I read the following Article....and it got me to thinking about homemade incubators and HOW we control temperatures in such "inventions". ALMOST without exception, whether electronic or wafer-type thermostat, we "measure" air temperature NEAR the developing egg. Attempts to more closely "match" the temperature inside the egg have included the use of a "water-weasel" or lately, that "fake egg" that is sold on Ebay which contains a temperature probe. BUT, these methods ONLY MEASURE the temperature which "supposedly" exists within the embryonic egg. The temperature is "regulated" by the measurement taken of the "surrounding air, whether by wafer or electronic thermostat. So, it came to me ........WHY NOT USE an electronic thermostat that is DIRECTLY connected to the PROBE inside one of those "Fake-Egg" Ebay items OR the PROBE in a "water-weasel". Seemingly, that temperature regulation would be far more useful in maintaining correct, egg-specific, incubation temperatures. And, it would seem to me, that this way of providing "input" to the thermostat would preclude "fiddling" with the thermostat so much. What do YOU "experienced hatchers/incubator builders" have to say? Here is the "link" to the Internet Article. IF you will scroll down the linked page toward the bottom, you will see a place where you can view the article in PDF form: http://www.worldpoultry.net/article...ure-guideline-for-a-quality-hatch-id1468.html just considering more useful techniques...... PERHAPS, for the "small home-hatcher", this is an "insignificant technological improvement" ???? -Junkmanme-
Hooking the thermostat to a fake egg would be adding thermal mass to the thermostat. Assuming all the eggs in the incubator were the same size it would work. But all it would do is make the thermostat cycle slower. If you put a egg in the incubator that is a lot smaller than the fake egg it will see highs an lows bigger than the fake egg. Thermal mass in an incubator is a good thing, thermal mass in a thermostat is a bad thing.
rebelcowboysnb, YOURS is an INTERESTING insight (no doubt stemming from education transcending "rodeo".....ha-ha.!) I WILL consider what you have said here! Apparently, the "critical" consideration is that the thermostat would "cycle" less frequently......therefore producing a generally LESS stable temperature! THAT is SIGNIFICANT! I hadn't considered that possibility. GLAD that I asked. Sometimes, I have good ideas..sometimes NOT. THANKS for the input! I'll think on it in my slow-thinking manner...Ha-Ha! Returning the favor: "Horses are easier to ride than untrained burros!" (busted my butt!)....ha-ha! -Junkmanme-
I agree with rebelcowboysnb. Quicker on/off cycles using air temp, not egg temp, would give better results. If you have the thermostat regulating air temp, and it allows the air to fluctuate, say 3 degrees, then your egg temp wil probably only swing around 1 degree. However, if your thermostat is measuring temp within the egg, it is going to allow the egg to swing that 3 degree (or whatever your thermostat allows) range, which is no good. Get it?
Chick-a-bone2, YEP, Got it! Yo entiendo! Some seemingly GOOD ideas ain't much good! Makes me wonder about the proposed "New Health Plan"....but that's an ENTIRELY different story...... THANKS! -Junkmanme-
