1st try of Provap 110.

[Perry]

Took my small generator and my Provap 110 for it's first run today. I really like the way it works, super fast, maybe 20 to 30 seconds per hive. After talking with a couple of other keeps I decided to go from the upper entrance as the vapours seem to fall much more readily than they rise. When I used the lower entrance the vapour barely came out the top, but when I reversed it the vapours started pouring out the lower entrance and every crack within 10 seconds. The only hassle I had doing it this way was the 1/4" pipe wasn't long enough to get past my telescoping cover rim to go inside the upper entrance. I bought a 3" piece of copper pipe just a hair larger and after working it with a hammer I got it to fit snug over the 1/4" piece as a sort of extension so I don't have to lift the lids off. I could do a yard of 12 hives in 20 minutes.
The expense of the gun was brutal, but the treatment cost per hive is only pennies once you have it.

[Bakersdozen]

Wow!  That's efficient.  Thanks for the product critique.  All good info.

[neillsayers]

Thanks Perry,

I've been looking at this device and it looks very promising. The price is prohibitive and the maker recommends drilling a hole in the back of the lower brood box for application. You may have solved that by extending the nozzle.
I really like the idea that it runs on 110. I don't know why more manufacturers are not making 110 models.

[Perry]

Neil, like you I was not interested in drilling any holes in my equipment. I watched a bunch of videos, including one where a lady had a sheet of plexiglass on the back of a hive to show how the vapours seemed to flow once in the hive, and it showed much better distribution when done from the top entrance. Anecdotal evidence from a few keeps I know that have used it seems to corroborate it. I also don't worry too much about closing the hive up for 10 minutes after treatment (same as the others here).

I have never treated in the spring before, this is a first. I know that I have mites and that loads follow the production of brood rearing. My intention this year is to give the brood as much of a head start on the mites as possible, so I am looking more for a big knock down of mite loads this spring. I don't know that we will ever see the elimination of varroa (in my time) so the best way forward is to keep them at bay until our bees learn to develop some form of resistance themselves.

[Perry]

Well, the pipe extension was a bust!
From what I was able to determine, the vapour cooled off too quickly traveling that length and crystallized at the end, blocking off the tube. Back to having to lift the lids.
Finished my treatments today, it will be interesting to see how the mite levels are throughout the summer with this spring treatment.