Flow Rate of the honey

Flow Hive
21

Hi Angela,

Have a look at the video instruction on FlowHive website showing you how to do it step-by-step

https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/all/minor-repairs-complete-flow-frame-re-assembly/p/180

22

That would be difficult enough to do with a clean frame I would love to see them try and take apart and resemble with a frame full of honey, wax and propolis!

4 Likes
23

500 grams only sounds absolutely indicative of honey that has candied in the frames. You didnā€™t by chance leave that flow super on over winter? There is a real danger with that- once there are crystals in the cells the honey will continue to candy throughout the main season. This is one of the main reasons we no longer leave our supers on over winter.

I would dig some honey out of cells to check.

BTW: we tried heating our flow frames to decandy the honey but only had limited success.

2 Likes
24

Try using multiple keys side by side or 1 key to each side at the same time and only doing a small section at a time. The plastic bows in the middle and the sections donā€™t fully open when well sealed the and tension is high on wires. Rotate the 2 keys multiple times back and forth till the cells fully open.
Multiple keys spreads the load.
Good luck.

25

Thanks, didnā€™t see this suggestion come up.
Iā€™ll try this instead of waiting for a useful reply from info@honeyflow.com.au
Just happened to look as I am now also frustrated at the slowness of reply from the above.

26

Not impressed with the slowness of reply and then the uselessness of the reply I got!! Do they not follow this forum?
I have since sent 2 more emails more than 24 hours ago. Still no reply!!

27

Hi @Angela,

I can see that Bianca responded promptly to your initial response. You were than able to provide some additional information (thank you - this is very helpful) which she has been discussing with one of the very experienced beekeepers here.

I do apologise that she has not responded further as yet - it would have been good to let you know she was working on your query - however I can assure you that you have not been forgotten and she is trying to get the best advice she can to you asap.

Thank you for your patience and apologies again for the slow response. We hope to be able to help you solve this issue quickly.

28

Iā€™m thinking itā€™s either crystallized or jellybush honey. One thing you could do is gently scrape the cappings into a tray, down to the plastic without damaging it. Then with a teaspoon scrape the honey out of every shallow section. Youā€™ll get an idea from that whether the honey is crystallized or jellybush. Youā€™ll be able to visually see if the honey is crystallized. If the honey looks clear, however wont go through a strainer, thatā€™s an indication of jellybush honey. If it passes through a strainer while you a moving it around with a spoon, that is also an indication of jellybush (thixotropic) honey.

3 Likes
29

Not crystalised. The little bit of honey that has come out does not indicate manuka honey. Iā€™ve never heard of jellybush in nz.
And youā€™ve got to be kidding about scraping out each cell with a teaspoon!!!
8 frames = how may cells???
Not helpful. Sorry.

30

My apologies. I was just trying to help you to reach a conclusion, not with 8 frames, just one. Every 2nd section is back a fair bit & I believe a fair bit of honey could be retrieved with the end of a teaspoon. At least enough honey to be able to determine whether it is crystallized or jellybush (Manuka), which is thixotropic. Thixotropic meaning it will flow while agitated.

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31

Hi Angela,

Jellybush is the Australian equivalent of Manuka (we are not permitted to call it Manuka here but letā€™s say itā€™s pretty similar).

Iā€™m inclined to agree with @JeffH - and youā€™ll hear some thoughts from others here who have been discussing your issue shortly.

1 Like
32

Using a toothpick or twig to poke into the capping and swirl it around should provide a good indication of the % jellylike or crystallised. Checking for gluggy, granular, creamy, hardened or bouncy honey. Should be able to find out doing this on several cells. Repeated opening and closing till the harvest has ended has proven effective for <50% jellylike honey. As thixotropic honey become a liquid when agitated.

2 Likes
33

Hi Angela, I understand your frustration, but I donā€™t think Jeff asked you to scrape all of them. Just to check whether your honey is crystallised.

I think it has to be determined whether it is an issue with the honey, or the frame so you can move forward.

1 Like
34

Iā€™m sorry if I havenā€™t been clear enough in previous comments. Perhaps peolle are not reading the whole chain. Iā€™m pretty sure that I have made it clear that it is not crystalisation or manuka. I do recall posting a comment that I had placed the frames in a black plastic bag in the sun for a couple of hours. They got very hot. Hot enough to dissolve any crystalisation and thickness of the honey. But this did not help. I am about to try Gazā€™s suggestion.

35

Also try Kieranā€™s advice.

Can you maybe take a video, someone may be able to pick up something else that is wrong.

37

Hi Angela,

I can imagine how frustrating it must be to be unable to harvest your honey easily like you have done in previous years.

We understand there is quite a bit of Manuka in the area and unfortunately the photos also strongly indicate a certain percentage of Manuka. I am also hearing you that you have ruled Manuka out as the cause. Can you let me know what is telling you it is not Manuka that we may be missing from the photos?

The team are also continuing to discuss your pictures and the issue you are experiencing in detail to work out whether there might be any other explanations, so they can advise you further.

38

I did read that post about the plastic bag in the sun. That is no guarantee that crystallized honey will become liquid. It also wont help with jellybush honey from my experience.

I understand your frustration, however liquid honey that is not either crystallized or in a jelly state should flow out of a flow frame while in the open position.

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39

Just so I understand are we saying the the flow hives just wont work if there is any of this"jellybush honey" this is really something that should be mentioned before people invest thousands into flow frames

1 Like
40

Heya Semaphore, I am in northern NSW so we donā€™t really have a winter as such its pretty much sub tropical

1 Like
41

I have some reservations about some quality control issues at Flow, but to be fair, they replied promptly and were mostly understanding and very helpful.

Although the Flow hive is not the panacea of beekeeping, they do stand behind their product.