Honey moisture test with refractometer S5E54

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Here's the link to the Honey Refractometer: amzn.to/2VasxsZ and the Dehumidifier: amzn.to/2UY1MrR

[@geckoproductions4128]

Great video and timely. I just bought same qefracometer from same place, next day delivery. Your video was very informative and helpful. Your delivery is very easy going and pleasant to listen to. thank you

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Thanks Gecko.

[@daverowden-RowdyBeeFarms]

I Recieved my refractometer and I have the exact one you have. Mine also was calibrated correctly. My capped honey is 16. I put my uncapped back on the hives so I have another weekend of pulling supers ahead of me. The last one burnt me down. Really appreciate your videos... good luck on your honey extraction total... Have a great week

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Dave. Man I don’t think I could survive pulling supers again. lol. The moisture content got down in the 16 range and I’m extracting it now.

[@sonofthunder.]

interesting range,glad you compared thats useful info

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Mark. Yes it was interesting how much variation there was. Takes the guesswork out of the uncapped as well. Thanks for stopping in.

[@ec9596]

Great video thanks

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Thanks EC!

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

I have the same refractometer. Thanks Jerome!!

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Rodney. Yeah. It’s really easy to use.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

@@JeromeBeeFarm Used mine today and you're right. No more guessing!!!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Darren I had capped from 16% to 19.5% and uncapped from 17.5% to 21% before I started drying mine down. Most of it is averaging out at 17.5% now in the buckets. Good luck getting yours dried down.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

It dried down nicely into the 16 range. I started on the uncapped tonight. 3 supers left til bottling.

[@donbearden1953]

Darren, I check it sometimes in the comb but once I get it in big containers is when I check it more because if I’ve mixed some 16 and 18 and if it was about equal amounts I will get a 17 reading. I know it’s a lot harder to dry in open containers because you are only drying the top. I’ve never had any to measure as high as 19. I’m like you I think all that rain has made it harder for the bees to dry it out in your area. I do believe in 2 days, what’s in those supers under the fan will come way down. Good luck!

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Thanks Don. It came down in the 16s and I’ve been extracting all week. Thanks for stopping in.

[@jonclemons1421]

Good luck with drying your honey. It shouldn't take long the way you're set up. I may pull some this weekend if they capped more.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Jon. It did come down about 3% over three days. I’m extracting it now.

[@daisyshoney6021]

Great video. Don't worry if you have to mix the 16.5 with the 19. They will average out. Just keep an eye on it.. Can't wait for the next video,

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Daisy. Yeah. It came down pretty good in the 16 range. Thanks for stopping in.

[@daltonrobinson253]

@@JeromeBeeFarmhow long to you let it dry out with the fans and dehumidifier?

[@benhamidabouchaib9526]

Hello my friend, I have a request for you. I want to know how to calibrate a device that measures moisture in honey

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

You use extra virgin olive oil. Look up the reading on line. I checked mine and it was spot on.

[@ARM-WWW]

if there isn't enough flow, wouldn't the bees eat some of the honey and turn it to wax and cap them up?

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Not that I’ve ever seen. They may cap it in the fall flow.

[@eddevault4604]

Hey Darren….just use a spoon handle to drop one drop on the lens….then close the flapper….don’t stir it around or you will get bubbles…. The bees won’t cap honey that’s not ready …no matter the moisture…. Anything below 19 is perfect…when pulling frames for extraction…the rule is….if you can’t shake it-take it….so if you are pulling boxes and see a few frames not completely capped…shake it vigorously onto a hive top….if the honey/nectar comes out…put the frame back in the hive for the bees to finish…. There’s now of your honey that can’t be dried down to good cured honey with the tests you showed us…

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Thanks for the info.

[@bottitabaki3073]

Hi. Thanks for the video. Do you sell honey by any chance?

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi Botti. Yes, I do sell honey local and I ship using USPS if interested. Thanks for stopping by.

[@bottitabaki3073]

@@JeromeBeeFarm yes I’m interested. Where can I buy it? I’m in Orlando fl

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

email me at [e-mail] and we can make some arrangements.

[@primitivedaisy]

I’ve got that exact brand and it works well.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Hi PDaisy. Yeah it’s really easy to use. I like it a lot. Thanks for stopping in.

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

If you lift your boxes you will get some air flow and it will even out a little. or you can average the content over all the frames and perhaps you will still be on target.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

They have some good airflow out if the dehumidifier and I put another big fan on it.

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

@@JeromeBeeFarm I typed the response before the clip had completed and alll is well and we were thinking along similar lines.and you added boards toward the end of the clip .... keep smiling :-)

[@ARM-WWW]

I have a refractometer that reads BRIX with the blue field moves from top to bottom :P

[@OkieRob]

I checked an uncapped frame and it was 16% . So it pays to check

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Yeah. I never knew before. I guess I was lucky. I never harvested much that was uncapped. I’d leave it til fall.

[@russellkoopman3004]

In a couple of days of drying the uncapped honey will be drier than your capped honey and will have an enhanced flavor. I have been using the same refractometer for a 2nd year and I don't like extracting unless I check first. Because I don't have enough supers I've been extracting since June and putting the supers back on the hive to refill. During a dry spell we were having, with very low levels of humidity, I was extracting 16.5 honey that wasn't capped. Now that the humidity is back the uncapped is running closer to 20% and I have to dry for several days.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

That’s interesting. Yeah that refractometer is easy to use. My drying setup worked really good. Got it down to the 16s. Thanks for stopping in.

[@richardsydenham4105]

It would be alot more efective if you had the fan under the boxes I have an electric heater with fan I put it in a full at the bottem and let the warm air go throw as it would in the hive works well

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

This setup worked well. It dropped about 1% per day.

[@charliegioe3158]

Mine actually came with the liquid in it to calibrate it

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

That’s cool. I used olive oil.

[@barbarahandsbury6822]

Hello Jerome . I bought a honey refractometer from Better Bee last year , and there directions says make sure you set it at ambient temperature (Not inside the house) and the brix is reading is 72.9 . In other word honey and refract have to bee at the same temp

[@barbarahandsbury6822]

Just IMO ,the big difference in moisture is is because the stacking of the boxes and the one box is on the floor (concrete and cooler )

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Ambient room temp was 85 deg and the boxes have been in there. I’d say the instrument and honey were pretty close.

[@426superbee4]

idk 721 lbs Give it some one who would use it ~ I don't ! Reason ~ IF THEY CAP IT? ITS PERFECT ! They will not cap it, if its not ready Yep that Spring honey! Can tell by the yellow color. Summer honey more amber and fall honey is dark amber

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Lower

[@426superbee4]

@@JeromeBeeFarm 30 hives and lower? he hee 590 ~ i get 550 lbs out of 6 hives

[@LarryLeesBees]

We’ve been in the triple digits for weeks. Dried up our flow. Even our fall flowers have already come up and dried out. We probably won’t see a fall flow this year. I am about half if not less than half of the honey harvest compared to the same time last year. I have 17 hives and only pulled about 350 lbs of honey. Last year I had 10 hives and harvested about 730 lbs of honey. Crazy how the years very.

[@426superbee4]

@@LarryLeesBees Keep a eye out on Ants, There attacking trees for the sap. Next they will target the bees hives