Quote:
Originally Posted by
3forfree 
how can one determine that a thermometer is bad, or not recording properly? I have put my digital and bulb thermometers together on the kitchen counter and they have both read the same temp. What's to say that the house temps aren't accurate? I know that there are ways to calibrate a hygrometer, but can you calibrate a thermometer? Thanks
Hi 3forfreee, the multiple thermometer method IS the test. If you put multiple thermos in a controlled environment (at least 3 or more), that is the test. If all thermos are reading the same temp, regardless of whether or not "the house temps aren't accurate", the odds of all thermos being inaccurate yet by some crazy chance happen to read all the same is astronomical. Mind you, the test must be in a controlled environment, say your incubator.
After losing 28 of 29 chicks from my first two ever hatches, I went and bought 2 new thermos yesterday, another digital/hygro giving me two of that type and another bulb, giving me two of those. Regardless of the fact I'm sure, after invaluable advice from this forum that humidity was likely my problem, had to rule out the bad thermo and temp possibility. I set the 4 thermos on TOP of my bator right next to each other in a row and looked at temps about an hour later. The temp range was off by 2.8 degrees from high to low. Even though they were at most 8 inches apart from one side to the other, my bator is up against an exterior wall with a window on one side and a door on the other. The bator sits on the floor but even though the thermos sat right next to each other, the window and door were enough to cause the two on the outer edge to read lower than the two in the middle. I then put them INSIDE the bator and checked an hour later. Both digitals read the same to the tenth and both bulbs looked to match exactly what the digitals were reading, at least to the naked eye. It is not necessary to have bator on, regardless of whether or not it is though, if all thermos read same temp in controlled enviro, they are good. Now I always like to prove a theory with extra testing so today I will turn my bator on and dial in 99.5 to do a second test. Am fairly confident though they will all be dead on accurate.
Sorry this is such a long explanation, was hoping to cover all the bases where you might have questions. Hope this helps, good luck on your future hatches.
