tips and secrets of the GQF 1502 sportsman...

[ajcress]

I recently purchased a 1502 sportsman cabinet incubator. I used and still have an LG still air incubator I have hatched from for almost 5 years with good luck... Well I wanted to upgrade to the caddie. I started up the bator like I was suppose to and everything was fine for over 24 hours so I sat some eggs... then everything went haywire. I finally found out that the humidity pan valve was not working properly. the water wasn't running from the 5 gallon holding bucket. inside the humidity pan theres a floating device when it drops so low it is suppose to fill up with water. on the top of the floating device there is a pin that can be pushed to the left or right. could this matter which direction this pin is in for water flow to the pan?

I think for right now everything will be ok. any tricks tips or secrets to the sportsman would greatly be appriciated...thanks in advance. I hope I explained my problem well enough.. for back up I have jars full of water with spounges inside for more humidity and still is only @ 48 to 50% on day 21 in lockdown..

God Bless!!!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Just my take, but the Sportsmans are nearly foolproof and very forgiving. I both incubate and hatch in mine. I do not use the bucket, just the humidity tray. I open the door every week (Sometimes a few times a week) to either add eggs, candle, move eggs to the hatching tray or remove chicks. I add water to keep the water trays full when I am opening the doors for other things anyway.

Yes, I usually leave the door open while I'm doing these things too.

When I first started, I worried myself sick trying to keep everything perfect. Airflow, temps, humidity, everything. I'd add the wafer sponges during lockdown to raise the humidity. Tried to never open the doors and if I did, work fast so they were only open for a few seconds.

Now on Thursdays I just open the door, move each week's trays down one rack, put the eggs from the bottom trays in the hatcher and remove those trays, and fill up the water humidity trays. On Saturday or Sunday I open it up, put fresh eggs in the top rack, remove the hatching tray and chicks, wipe the bottom out good and return the hatching tray, top off the water again and go on my way. I candle either day I have time when the eggs are around 18 days old - give or take a day or two.

My hatch rate? Exacly the same as when I tinkered with it every day trying to keep it perfect. My humidity stays about the same even during lockdown.

Good luck!

 

[ajcress]

thanks for the reply!! the humidity pan goes dry before the days end if i fill it in the am... IDK...I will just have to wait and see.. I started these eggs out in my lg still air and the temp did drop to around 90 a couple times. I moved them to the new bator on day 7 when I candled. the humidity was consistant around 20.. now i have managed it get it up to 48 to 50% with the extra jars and spounges... thanks again. what types of chickens do you have??

 

[cmom]

I have an older Sportsman 1202. We have modified it as originally it had a wafer thermostat that we converted over to an electronic thermostat and put a clear door on it. It works great. I still use my styrofoam incubators as hatchers as I do a lot of staggered hatches. I have never had any problems with my humidity pan. I do have the bucket too. I adjust the humidity with the vents on the back. The incubator is on vacation until after New Years.

 

[curious1969]

I have the sportsman cabinet bator and have used it for 5-6 years. I just purchased the automatic water bucket last year and it has caused me problems a couple of times. I make sure the lines are flowing correctly between each hatch and closely monitor the water level in the bucket and the pan daily to make sure it is still flowing like it should. I have noticed when the water level in the bucket gets lower it can change the flow to the pan so I try to keep mine topped off. For me it is still easier than having to fill the pan daily by hand

 

[ajcress]

ok i have, i do believe, figured out the problem...inside the humidity pan on top of the floating lever there is a pin that can be pushed to the left or right... I pushed this all the way to the left and now the pan is constantly filling as needed...I am not sure what that pins purpose is but it must have worked it was all the way to the right at first then I pushed it even in the middle with no change so to the left it is!!! Also the door latches were not pulling the door shut tightly.. so for now I have folded a small piece of cardboard for each latch (3) and now humidity is at 40 to 42% without the humidity spounge.. I think the little things I have found have solved my problems for now!! So I hope everything will be fine. I have heard so many good things about the cabinet incubators so I am excited to see if it is all it is cracked up to be. The little lg I had wasn't too bad but I had to check it every day to make sure the temp was right and turn the eggs 3 times a day...etc.. but I will now use it as a brooder.. heck maybe I will take it to my sons school and let the class hatch a clutch of eggs for a "science" lesson!!! Thanks everyone for the input. I have set 49 eggs for my cousin on the 28th.. barred rock and some black sex-link and 3 1 generation oliver eggers, but I will give them back when they hatch...keep you fingers crossed that this test goes well. I will candle on Wed. or thurs. to see if anything is happenin!!!!

Have a Safe and Happy New Years EVERYONE!!!!!

 

[AlienChick]

Every time CMOM posts those pics, I just go

I use her 'bator pics as my vision board.

ONE DAY (hopefully soon), I'm gonna have a Sportsman incubator, so I hope this thread grows with lots of very useful info and tips!!

Thank you for starting this thread.

 

[Mr. Barred Rock]

Good Morning,
I just bought a used sportsman 1502 and looking for any and all pointers. My one question at this time is where should I be taking the temp. and hud. readings. If I put the stat on the top shelf will I get a higher reading because the water tray and heater are there. Or ideally should it be the same everywhere? Thanks for any and all help.

 

[ajcress]

Quote:
Thanks alienchick! I have recently graduated to the cabinet club so I want all the expert advise, tips and secrets!! so I too hope this thread grows with useful tips and information!! I hope you enjoy BYC as much as I do!!!lots of GREAT people here!!!

 

[ajcress]

Mr. Barred Rock :

Good Morning,
I just bought a used sportsman 1502 and looking for any and all pointers. My one question at this time is where should I be taking the temp. and hud. readings. If I put the stat on the top shelf will I get a higher reading because the water tray and heater are there. Or ideally should it be the same everywhere? Thanks for any and all help.

Is this sportsman a newer machine with the digital computer board? If I were you I would take the temp as close to the eggs as you can..being that is where the temp is really needed to be accurate.. Mine is all digital so I can read the info center on the outside..I purchased a thermometer/hydrometer from walmart that has the cord and little tab at the end to read actual temp & humidity and I layed it right on top of the eggs in the still air incubator I had..it worked good! Good Luck! Hope this helped!​