Author Topic: Prototype Vaporizer - after johno's design (Read 17984 times)

Lburou · « **on:** March 30, 2019, 12:42:22 pm »

Until the bees learn to accommodate varroa mites or some other 'Golden BB' is discovered to control them, we are stuck with varroa in our hives. The easiest control for me is Oxalic Acid Vaporization (OAV).

I've ordered five 'treatment free' queens from tecumseh, but the tinkerer within me has had a run for the last few months as I worked on a copy of the ProVap 110. Johno's version is what gave me courage to embark on the journey of building one myself. I convinced 6 fellows in my local Bee Club to band together and make group buys to keep the cost down. This is our latest prototype:

I plan to use this through the entrance without having to do anything but insert and vaporize, Like this.

Any comments or questions?

neillsayers · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2019, 03:18:04 pm »

That's great, Lee! I have been following Johno's thread for some time. I'm not in a situation to build one, but i plan on ordering one soon.

Were you planning on insulating the bowl like he did?

Lburou · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2019, 05:53:13 pm »

Quote from: neillsayers on March 30, 2019, 03:18:04 pm

...Were you planning on insulating the bowl like he did?

I think that is a good idea Neil. I have some insulation but haven't installed it yet because things keep changing with our device.

rober · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2019, 09:06:57 pm »

lou- is that the my pin ta4 rnr controller? what are you using for the O.A. reservoir?

Lburou · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2019, 09:46:38 pm »

Quote from: rober on April 06, 2019, 09:06:57 pm

lee- is that the my pin ta4 rnr controller? what are you using for the O.A. reservoir?

Yes it is rober. The C-100 did not work for us.

We used a 1.5" copper cap, 1.625" length of 1.5" pipe and half of a 1.5" Coupling. Then, we melted 6063 aluminum and combined it with a bit of tin solder to lower the melting point and cast about a half inch of aluminum in the bottom of the vessel. Like this:

Doing this allowed us to drill and tap a hole for a threaded temp sensor for an easy and robust install to monitor temperature. The aluminum slug in the bottom retains heat as well as making a mount for the sensor and mounting bolt. Make sense?

rober · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2019, 06:01:17 pm »

yes it does. I perused jonho's thread too. he's also using a version without the controller. how critical do you think the controller is?

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2019, 08:55:05 pm »

Ooooh, that looks great! is it perfected yet or are you guys tinkering still? Will you sell them? Interested!

iddee · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2019, 09:25:04 pm »

Take a look at this one.

https://beezneedz.com/product/oxalic-acid-vaporizer/

Lburou · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2019, 12:19:03 am »

Quote from: rober on April 08, 2019, 06:01:17 pm

yes it does. I perused jonho's thread too. he's also using a version without the controller. how critical do you think the controller is?

In my view, the controller allows for faster recovery of the temperature (by using heaters with higher wattage), but for hobbyists it isn't a big deal as long as you don't overtemp the acid and pass right by the vaporizing temp range.

Lazy, several people in the johno thread are selling similar units for about $150.

Iddee, Randy Oliver's graph suggests mite kills are supposed to be noticably higher with the provap 110 than with other OAV devices. However, the device you linked is entirely satisfactory for killing mites.

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2019, 08:47:01 pm »

I understand, we've talked before .
We're trying to make bee's here with overwintering with out treatment. We haven't treated , 16 hives . we are going to continue to go this way. I don't understand how it can be one way to treat and our bee's are living without treatment ? Is it my location? We have a beek that uses his hive for sage , he treats big time. I'm pretty much open minded. But can't understand?

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2019, 08:57:59 pm »

Are the bee's dependent on a medication ?

Lburou · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2019, 11:09:15 pm »

Quote from: Mikey N.C. on April 09, 2019, 08:47:01 pm

...We haven't treated , 16 hives . we are going to continue to go this way...

If you can go four years without treatments, you may have something. Most hive losses to mites occur within two to three years without mite treatments.

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2019, 05:37:03 pm »

Lee, how much money do you figure in prototype so far ?

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2019, 07:09:43 pm »

Lee,
How is vape temp. regulated ? Looks electronic to me so is some type of electronic potentiometer so amount of voltage is achieved ? Also question a about 6063 aluminum melt down, I'm assuming with a tig welder with 6063 filler rods ? And what was purpose of tin solder ? Was that for sustainable ?

Lburou · « **Reply #14 on:** April 10, 2019, 11:30:07 pm »

Mikey, temperature is controlled by the 120V PID controller.

Quote

PID controller
A proportional–integral–derivative controller (PID controller) is a control loop feedback mechanism (controller) commonly used in industrial control systems. A PID controller continuously calculates an error value as the difference between a desired setpoint and a measured process variable.

We found 6063 rods on Ebay. Adding tin is unnecessary.

If you have a metal lathe, you can bypass all of this heating and casting business to make an aluminum plug for a copper coupling like the Provap 110.

P.S. I found this picture from the internet, if you know who owns the picture, I'm happy to give credit for it.

rober · « **Reply #15 on:** April 11, 2019, 08:57:27 am »

if the diameter is correct what about using a rigid brass or iron nipple? the screw on cap would give you the mass needed for threading. the mass of the nipple would require a longer preheating cycle but it would retain the heat longer once it was up to temp.

Lburou · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2019, 08:07:50 pm »

Quote from: rober on April 11, 2019, 08:57:27 am

if the diameter is correct what about using a rigid brass or iron nipple? the screw on cap would give you the mass needed for threading. the mass of the nipple would require a longer preheating cycle but it would retain the heat longer once it was up to temp.

We are using brass tubing because it bends easier than copper (we fill it with salt, warm it, and bend slowly). The bottom plug in the picture above, and on the ProVap 110, is a friction fit not threaded. HTH

Lburou · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2019, 06:47:08 pm »

Quote from: Mikey N.C. on April 10, 2019, 05:37:03 pm

Lee, how much money do you figure in prototype so far ?

Less than $150.

Spadeapiaries · « **Reply #18 on:** November 10, 2020, 01:46:09 pm »

I hate for my first post on this forum to be pulling up an old thread but I have been trying to build the best OA vaporizer possible and my last link in a good plastic box with the best fit. Everything I have found is too big or too small. John-o's is just too cheap looking. Yours looks to be about as good as I have seen. Could you share where you got it and what size it is. Thanks

Spadeapiaries · « **Reply #19 on:** November 10, 2020, 01:54:30 pm »

Here's a video of some of my research. Since I made the video I found some thick walled Stainless Steel tubing that seems bulletproof. Copper tubing bending seems to be one of the biggest complaints with all the vaporizers. I think I'll end up going with the 1 1/2" OD SS dairy pipe for my pots, with the thick walled SS tubing soldered on with 56% silver solder.