Apisolis care and use
Most issues reported on the Apisolis have a known cause and a simple fix. This page goes through them one by one, starting with the most common of all, the bellows action. It also covers the three changes made to the device since launch, each one following feedback from beekeepers.
The Apisolis is not worked like a traditional smoker
This is the most common cause of weak vapour, ahead of any question about the coil or the formula.
On a traditional smoker you give short, quick, partial squeezes, often about a fifth of the travel. It works because combustion is already under way and the bellows only pushes air onto embers.
The Apisolis works differently. A magnet at the end of the bellows triggers the coil, and it only reaches it at the end of the travel. A partial squeeze does not fire the coil, or fires it too briefly for it to reach temperature. The vapour comes out thin and the device seems weak when it is working normally.
The correct action is long, slow and complete. Press the bellows all the way down, then release it fully. The coil then has time to heat and the vapour comes out dense.
A beekeeper who keeps the traditional smoker reflex will always get light vapour, whatever the state of the device, the condition of the coil or the formula in use. It is a habit to unlearn, not a fault to fix.
My Apisolis seems to be leaking: is it really a leak?
In most cases, no. It is condensation.
In use, the device heats a solution and produces vapour. Part of that vapour condenses back into droplets between the reservoir and the body. This is a physical phenomenon, it happens on any device that vaporises a liquid, and it cannot be eliminated.
The correct habit is to remove the reservoir after use and wipe the body with a cloth. It is end of session maintenance, in the same way you clean the soot that builds up inside a traditional smoker. Soot is not a fault of the smoker, condensation is not a fault of the Apisolis.
A real leak differs from condensation by its volume and its timing: it happens during storage rather than just after use, and it empties the reservoir.
How should the Apisolis be stored?
Always upside down, with the bellows in the open position.
This is the most important rule on this page, and the most frequent cause of liquid found inside the body. Stored the normal way up, the liquid in the reservoir runs down under gravity towards the coil and eventually passes through it. Stored upside down, it stays in the reservoir.
The bellows must stay open during storage. Compressed, it holds a pressure that pushes the liquid downwards.
During hive inspections the device can be set down the normal way up without any risk: the PETG diffuser tip acts as a stand and steadies the device, as well as improving how the vapour spreads.
My vapour is thinner, or my coil does not last
If the bellows action is complete and the vapour is still weak, there are three possible causes, in order of frequency.
The coil has dried out. A coil must be soaked with the Native formula before use. Heated dry, it burns out in seconds. This is the leading cause of premature coil failure and it has nothing to do with the quality of the part.
The coil has oxidised. Oxidation is gradual and natural. It does not stop the device from working but it reduces vapour density.
Residue has built up on the filament. Vaporising the active ingredients leaves a deposit. It is normal and unavoidable in the long run. Scraping the coil is not a solution: it damages the heating filament.
Coil life is theoretically unlimited. A coil properly soaked before every use, in a device stored dry and upside down, worked with a normally operated bellows, does not wear out mechanically. A beekeeper running one or two hives can keep the same coil for a very long time.
We recommend replacing it two to three times a year to keep the vapour at its best. That is maintenance, not a repair.
The ULTEM reservoir
Since the fourth quarter of 2025, the Apisolis reservoir has been made from ULTEM, a high performance thermoplastic.
This change fixes three points raised by users.
The Nova formula no longer passes through. The earlier reservoirs let the Nova through, being more fluid, while they held the Polaris. This was the main cause of the leaks reported by Nova users.
Heat resistance is better. ULTEM does not deform in a vehicle parked in the sun or in a bag left out in midsummer.
Mechanical strength is higher. The reservoir stands up better to the knocks of transport and handling at the apiary.
The reservoir is still transparent. Its amber tint is the natural colour of ULTEM and does not hide the liquid level.
Changes made since launch
Three parts have evolved during the life of the product, each one in response to beekeeper feedback.
The ULTEM reservoir, which stops the Nova formula passing through and improves heat resistance.
The upgrade pack, which improves the sealing of the body.
The PETG diffuser tip, which improves vapour spread and lets you set the device down at the apiary.
All three are sold separately and fit devices already in service. That is the practical consequence of a product designed to be repaired: an improvement benefits the existing fleet, not only new buyers.
Battery life
A full charge covers roughly 40 hives, or a long working day.
On larger apiaries or during heavy work, plan the recharge before heading out. The battery is one of the replaceable parts, like the rest of the device.
The problem persists
If the behaviour of your device matches none of the cases above, contact after sales support. Every part of the Apisolis is available separately: battery, bellows, reservoir, coil, circuit board and shell. A device is not replaced, it is repaired.
