Gaps on side of flow hive roof, is this normal?

Flow Hive
1

hello, first time BK, have a full flow hive, installed nuc yesterday.

for now, i’m using the flow super as a feeder box with the roof on top.

configuration from bottom : SBB // brood box with frames // inner cover // empty flow box with top feeder inside sitting on corner of inner cover (not in hole) // roof.

the issue i’m having is my roof appears to be a larger width than the flow super thus bees are crawling up under the sides to get in and out. first time i noticed, i saw that they were entering/exiting on only one side, so i centered the roof and now they are doing it on both sides, although it’s a tighter fit to squeeze through.

shouldn’t the roof fit snugly on top? is there a reason why it wouldn’t?

i read the pros/cons of top entrances but this appears too much/too many gaps and would seem to invite of intruders of all kinds.

hope this is clear. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks.

2

Sounds like you need a second inner cover with the hole closed off, then there would be no point in them going under the roof. The roof is meant to keep rain out of the hive, whereas the inner cover is the best way to seal the top of the hive. I know you are already using the one supplied, but it is pretty inexpensive to get a second one - it doesn’t have to match, because you won’t see it.

3

hi Dawn,
many thanks for the quick response.

i think i figured out the issue, which raises another…the roof was resting on the flow key access cover (part #9 in the manual). i moved it forward which closed the gaps on the sides, but now the top of #9 tilts forward and the roof is resting on the knobs of part #9.

i suppose if the inner cover was where it should be in the design, the roof would rest on that vs. directly on part #9. your suggestion may very well resolve the issue.

after reading the various threads about the hole in the inner cover, i thought it best to have one without a hole anyhow.

cheers

4

Is it facing the right way? There should be a short roof gabled end and a tall roof gabled end. The shorter height end (non-branded) should go on the Flow key access end. If it’s backwards, it will certainly hang down too far. Does that make sense?

5

yes it does make sense.
yes it is facing the correct way (i thought of that earlier actually).
the flow branded side is on the entrance end and the non-branded side is on the opposite end over the flow key access.

6

If you are able to post a picture or two, this may help in the diagnosis of the issue.

7

Flow brand is on opposite side of entrance😮 So you see it when you harvest.

8

I sorta kinda have the same problem with mine. I have the Flow log on both ends. Is this correct, I’m a little concerned now that Beethinkin say that there should only be one end with the logo. As a result my roof sits very loosly, is wobbly and has a massive gab. No bees yet to test out, not until Sept.

9

Another thing to try while you wait for the inner cover is to flip the Flow key access panel though 180 degrees, so that the knobs are on the inside. As you don’t have frames in the box, they won’t be in the way. The roof might fit better then, until you can get that second inner cover.

10

Dawn, great idea, will try.

Schnucki, in your case, note which end roof end is shorter and place that over the flow harvest end. not sure if that will resolve your issue or not.

Fireran, see beethinking’s comment above.

Rodderick, photo below.

960×720 220 KB

also note the “beesmart Ultimate Hive Top Feeder” on the right. more details on my experience with it here:

but in short, don’t beestupid with beesmart.

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11

Mine rests on the knobs as well I ended up putting small spacers to get the roof to rest on top on the box and not the knobs

12

I turned my key access piece around so that the knobs are on the inside.

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13

My Flow hive has the Flow logo on both ends. Is this correct ? The fit is not so snug

14

I only have one logo and that’s at the front of the hive, the rear apex board without the logo is shorter to accommodate the key access.

15

Are you in Australia? The hives made in Australia have the brand on both ends I believe.

16

Yes, I’m in Australia but I have the WRC which is manufactured by your company. I have it completely assembled but not in use as I don’t get bees until Sept so I have not fully tested it yet. If I can make do with what I have, then I am more than happy.

Is there any other Australian client out there reading this who can confirm that they have the logo on the roof at both ends and things work fine, meaning the roof is stable and no problem with key access etc…

17

It might be easiest for you to measure the center height of the two end panels. One should be shorter than the other. The shorter one goes over the back of the hive where the access to the flow frames is.

If the measurement the same height on both ends then that would indicate you got two of the same piece and need the correct part to solve this.

get the measurements so we can rule that issue out.

18

Hi Sara & BeeThinking

I have just measured the roof ends with the logos and can confirm that they are the same height from the centre, being 115mm or 4.52756 inches.

Where to from here ?

19

Please contact Flow support. The new gabled end will either ship from them if they have stock, or from us directly here in the states. We’ll make it right either way!

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20

Ok. Now we know that the problem is one piece is wrong!

Please email Flow from their contact page - http://www.honeyflow.com/contact/p/3 and include your order number or the email address you used when you first ordered.
Please also include a photo of the piece/s that are wrong.

That will jump start the process!

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