Fluctuating Temps in Incubator?

Sachasmom

Songster
10 Years
Mar 1, 2009
567
1
141
Upstate NY
Thank to all who helped, We managed to wire my sons 4H incubator and its running....

Only the temps are fluctuating like mad! We're using a water heater thermostat, I tried it both in and out of one of those electic box things.

Right now its got a high of 105, low of 85! It had the same degree of variation with a 25 and 45 watt bulb (Just lower temps!) I now have a 60 watt bulb in there, still getting the big range!

Help? Is my thermostat broken? Why is it taking so long to come back on? Is our cooler too leaky? Its an old worm cooler like they have at Walmart, I have an actual cooler cooler we could use instead if you guys think that is the problem?

His eggs are not getting any younger, LOL
 
I'll try to get some pics later, I haven't attached the thermostat to the wall of the cooler yet, right now its just sorta leaning against the side while I test it out!

I do have a PC fan connected, its running as low as it will go, should I turn it up I wonder? Hmmmm, I'll go see if that helps.
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When the incubator is full, will the temps stay more consistant? As in the eggs themselves will hold the temp more steady?

Here I thought this would be an easy project!
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The more mass it has the more stable it is......

If you can set it up where the fan blows directly across the light an then the thermostat. That way when the light comes on the thermostat gets the most heat an kicks off quicker. When the light is off the air cools the thermostat back to air temp just as fast an kicks back on. Set up that way the temp that the thermostat kicks on is where the Incubator will settle at. The rest of the incubator will be relatively stable. This setup will take longer to get up to temp from a cold start.
 
Well, I mounted the fan in the corner, lightbulb in the end, so I guess the fan isn't blowing on the lightbulb. The thermostat was on the side.

I turned the fan all the way up and gained a few degrees, so now my temp is fluctuating by about 18 degrees!
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I rigged up a platform to put the thermostat directing in front of the fan, lemme see if that helps, if not I'll unscrew the fan and move it and let you guys know if that helps.

Seems like the thermostat is not kicking on like it should, do they have such a big variation?

Anyone got a Link to "real" chicken incubator thermostats if I need one? Can't be too pricey though, my wonderful husband said why didn't I just go BUY an incubator? I suppose my son could enter his results from the hatch.

Not that he is going to want to haul this really UGLY incubator to the fair either!
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Okay, with the thermostat in front of the fan (still not blowing on the bulb) we get a 9 degree fluctuation, is that still too much?
 
Okay, I moved the fan so it would blow on the bulb, I had to move the thermostat to practically right in front of the bulb, now we're seeing a 3-4 degree fluctuate, I am thinking this may be as good as we get, unless someone has some other tips?

I think we're going to order one of the "real" thermostats online and take this one back. I also think we would have better heat retention in an actual cooler!

Hmmmm, maybe we should build a cabinet one? LOL They had one at the auction this soring that went super cheap, wish I had known what it was at the time and that I would later want one!

So, we have learned a whole bunch of tips already for my son to teach the kids for his leadership 4H project!
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Do you have the temperature probe just laying in the incubator or do you have it stuck in the middle of a water wiggler or an old prescription container filled with aloe gel?
 

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