I need build/automatic incubater for dummies!!! :hit

freshfish said:

Where are you guys getting the temp controller and is there a better one/ recommended one? one I should avoid? Best price? I use an incuview but paid $49.99 plus shipping for it. Would like to make another incubator but dont want to spend as much.

thanks,
John

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coop410silkies said:

Hi, A1Mom, you are doing great and it looks like you got great help right off the bat. I am inspired by your brave endeavor, and that's why I'm here. Soylent's directions were impeccable, and his photos were better than any I've ever seen; they show all the connections clearly, and you can easily see the distinction between the hot and neutral wires on the white and brown cords. If you can identify these and the hot and neutral terminals to which they attach, you will have no problem with this (although making the the actual connections DOES require a certain amount of manual dexterity and patience). Other things you should get:

Get an "egg wiggler" - or make your own with a plastic egg, water, and shredded Depend diaper stuff - and put your thermostat temperature probe into it

Buy an Incutherm digital thermometer/hygrometer from incubator Warehouse for measuring both temperature and humidity

Buy a p-timer from same place: set it for 21 and it counts the days and hours down to hatch day, or set it for 18 and it counts down to Lockdown, then up to hatch day. Good for record keeping and problem solving.

Consider using a computer fan with a DC adaptor that you'll modify. The idea is to provide GENTLE air circulation, and it doesn't take much. Ask me if you have an interest and questions about this.

Consider making a jacket of insulating material (maybe foiled bubble wrap - Reflectix - insulation?) if your incubator does not hold its temperature well (mine doesn't).

Humidity trays? You want to be able to control humidity by varying the surface area of exposed water, and how often you need to add water by managing the depth of the water. I like how Hovabator has worked this out for me with their plastic liner, but I wish it had been designed to hold more water. This is a feature I plan to work on. You want to be able to easily add water, maybe even to remove it. BTW, I have opened my incubator to add water to increase humidity during Lockdown, and gotten 100% hatches, but I prefer not to have to do that.

When it comes to heating with light bulbs, remember that it's better to use a few lower watt bulbs than just one higher watt bulb. In addition to getting more evenly distributed heat, your project won't die if a single bulb burns out. Also, don't make the total wattage so high that too much heat continues to radiate from the bulbs after they've been turned Off at 100*; and they shouldn't be so small that it takes too long a time to bring the temperature back up from 99 to 100. Light bulbs have worked well for me, even red ones and small sign bulbs.

I would like to know how your turner works! I use one that was made for the Hovabator, and I've no complaints about it other than its price.

You've got a good project going and there is so much excellent help on BYC. I will be looking forward to learning how it all works out for you.

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freshfish said:

Where are you guys getting the temp controller and is there a better one/ recommended one? one I should avoid? Best price? I use an incuview but paid $49.99 plus shipping for it. Would like to make another incubator but dont want to spend as much.

thanks,
John

Click to expand...

freshfish said:

Where are you guys getting the temp controller and is there a better one/ recommended one?

Click to expand...

Soylent Chick said:

I like using a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller for the heat source. It "learns" the rate that heat source provides heat and adjusts accordingly so that the temperature does not overshoot the set point. The temperature is very stable. Mine was from eBay for about $20 with the relay.

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coop410silkies said:

@A1Mom: ?watts is a good question. I just put in different sizes and watched how the temperature behaved. I bet Sally Sunshine would know about a chart, if anyone would. But it's kind of fun to play around with. Like, how many minutes do you want it to take your for heat source to heat your bator back up from 99 to 100, and how many degrees are you willing to have it continue past 100 after the lights turn off, for how long? The digital thermostat reads out fairly quickly in tenths of a degree, and you can easily get a feel for what total wattage you should be using. I hope you're having fun with this, besides success. Do you think you'll be able to post pics?

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LadyHawkeAvry said:

I am dying to find out how your automatic turner goes!  After a bit of experimentation, I found a setup that works - vaccine cooler, computer fan, desk light housing, hot water heater thermostat, and ceramic heat sink. (I lovingly call it the QuIncubator Mark II, because it's usually full of quail eggs...) It's very simple, and a beast, it hatches everything I throw into it, but fitting it with a turner would mean that I could actually go out for more than a few hours spring through fall, when I have it running non stop. 
I would love to see pictures when your build is complete!!!

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