these units in a similar capacity. We found that as long as they use the pink cleaning caps and that their guys don’t get the unit saturated they’ll be fine. At the end of the day it’s an electronic device, and the longevity comes from how dry that unit can be Kept. But I have several units that are well above 10,000 treatments so far this year.

[@nszucs1]

What about using the knockoff batteries? Can they damage the instantvap?

[@LorobBees]

@@nszucs1 not only do they not run nearly as long as they are rated for due to cheaper battery cells, they pose potential fire hazards. Other KZbin videos she comparisons to OEM batteries and the results show several safety features are normally skipped. The good news is the instantvap has low voltage protection so investing in good batteries will last you years of service.

[@timmyd5144]

I ordered an instant vap couple days ago, I don’t need the amps you’re talking about. I’m excited to use it. One more piece of the puzzle. Thanks for sharing these videos.

[@AS-ft8wr]

Even with 10 hives - not having to use 4 Apivar strips for a double deep brood box- or other equally expensive treatments - the vaporizer will eventually pay for itself as an alternate treatment. And sooooo much better than the vaporizing pan. Lori and Rob’s customer service is second to none.

[@thomaskoppenhaver2758]

You know the season is drawing to a close when you see Ian in front of the Maple Leaf.

[@docholiday3189]

Using this stuff indoors....brave

[@judy7481]

I bought one last year, and use one and a half battery's per yard of 40 hives I installed an inverter in my truck directly to my battery to go from 12V dc to 120V A/C to be able to run the charger and have it ready to go in the next yard. In 6 hrs we can do 120 hives including drive time between yards, one vape gun and two 18v battery's. well worth the money spent, in my opinion.

[@davidsachs4883]

While it’s probably not the best option, as soon as you suggested using it in your shed I pictured using a scuba tank to get clean O2 while inside the shed using this. A humorous image but better then damaged lungs.

[@deanmalkewich2366]

Scott air pack. Basically SCUBA without the “U”.

[@davidsachs4883]

If there is snow on the roof then under frozen water

[@johnmoodie6547]

Bought one last year. You may find that you have to take off the the stem the plunger goes into and clean out the pot the oxalic acid drops into from time to time. Otherwise no trouble.

[@nancynolton6079]

I've done winter treatments on my 30 or so colonies during mid winter using Apivar just as the queen is starting to lay again (we always get that day or two of warm weather - just waiting for that window of opportunity and taking advantage of it). Colonies come out strong in late March here in Pennsylvania and no overwinter losses. I also treat at other times of the year so constantly knocking down the mite numbers whenever I can using OA and formic acid. In addition I make nucs for spring sales so brood breaks happening as well. Cannot quite bring myself to get one of the battery vaps... the wand still works for me but I'd upgrade if the price was right and so far it is not. What I'm doing seems to be working just fine so why upset the apple cart? Love all the information and insightys you provide. Keep the videos coming!

[@bj8342]

Nice evaluation, Thanks. I always wondered about a few "Test Colonies" for OA ( 2gm ) during the winter and a spring hit just after they come out of storage. 4 gm - OA the yard and then start back at colony 1 - patties plus syrup.

[@drjmarkrodgers1428]

Glad your using insta vap gear. Seems like a great option. It’s what I want to use.

[@timfeckley1689]

I’m positive you could figure out a piping system to deliver oa to the hives while in the winter shed with a push of a button while you stand outside the door drinking coffee with some additive in it 😂

[@robertlewis3336]

As I understand it, any longer run of pipe will prematurely cool the vapor, causing it to solidify before it gets to the target.

[@daveshearn2743]

I run double deeps for wintering in PA. Applying two shots of 3 grams per colony, I can get about 12 colonies with the Milwaukee 12 amp battery. I bought a second plunger but figured out that the first application stops at around 430 degrees Farenheit. If I pull the plunger at that point and reload it. The Instant Vap is back to 442 Farenheit when I reinsert the plunger. I can instantly depress it. So I didn't really need the second plunger.

[@elizabethwalker2051]

Factoring in the cost of your time is also worth it. We’ve been experimenting with a solar powered electric “generator”. Haven’t used this OA device yet though. We’ve powered a compound miter saw with it, a skill saw, and recharged batteries for power tools (including an electric chain saw) and haven’t run out of power with it yet. Expensive units but it sure is nice having power where you wouldn’t otherwise. Not sure about the math, but the cost of fuel (for generators) and electricity keeps going up. So it’s kind of nice getting power from the sun.

[@ludgermerkens]

The high uncertainty in your treatment efficacy might well be due to different amounts of brood in your colonies when treating. If your colonies are acutally broodless while in the shed, you might eleviate this uncertainty. But you also might get this effect, if treating with oxalic is the last thing you do before taking the hives inside.

