Arghhh!! Help with thermometers/temperature

[FenDruadin]

I have had a couple late hatches (my only hatches so far), so I thought my thermometer (an acu-rite hygro/thermo combo from Walmart) might be off. So I tried to calibrate with the Vicks Speed Read medical thermometer we have. First, I tried pushing the button, waiting for it to be ready, and then popping it in the incubator really quick. But I kept getting really low readings--like two or three degrees low. So I thought I must be lowering the temp when I opened the bator to put it in. So then I tried putting it in, waiting for the temp to have a chance to stabilize, then pushing the button with a chopstick pushed through the ventilation hole in the bator--so, no opening. But I kept getting weird readings--don't remember if they were high or low, but they made no sense, especially related to the reading on the acurite. And then I realized that it doesn't like to be put in the heat until after it does it's little opening sequence thing.

SO, just now I had the brainstorm to stick the thermometer through the vent hole, with the top of the thermometer outside the incubator, and the "bulb" inside, and run it like that. This meant the thermometer's reading would be at the top of the incubator, rather than at egg level, but since I have a circulating fan, I didn't think that would matter too much. It also put the thermometer between the fan & the heating elements. And my reading was sky high! It finally stopped going up somewhere around 102.7!

But my acurite is only reading about half a degree higher than it was with my former hatches (in which I had late hatches). So what's going on? Do I need to lower my temp? Unfortunately, the eggs are already in, so I'm hesitating to do anything hasty... but I don't want to screw them up!

Help?

 

[walkswithdog]

Medical thermometers are CONTACT thermometers - they need to be IN a media - not air to read correctly.

So you make a fake egg - plastic bags/water, or stick it IN your water wiggler if you have one. Or buy a silly putty egg, let it come to bator temp for several hours - then stuff the medical themometer in the egg/putty/wiggler - turn it on and measure that. Just like sticking in the HUMAN ANATOMY for a reading.

Then you get an accurate reading and not before from a medical thermometer.

 

[FenDruadin]

Okay, thank you! That sets my mind at ease actually--I didn't realize it mattered. I am thinking of purchasing a $15 milk thermometer from Hoegger's--it's supposed to accurately (within .1 degrees, I think) measure air temp, liquid temp, solid temp--and it has a LONG probe, so I could stick it through the vent hole and measure near the eggs.

Thank you!

 

[walkswithdog]

LOL send me the link if that milk thermometer is online, I'm always looking for an accurate thermometer.

 

[FenDruadin]

Here it is:

http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=3271&cat=0&page=1

I love Hoegger's. They have AWESOME goat & milking supplies. Good quality, reasonable prices, and good service. They ship fast!

(Oh, and the thermometer is actually $18, not $15,

)

 

[2txmedics]

Don't if for all hygrometers but they need to be calibrated!! When packaged and shipped they lose readings. Most do. It can't be fixed but you still can use them. I have one that reads 8% and one 15%. Calibrate: 1/2 cup salt,1/4 water stir well to mix..place the whole container in a large ziplock bag and then the meter. Let it sit 12hrs. At the end of the test it should read 75%. If not just add or subtract the difference to your reading each time.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks, txmedics! I actually knew that--mine is off by 3%.

But it's good to be reminded--I think most people don't know.