Adapting a desktop incubator thermostat??

[NiteHawk]

Hello!
I have a question..
A fellow told me that I could have his "large round metal incubator" ( I have not seen it yet) And he implied that it might need parts.... I am betting ( I could be wrong) that is uses a "wafer" thermostat. I hate wafer thermostats with a passion.. Has anyone had experience with adapting a wafer thermostat to an electronic "mini" thermostat??
thanks!

 

[R2elk]

As long as you can get to the wiring and find a way to mount it, it is not difficult to replace a wafer thermostat with an digital thermostat. If the incubator is a still air incubator, you can just use a digital controller that the incubator plugs into and just disable the wafer by screwing it all the wat out so that it is always calling for heat. It is preferable to get a PID controller so that it can keep the temperature constant rather that a constant varying up and down.

 

[NiteHawk]

thanks for the reply..
I do know what a digital incubator heater/ controller is, not sure of some of the terms "PID" refers to... Wouldn't it be better to totally remove the wafer thermostat if possible?
thanks

 

[R2elk]

thanks for the reply..
I do know what a digital incubator heater/ controller is, not sure of some of the terms "PID" refers to... Wouldn't it be better to totally remove the wafer thermostat if possible?
thanks

PID = Proportional Integral Derivative

The wafer thermostat can be removed or kept as a high temperature shut off. Digital thermostats can fail. The rate of failure can be directly proportional to the quality of the unit.

When I switched my GQF 1202 over to a digital PID controller, I kept the wafer as a high temperature shut off.

 

[NiteHawk]

thanks for the reply..
I have had a few "wafer" thermostats and none of them worked properly.. that is why I do not like them at all.. I have been told that there is liquid in the wafer thermostats and if they have a "boo-boo" they can lose their liquid they will not work.. not sure if that is true or not., if so maybe that is why they never worked properly...........that is why I was wondering if I might be able to adapt a digital thermostat to an old incubator..
I am not sure the best way to go about fixing this incubator, maybe everything should be ripped out and replaced? Even if I get a new wafer thermostat there is no guarantee that the circuit board and the heating element still work...any thoughts??? or rip out and put a digital heater in ?? thoughts?? thanks...

 

[R2elk]

thanks for the reply..
I have had a few "wafer" thermostats and none of them worked properly.. that is why I do not like them at all.. I have been told that there is liquid in the wafer thermostats and if they have a "boo-boo" they can lose their liquid they will not work.. not sure if that is true or not., if so maybe that is why they never worked properly...........that is why I was wondering if I might be able to adapt a digital thermostat to an old incubator..
I am not sure the best way to go about fixing this incubator, maybe everything should be ripped out and replaced? Even if I get a new wafer thermostat there is no guarantee that the circuit board and the heating element still work...any thoughts??? or rip out and put a digital heater in ?? thoughts?? thanks...
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It appears to be a simple still air incubator. If you can find a digital PID temperature controller (most come with a temperature probe) that works in the +/- 0.1° range, figuring out where to mount the digital read out will be the hardest part of hooking it directly to the heating element.

 

[NiteHawk]

sorry for being away from the thread-- super busy right now..any idea where I might source something like that???
thanks!

 

[R2elk]

sorry for being away from the thread-- super busy right now..any idea where I might source something like that???
thanks!

eBay or Amazon

 

[NiteHawk]

thanks- will try to find a few minutes and take a look what -brand would you recommend?

 

[R2elk]

thanks- will try to find a few minutes and take a look what -brand would you recommend?

I don't have a brand to recommend since I went with a Spyder Robotics unit that is rather pricey. It does exactly what I want it to do and keeps the incubator temperature within +/- 0.1°F all the time. I have been very pleased with the one I got.

I do have an inexpensive unit ordered from an eBay seller that I plan to use as a brooder controller. I don't have it yet so I cannot recommend it or not recommend it at this point. I recommend that whatever unit you order, make sure it is PID and capable of control to within +/- 0.1° whether it is C or F.