[@ke6gwf]

For days when you are wanting to push, put a small generator on the truck to run the charger, and as soon as you use the first set of batteries, start it up and start charging. You will have the noise still, but you can leave it at the other end of the yard, and it doesn't have to be running the whole time either. And with 3 sets of batteries, you may not be able to fully recharge before you run the rest down, depending on how fast your charger is, but you should be able to get enough charge to get you to dark lol

[@tjjastrem127]

I think the time saved over time makes sense

[@Warren76317]

I'll Drag a cord. lol I agree on Guidance. Winter is the time to treat.

[@LIL-RED-BIRD]

U of Guelph is getting the in door storage shed, maybe reach out to them about it as a area of investigation

[@beekeepingislove]

We've bought one and have been using it for multiple rounds of treatments since early-Sept. Works great and am considering purchasing a second unit. Curious: 1) What is folks' experience with the Instavap's longevity over time? 2) In terms of batteries, i run Dewalt and the 9ah flexvolt batteries seem to be the best value - two batteries for CND $369. One 9ah flexvolt battery heats the Instavap to 230 degrees and treats about 30-35 hives @ 4gs OA = most or all of one yard, depending on yard size. 5ah batteries are inferior - maybe 10 hives We're running 4 x 9ah batteries, plus bringing extra 5 and 2ah batteries with us to get thru a yard if needed. 3) Cleaning - I'm still rinsing it out with water after EACH beeyard. This might be overkill, but i really don't want the OA to crystalize inside the unit. The quick build up of crystalized OA in/on the nozzle has encouraged me to clean thoroughly after each yard. Also, it cools down a fair bit in transit anyway, so why not just clean it? Downside is more juice to heat back up before starting treatments at each yard... Side Q: will minerals eventually build up inside the unit from the cleaning water evaporating? Worth using distilled water? Looking forward to learning from others' experience. Thank you for your reviews on this device Ian.

[@TimberTramp]

Wait until thanksgiving Black Friday deals you can pick up batteries the cheapest of the year!

[@ETsBees]

I have a spread sheet made up of the cost of the treatments and the time it costs to use them. I’ve figured my unit will pay itself off in 1 year these instavaps are close to they may be pushing two years just cause the cost of batteries. My idea is I can make something more user friendly we are more likely to use OA at the intervals it needs to be effective. So if my memory serves me right I am getting close to 500 hives on a battery charge and 1lb of propane. So efficiency is really good. Like I said just let me know I can send you my test one.

[@Dampflanze]

there are mains adapter Klauke NG2/115 for example they are for Makita though. Either way it´s costy if you don´t happen to have a small generator or a power bank already at hand

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Few expensive up there.. we have bunch of the 5.0 they charge in less than hour.. seems way better on carie that's reason enough.. I'm sure you can figure out charging them in the field .. I hate doing oav treatments nasty.. if I'm sweating burns my face.. going to go back to wrapping my units think that will help losen the clusters in dec when they finally go broodless. Could be sooner than later this year kinda over did the open feeding plugging them pretty good..

[@10peteo]

Sounds like a good approach treating in the shed. Would you have a build up of oxalic acid everywhere forcing you to wear a mask every time you enter that part of the building till it gets cleaned out. What are your proclivities on using oxalic acid and a fogger in the drive before you go in or pull them out for fogging

[@iananderson8526]

the second battrey will last longer and more hives as the first one has to get it up to heat

[@kat2641]

I tossed and turned at night trying to decide corded / cordless.. an I based my decision on my size and the fact that I already had 120v in the truck. But regardless if you have 10 hives or 10 thousand the cord dragging around is a very serious pain in the butt… However when I purchased mine it was with the intention of sharing with a few of the hobbyists beekeepers .. However I would of rather went cordless 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mattlance4272]

At 4g without the battery saver I'm getting 11-13 colonies per 5ah Dewalt battery. Even with the different math it's still the best vap on the market by far

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

We find cold temp uses more amps to heat

[@beekeeper213]

I only treat for mites with oxalic acid in fall and use 2 grams per single deep... zero counts ... maybe the bees are taking care of themselves since i dont do all the work for them but seems as tho if i protect the winter brood i have no issues

[@user-vl6lj3fp2d]

I use the pro vap with dewalt batteries. The five amp gets me 8-10 hives.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Yikes!

[@tomahawkmissile241]

the person that designed it said there was no bennifit over 2g but its 100 percent better heating so really a lot more

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Yes but he’s also trying to justify its battery usage

[@pondimek]

I've been considering OAV options for when I need it here in Australia. It seems the smaller batteries are higher $/Wh. I'm wondering if an alternative might be something like a Bluetti EB70 running 240V OAV units. That'd also be useful for other in-field power scenarios, while allowing you to get through several hundred hives on a charge. Light, durable, cheap ($/Wh), multi-purpose, solar rechargeable. It's a bit tough to do the maths though because 240V OAV units aren't yet available in Australia that I can see.

[@pondimek]

The other issue I have with the power tool batteries is longevity. They seem prone to early death when used hard (high drain rate to empty) and cycled regularly. OAV use case seem like it might kill these batteries quickly. Though warranty may save your bacon the first few times it happens.

