Another thermostat idea

[badbaty]

I sorry if this is in the wrong section. I am the type of person i hate to just buy something if i can make it or and turn some trash into new treasure. So i turned an old frig into a new incubator last year with a hot water thermostat as the thermostat. I had mediocre hatches so i decided i was going to come up with a new thermostat. I looked the Internet over and just could not bring myself to buy one just yet then one day i was looking in one of my storage area's at the house and came across and old aquarium heater (and the light bulb came on ) i took it apart and found out that it could be adjusted to a very high temp. with a lil fabricating i had a thermostat.
the aquarium heater is like this one http://akamai.edeal.com//images/catalog3684/folder24579/img3038379.jpg
and i cut the heater part off and attached a light bulb.

 

[onthespot]

Can you post a pic of what you did? I have thought of using an actual aquarium heater in a water reservior inside an incubator, as a heat sink, temp stabilizer, and possibly to use as a water source for humidity control. Still thinking here... Post pics if you got 'em, take 'em if you don't.

 

[badbaty]

the gray piece has two screw in it take them out and the glass tube slides off pull the knob off and there is a screw like part on top that when turned forces the copper piece out more and forces more contact. on the bottom there is a porcelain rod and some wire wrapped around it follow that wire until it joins two larger wires and cut it there and connect those wires to the wires for the heat source and you have a thermostatted heat source

this is just a wiring diagram of my incubator

i hope this has help i will try to get real pix tomorrow but i have to warn you it is not pretty not trying to win a contest
air temp i am getting about 5 to 8 degree temp swings but inside my wiggler it is about 2 degrees alot better then my hot water heater thermostat

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

What is your heat source?

 

[badbaty]

just a light bulb but i am thinking of changing to the heating element on the freezer defroster. if you go behind the sense in the freezer the part that delivers the freon has a heating element under it that i think would make a better heat source

 

[aprophet]

more often then not defrost heaters on domestic refrierators are fairly low wattage 10w - 25w larger commercial boxes have larger heaters . I have found the elements on coffee makers and the cup warming pads are 25-75 watt. good luck with your project

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Just make sure you dont go over the wattage of the thermostat..... But why not just use the heat coils on the tank heater? You are cutting of one heat element to add another.

 

[badbaty]

i dont think the heating coil on the heater are strong enough it takes the heaters a day or so to heat a small tank

Just make sure you dont go over the wattage of the thermostat

i dont believe you can cuz the thermostat is just a thin cooper band and a small steel band the steel heat faster then the cooper and bends the part away from the in coming juice as the steel band cool it straighten out that makes the connection again

but even still the light bulb is doing ok so why change it the only reason i was think of changing it was in case the bulb blew​

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Water has way more mass than air. The coils of a 50W tank heater should put out about the same heat as a 60W bulb.