Redwood Incubators - Information, help, for sale and wanted

[they'reHISchickens]

how accurate would you think a 60 yr old original mercury thermometer is in the Farm Master 1200 we have.
Had loads of bad hatches last year even though we ran 3 different digitals inside it. This year I am thinking just use the original thermometer and it's holding temp right at the arrow. Or.. where do you buy a decent accurate thermometer?

 

[duluthralphie]

how accurate would you think a 60 yr old original mercury thermometer is in the Farm Master 1200 we have.
Had loads of bad hatches last year even though we ran 3 different digitals inside it. This year I am thinking just use the original thermometer and it's holding temp right at the arrow. Or.. where do you buy a decent accurate thermometer?

I bought 4 Basil temp thermometers from Amazon fairly cheap. They are used to track fertility cycles in women and certified to + or - 0.2 degrees. I use one in each hatcher and incubator and use them to check the cheap Walmart indoor outdoor ones I use. I write the target temp of each of the cheap ones on duct tape and put it on the thermometers.

The cheap ones can be off 3-4 degrees! I have one where my target temp is 94.8 degrees, If it ever hit 99.5 my eggs would be hard boiled!

 

[BJ Lewis]

How are the eggs turned, manual or automatic?

 

[BJ Lewis]

How are the eggs turned, manual or automatic?

 

[BJ Lewis]

How are the eggs turned in this machine?

 

[Nin315]

BJ lewis-im new here but saw your question. I do know some about these old incubators, and this isnt a very active thread, obviously, so thats probably why no one has answered you or seen your post. If you mean how do the old incubators work on turning, ,, the old ones do not have turners unless they are added or modified. You have to turn each egg by hand and you have the eggs laying on their sides. When we had these, we did have these metal "egg turners", which in the early '80's was the best most could afford, lol. These were metal racks that held the eggs in rows more upright than just laying the eggs on their sides. You would pull a metal piece out from under the eggs on the top tray,, push it into and underneath the egg rack on next tray, pull it out on next tray,, etc..not exactly auto but at least u didnt have to turn each egg one by one in a 600 egg incubator. I want to get another redwood like we had when I was a teen,, and when I do, I will get an autoturner(s) like the one I have in my styrofoam tabletop incubator..not as good of hatch rates, imho, but so much easier..

 

[Nin315]

You just cant beat those old redwood ones, imho..except maybe the gqf sportsman,, from what I hear. We sure had excellent hatches from our old ones, anyway. Im looking to buy one if anyone has one to sell.

 

[begrandin]

I have a Leahy favorite 1200.Left wafer wasn't working so I got one at incubator warehouse and struggled to get it in. It is also not working and I've read about a"microswitch" and wonder if I bumped something in putting it in as it is so hard to access. If I need to put in a new thermostat do I need to take the fan assembly out? Can't see how it would be doable otherwise. I've read about a'microswitch" but can't figure out what or where it is. THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!

 

[begrandin]

sorry this was my first post - didn't check the get notified button! duh.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

I have a Leahy favorite 1200.Left wafer wasn't working so I got one at incubator warehouse and struggled to get it in. It is also not working and I've read about a"microswitch" and wonder if I bumped something in putting it in as it is so hard to access. If I need to put in a new thermostat do I need to take the fan assembly out? Can't see how it would be doable otherwise. I've read about a'microswitch" but can't figure out what or where it is. THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!

The microswitch is located under the wafer and looks like this:

The small silver button on the top is what the wafer contacts when it expands. It pushes down and opens the electrical circuit turning off the heating element.

It is held in place by 2 small diameter bolts and nuts that go thru the to hole you see near the bottom.
The wires are connected by screws on the bottom.

When I replaced mine, I took out the entire frame that holds the wafer and the switch. You can test the switch first by pressing on the button. You should hear a click. That tells if the button is actually depressing. If it's not, you can try some wd40 and a q-tip to clean it up. If it's actually clicking, you can test the circuitry with an electrical multimeter to tell if the internal circuitry is working correctly.

Is this an incubator that you have had for a while and has worked for you or is this a new one for you? I ask because I purchased a #416 a few weeks ago and someone had wired the thermostats incorrectly and even though I had put in new wafers and switches they would not work correctly.

Message me if I can help you any with it.