Brinsea EcoGlow 50 - anyone have problems with them?

debir1966

Songster
7 Years
May 27, 2012
343
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103
Central Idaho
For my first order of chicks at the end of June, I purchased the Brinsea EcoGlow 50. I loved it! I didn't have to worry about so much light, too much heat, too little heat, fire, etc.

When they got bigger and started getting up on top of it, I started taking it out of the brooder and cleaning it and I noticed it seemed pretty hot on the black bottom side, hot enough it would make me yank my hand away from it in pain.

I got out my digital thermometer that I had for the incubator and set it on the black part and within several minutes it read over 104 and was still climbing. I called Brinsea and they shipped me out a new one.

Soooo, by the time it got here we decided that the chicks didn't need the extra heat anymore (they were about 3 weeks old and it was pretty warm), so I didn't put the new one in with them.

Today we got another order of chicks and I set it up and let it get warm before we went and got them. I didn't even think to feel the bottom, I mean, surely I wouldn't have the same problem twice!

We got the chicks home and settled and a few minutes later everything was quiet. Then one started peeping pretty loud and insistently, so we went in to check and I picked up the EcoGlow to see if it was stuck (I have one side lower than the other for snuggling), and almost dropped it because it felt like it burnt my hand!

I flipped it over and felt all over the bottom and sure enough it was hot enough to be uncomfortable and the black base plate (on the bottom) is actually warped out on one side - which is the side that feels the hottest. It is warped out enough that I can push it back down and it pops back up when I let go. I called Brinsea again and they too are shocked I would encounter the same problem and are sending ANOTHER one, but now I am wondering if anyone else has had a simular problem?

Once the EcoGlow had been upside down for a while, it didn't feel too hot to touch anymore and I am worried that I am over-reacting. The rep I talked to wondered if I maybe just had very sensative skin and I said no, I hand-wash dishes every day in super hot water and am a farm girl who doesn't wear gloves LOL.

Now I have to be paranoid about cooking my chicks before the new EcoGlow gets here and hope that it too is not malfunctioning!
 
I have never used one but it is apparently adjustable for height as you have one end lowered.Not sure how it regulates the heat but that may have something to do with it getting too hot. I would raise it as much as you can and level it. The chicks don't need to be directly against it and after 3 tries I think it's probably working correctly.
 
no problems here.i purchase mine in march of this year.my babies loved it.i called it the electric mama.
 
Thanks for the reply Ron. It is actually made so you can have a different height setting for smaller/bigger chicks, and even just set one end of it on the floor. Also, it is a contact heat, it doesn't heat up the air space, but is a contact heat source so that the chicks do want to snuggle against it, basically like they would when they snuggle under a hen.

Here is some more information about how it works:

Brinsea EcoGlow 50

The first one didn't have the warped bottom on it, and this 2nd one didn't when I first took it out of the package, it warped after I turned it on. I am sincerely hoping 3rd time is the charm and it was just some bad luck. Even with the first one getting so hot, it didn't cook any of my chicks, so like I said, I am worried I am blowing it out of proportion.
 
Ok did some reading and it says it's ok for it to be tilted and they are warmed by contact so don't raise it too much. I also found that the average body temp of a chick is 106 degrees. That's higher than I would have thought.
 
Oh I didn't know about the chick body heat either! So maybe it is ok for it to get that hot, I figured it was supposed to be in the 95 degree range like you would keep a brooder! I did ask the first time how warm it was supposed to get and she didn't know the answer. I may call them up and ask again. I know there are some temp gages that you can just aim at something and it will tell you the surphase temperature, maybe I will see if I can get one of those to alleviate my fears.
 
buckey52: I do love it also! No pasty butt, no constant light, happy chicks, safe... I really can't say enough about it. I do wish they would discuss it more with me on the phone versus just sending out a new one, maybe it would help me feel everything was working as it should if they were willing to talk about it a bit more. Well, like I said, hopefully 3rd time is the charm and I won't have any issues with the next one!
 
I bought mine when they first came out & have incubated quail & chickens with it. Never had a problem. Now you got me worried. I do keep a thermometer under it & check it often.
 
Maybe one of the people that use them could check the temp of the bottom side of theirs and comment.
I check mine while I brood. I usually raise the front & leave the back lower than the front. The brooder is adjustable so you can regulate the heat when needed. The first week its down lower than the next week you raise it some & so on till your finished brooding. That's how there designed. I do recommend keeping a thermometer under it as you brood to check the temp & adjust according to the temp you desire.
 

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