When Thierry De Vreese, director of HoneyInstruments, put the first elements of a connected hive scale on paper in 2015, he had to face a number of technical challenges: to create a highly accurate scale, capable of delivering data in sometimes very isolated locations, energy self-sufficient and absolutely reliable. In addition, the final product had to be extremely robust, very easy to use, weatherproof and within a reasonable budget. The connected scale is aimed at professionals who generally work with more than 150 beehives, most often in transhumance: the hives are transported to different areas depending on the flowering season and the type of flowers to produce a specific honey.
To evaluate the weight of the hive with precision, the PW10 load cell quickly became the obvious choice due to its characteristics well adapted to the project. It can measure a weight of up to 300 kg with an accuracy of 20 grams, it has minimal power consumption, and it is known to be totally reliable. The load cell operates outdoors and can easily withstand the harsh winters and hot summers that hives can be subjected to. With an accuracy of 20 grams it is possible to estimate the entry or exit of about 200 bees. A hive contains more than 50,000 bees.
The sensor is fixed in the heart of a metal structure known as a double H structure, which forms two support arms. The lower part is placed on the ground and connected to one side of the sensor, the upper part supports the hive and presses on the other end of the sensor. This structure creates a deformation proportional to the weight of the hive. A temperature sensor located in the housing completes the weight information. However, this is not the temperature inside the hive but the temperature outside the environment.