[@edwardeggleston3612]

Just wondering that if you consider doing this with your wintered bees in the shed, would you also need a self contained air breather apparatus as well just to be safe? Oops, never mind, I should have waited to the end of the video.

[@joshuaschmidt7683]

Just a thought but why not have the ability to oxalic acid the entire shed… essentially have a huge vaporizer with air circulation. Eliminating the air exchange for about 10 minutes. Then rapidly exchanging the air to eliminate vapours. Figure if you that could work it would save a weeks time. Plus the ability to do monthly.

[@christianstruckmeier2867]

Hi Ian, how is the InstantVap to claen up and how complex ist the maintenance to do?

[@user-zp6rx8ud5f]

Peace be upon you... Can the cells survive without using treatment for Varroa??... I use amitraz strips... but I did an experiment that left some of the cells without treatment.

[@ThatBeeMan]

You need to add in the cost of those Milwaukee chargers. Those big batteries take a long time to charge so you need more than one, and those are not cheap either.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Ya they are just over $100! Luckily they tend to come with every value pack of drills so we have a hand full thx to Christmas gifting lol

[@nancynolton6079]

Are there any concerns with the residue within/on the building structure and fixtures themselves given it is an acid?? Just wondering.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Yes

[@Drewjober]

If you wear a fresh air helmet like for sandblasting you would be fine doing it inside

[@Drewjober]

Did you ride your pony today? Lol 😂

[@magchicago100]

Harbor Freight 8Ah $99 :) I know Harbor Freight but its a battery :)

[@scbeautifulbees]

They batteries are way to damn expensive

[@paulheinrich7645]

Thanks for your great videos!!! Question: Have you always put the colonies in a shed for winter? If not, did you over-winter them in singles or what and what kind of winter survival rate to you observe?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Use to winter outside in doubles, much prefer indoor

[@montyebbert7278]

Where did you purchase your vaporizers?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Dancing Bee Lorob Bees

[@macgates9578]

every thing I have read about vaping it is not very effect when bees are in a tight cluster

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Yep

[@HoneyMarketingBoard]

Bad idea indoors IMHO cos the OA will re-crystalize all over your shed. + Your Health.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

I hear you

[@apisincognito8173]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog Indoors if fine. Just wear a good mask and your golden

[@Bri_bees]

If you had an inverter you could charge the battery's in the truck

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Yes. It’s extremely taxing on the vehicle system

[@andrewk1191]

Be careful with 4 grams at once. There is a video of a manufacturer of this device and he says that more research is needed for larger quantity at once. It may not be as effective since the temp drops much more. I do 2 +2

[@FlakeyPM]

What is giving you the idea that CO2 can help in your battle against varoa? Have any levels been mentioned. I've read that CO2 safety limits are 5000ppm in submarines and 7000ppm in the International Space Station. Looks like we will have to start treatments here in Western Australia in the future. The idiots in charge of trying to eradicate the most recent varoa incursion allowed some beekeepers to move their bees to pollinate almonds. Many other beekeepers from clean areas all over the Eastern Sates, also had their bees there. Game over. It will still take a few years to get to us but we know it's coming.

[@russellkoopman3004]

IAN, could you install a charging station within the truck so that once thus the first yard is done they will be charging? When you get to the third yard they would be recharged thus you would only need two sets of batteries.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

One hour to charge a 5 amp. It’s a huge taxing drain on the system

[@irvincereynolds6540]

How where can I buy one?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Dancing Bee

[@timothyodonnell8591]

Is it cold enough now that your wife put Baileys in your coffee?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Not yet! I have not had a huge stress event this fall yet to warrant it :)

[@macgates9578]

Milwaukee 48-11-1880 18V Lithium-Ion 8.0Ah Battery 2 Pack 4.2 out of 5 stars 20 $217.99 ($109.00/Count) List: $299.99 Thats for 2 I have priced tools at grangers over the years and they are more Expensive than any other supplier for the same brand of tool Do you get Amazon in Canada???

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

For 2?! That’s half price . Oh well I’m also talking Canadian

[@macgates9578]

whats the exchange rate US to Canada @@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog

[@macgates9578]

1 United States Dollar equals 1.37 Canadian Dollar so I see Its about the same whats the yellow cap on your vap fore the one I saw on their web site has a black plug@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Our dollar is 73cents of value to the US

[@Beekeeping_Bro]

OA vapor can kill you, I would not use this in close buildings. If you can use extended release OA strips that will work better I think

[@TimberTramp]

Grainier isn’t the cheapest

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Who is ? $31 per amp is a good price

[@judy7481]

I bought my battery's and a charger from Amazon. 18V 8.0 amp hr. $345.07 American dollars. $140.26 per battery is 17.53 pre amp hr. if I'm doing the math right?

[@richardeasley6331]

you got ripped off on the batteries

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

That’s Canadian $$&

[@apisincognito8173]

Bit of a gimmick I cant see it being much better than 2 provaps attached to a generator.

[@vaskadid1786]

Where can I buy those