ericatdallas
In the Brooder
- Aug 5, 2015
- 37
- 2
- 36
So I built my wife a simple incubator last weekend. I had some fun doing it. I'm designing v2.0 right now and I know due to cost and time constraints I would NEVER be able to build everything I wanted to do.
What features would you want that are REASONABLE, ACHIEVABLE (in the home, DIY) and not cost prohibitive for an average US worker (within a few hundred bucks).
Our current one is built on a cooler, uses a PTC 100W heater mounted on a large heat sink w/ fan controlled by a temperature controller. We have an independent 10W LED light controlled by exterior switch. Humidity is controlled by sponge/rag method. Additional temp/humidity monitoring are done with standalone devices. A large plexiglass opening is on the top for viewing. Pretty much a basic design as documented on this site many times over...
Basic incubator requirements:
- Maintain a temperature 99.5F +/- 1F
- Have room for a wet sponge
- Allow access for manually turning eggs
Pie-in-the-sky
- Automated candling / removal of eggs
- Robot arms
DIY/Homesteader Requirements (that I've seen around)
- Multiple thermometers
- Automatic turning
- Automatic temperature controlling
- Automatic humidity control
- Opening to control water
- Fogger for humidity control
- Wifi camera
- Redundant heating system
Some ideas I've thought of that I haven't seen yet
- Light inside incubator that will allow candling of eggs without removing from incubator (maybe side compartment) --- ~$10
- 2-axis turning of eggs (might not be cost-effective) --- ~ $20-$30
- Automated venting (using actuators) to reduce heat or humidity (fan based) by comparing with outside conditions --- ~$15
- Automatic temperature logging and humidity logging (I'm sure someone is doing this) ~price of computer and sensor, $15-$30
- Program for variable temperatures (saw some literature for the benefits of INCREASING and DECREASING temperatures in incubators. (same as above)
-- Industry incubators will increase the temperature which lowers the hatch rate but improves muscle development
-- Industry incubators will decrease the temperature by 0.1F per day after day 8.
---- Basically, allow DIYer to choose a pre-determined "hatching configuration" or create custom profiles that may suit their needs.
- Remote configuration (sure someone has thought of this or is doing this somewhere) --- incl. w/ computer
- Count-down timer (or count up) --- LCD screen, computer - $10-$15 (LCD)
- Text reminders or warnings to do work ... "add water", "candle eggs" <do work> --- incl. in price of computer
- Independent data log for analysis --- i.e., after hatch "input hatch rate" --- incl. in price of sensors and computer
Not sure of the chances I'm going to build the one I want. Wife is discouraging it because of all my other honey-do lists and we basically don't need that many incubators. This is more just a fun (or I hope it to be) exercise in seeing what other people have when they dream about their perfect incubators.
What features would you want that are REASONABLE, ACHIEVABLE (in the home, DIY) and not cost prohibitive for an average US worker (within a few hundred bucks).
Our current one is built on a cooler, uses a PTC 100W heater mounted on a large heat sink w/ fan controlled by a temperature controller. We have an independent 10W LED light controlled by exterior switch. Humidity is controlled by sponge/rag method. Additional temp/humidity monitoring are done with standalone devices. A large plexiglass opening is on the top for viewing. Pretty much a basic design as documented on this site many times over...
Basic incubator requirements:
- Maintain a temperature 99.5F +/- 1F
- Have room for a wet sponge
- Allow access for manually turning eggs
Pie-in-the-sky
- Automated candling / removal of eggs
- Robot arms
DIY/Homesteader Requirements (that I've seen around)
- Multiple thermometers
- Automatic turning
- Automatic temperature controlling
- Automatic humidity control
- Opening to control water
- Fogger for humidity control
- Wifi camera
- Redundant heating system
Some ideas I've thought of that I haven't seen yet
- Light inside incubator that will allow candling of eggs without removing from incubator (maybe side compartment) --- ~$10
- 2-axis turning of eggs (might not be cost-effective) --- ~ $20-$30
- Automated venting (using actuators) to reduce heat or humidity (fan based) by comparing with outside conditions --- ~$15
- Automatic temperature logging and humidity logging (I'm sure someone is doing this) ~price of computer and sensor, $15-$30
- Program for variable temperatures (saw some literature for the benefits of INCREASING and DECREASING temperatures in incubators. (same as above)
-- Industry incubators will increase the temperature which lowers the hatch rate but improves muscle development
-- Industry incubators will decrease the temperature by 0.1F per day after day 8.
---- Basically, allow DIYer to choose a pre-determined "hatching configuration" or create custom profiles that may suit their needs.
- Remote configuration (sure someone has thought of this or is doing this somewhere) --- incl. w/ computer
- Count-down timer (or count up) --- LCD screen, computer - $10-$15 (LCD)
- Text reminders or warnings to do work ... "add water", "candle eggs" <do work> --- incl. in price of computer
- Independent data log for analysis --- i.e., after hatch "input hatch rate" --- incl. in price of sensors and computer
Not sure of the chances I'm going to build the one I want. Wife is discouraging it because of all my other honey-do lists and we basically don't need that many incubators. This is more just a fun (or I hope it to be) exercise in seeing what other people have when they dream about their perfect incubators.
