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Quick Start Guide

We have done our best to make the installation and usage of your BroodMinder intuitive and easy.

Follow these steps
AT HOME
1. image Install the App
2. image Create your account
3. image Power your devices
4. image Assign to a hive
5. image Make your first sync
6. image Power on Hub
IN YOUR APIARY
7. image Install devices in hive
8. image Install your hub
9. image Update starting dates
10. image View and explore

Note the following best practices:

A. Use our video library

B. Tag your hives

  • 1, 2, 3, A, B, C, *, # : do what it takes to identify your hives, it will be much better.

C. Prepare everything AT HOME

  • Make sure the system is functional before installing it in the apiary, then it will be less easy to set up.

Need help?

šŸ  START AT HOME

image 1. Install BroodMinder Bees

Download Broodminder Bees from your preferred store. Scan this QR code to be headed to it :

image-20230508064200081

image 2. Create your account

Create your account into the Bees App. A single account for everything : App and Web MyBroodminder.

In BeesApp, on the Apiary tab, create your first apiary and your first hive, they will be needed for the next steps.

img

In Bees you have several tabs that we will navigate : img

Now go to Hives Tab > ... > New apiary and create an apiary and a hive.

We can then assign sensors to this newly created hive.

img


image 3. Activate your devices

In general all our devices have a pull strip. Older models (T2) might have a push button.

activateDevices

Take care of this:

Do not discard any plastic part. Keep them all in place.

Check that all seals are properly installed.

Verify that cable glands are tight too when appropriate.

image 4. Assign devices to hives

First you need to claim the device by clicking on the green Claim button found in the Devices tab. This operation will associate each sensor you claim to your account . You will then be asked to attach the sensor to a hive. You can proceed or cancel and come back later via the menu ....

Attach each device to a hive.

assignDevices


image 5. Make your first sync

Using BroodMinder Bees App there are multiple ways of syncing:

  • Multi-Sync is at the top of the screen in the Apiaries tab. This syncs all devices at once and is a Premium feature.
  • Single Syncis within the 3dots ...menus, either in Devicesor in Apiaries tab

Tip

You can only sync devices appearing in green (within bluetooth range)

firstSync

Now look to your data using ... > Show Graph or ... > Show Details.

Info

On your first sync you probably do not see much data since there is only one or two samples.

firstSync

image 6. Power-On your Hub

This stage is optional : only intended for those owning a Hub for real time monitoring. If you do not have a Hub, move to the next chapter.

Remember from Hubs page that there are several hub versions:

  • Broodminder-T91 Cellular Hub [solar, weather, naked]
  • BroodMinder-Wifi Hub
  • BroodMinder-Sub-Hub

6.1 Cellular Weather hub

  1. Remove the orange silicon protection
  2. Power ON the hub with the small black switch (use a pen tip to operate)

Power On

  1. Color Leds will blink green, then blue, then green again
  2. Check on Bees App that transmission has been established. Go to Devices tab > Hub ID > Show details > MBM last upload shall display current date/time.

Upload check

  1. Install orange protection again, starting from the USB side.

silicon cover

  1. Insert the T91 within the weather shield with the USB face sidewise to avoid condensation deposition on this and the opposite face.

Upload check

6.2 Cellular Solar hub

Follow the same process as above, with the difference that you will have to plug in the USB to the battery (we ship unpluged to avoid battery discharge during transport)

  1. Unscrew the cover lid.
  2. Insert the USB plug into the battery
  3. Slide the power switch to the right

Upload check

  1. Hub will start and you can check data transmission using Bees App as described above.

šŸ NOW MOVE TO THE APIARY

image 7. Install devices in hives

Install BroodMinder-T and -TH in the middle frame (usually nĀ°5) starting from the left side seen from the rear of the hive. T2 shall be over the brood box and TH over the super.

Place your BroodMinder-W scale at the rear side of the hive. Make sure that the hive is leveled as well as possible.

Install devices

image 8. Install your hub

This stage is optional : only intended for those owning a Hub for real time monitoring.

As a general rule for any kind of hub you should know that - overall range for Hub <=> internal devices is ~Ā 10 meters (30ft) - overall range for Hub <=> external devices is ~ 30-40 m

Important

  • hubs should be located at least at 1.5m height from the ground (Cellular and Wifi reception damps A LOT when close to the ground)
  • avoid direct sun exposition

Install hub

There are multiple ways to install the hub - solar versions can go on a pod or mural or even on hive

Install hub

  • other cell versions and SubHubs install nicely within the weather shield

Install hub

Now check Connectivity - Check hub connectivity with Bees App (in the devices Tab > hub ID > ... > Show details) - You should have a Network signal greater than 20% to be comfort.

image 9. Update start date/time

To avoid having measurements from outside the hive, change the start date of the sensors. To do so, go to BeesApp > Apiaries > unfold the hives to see the sensors > "..." > Change the current position. Edit the start date/time.

image 10. Explore and discover

Now you can also go to MyBroodMinder.com and explore your data.

MBM

In this interface you will be able to follow the brood levels, the weight gains and losses, configure your alerts or even the past and forecasted weather as well as the nectar-flow indexes and much more!

Info

Attention: Some data is computed daily and you will begin to see it from D+3 (D1 does not count because partial data, D2 will be the first complete day which will be posted the following day => D3)