How does a wafer thermostat work?

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CityGirlintheCountry

CityGirlintheCountry

Green Eggs and Hamlet
12 Years
Jul 7, 2007
6,950
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Middle TN
I'm assuming a wafer thermostat is what is in the Hovabator 1602- flat metal disks. They are threaded to the end of a metal post that sticks up through the styrofoam. To adjust warmer I turn it so that the disks get closer to the top of the incubator. To adjust cooler I turn it so that the disks move towards the bottom of the incubator.

Why? How does this make it warmer or cooler?
 
As the incubator warms up, the wafer expands and trips the switch to cut the heat off. As the air in the incubator cools, the wafer contracts, pulling it away from the contact, thus tripping the switch to cut heat back on.
 
Yay! Smart people!

Thanks for the help. I was so focused on getting the thing assembled that I didn't pay much attention to how it all worked. Of course now it's full of eggs and I can't tear it apart!
 
I just picked up a very old incubator from a friend...and I noticed it has a screw like thing sticking out of the top with sharpie pen that says "hot" with an arrow...so I'm guessing it's one of these thermostat wafer switches...once I get a chance to really check this incubator out, I'll know more...but it's all so interesting! I haven't hatched anything yet...gearing up to
wink.png
 
Since writing this thread, I have since switched from the 1602 with wafer thermostat to a Hovabator with the fan and other thermostat. The 1602 was very unreliable. I'm finding this new one to be much more consistant. In fact, I have run the new one almost constantly since unpacking it and it is working like a trooper! In practice the wafer thermostat was very tricky.
 
CityGirlintheCountry said:
Since writing this thread, I have since switched from the 1602 with wafer thermostat to a Hovabator with the fan and other thermostat. The 1602 was very unreliable. I'm finding this new one to be much more consistant. In fact, I have run the new one almost constantly since unpacking it and it is working like a trooper! In practice the wafer thermostat was very tricky.
Click to expand...

Did you consider installing a Circulated Air Fan Kit for Hova Bator Incubators inside your 1602? That would greatly improve its reliability by stabilizing the temperature inside the 1602!
 

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