Bator and thermostat reading wildly different

[TabbiMae]

Bator says 103.7, thermometer says 100 right under the heat element and 95 when placed at egg level. Checked the thermometer again and it's reading 36 degrees in ice water.

Nothing much to lose, only 3 eggs in there atm. Anyone had issues like this with glass thermometers?

 

[tacothechicken]

Honestly I don't trust most thermometers but heat guns that I use for my reptiles are generally very accurate and you can test differences in locations to see if it's actually equal or differing temps depending on location. They're 15 or so bucks and you can buy them online, a supply store, etc

 

[tacothechicken]

I've used it when I have to open my incubator and temp drops rapidly so I can check to make sure that although air temp dropped eggs are still proper temp have had every batch hatch successfully whenever my readings come out accurate to what they should be so I'd say they work!

 

[R2elk]

Honestly I don't trust most thermometers but heat guns that I use for my reptiles are generally very accurate and you can test differences in locations to see if it's actually equal or differing temps depending on location. They're 15 or so bucks and you can buy them online, a supply store, etc

I worked in an analytical lab where temperatures have to be accurate. Heat guns are notoriously inaccurate. I would not under any circumstances trust a heat gun for accurate temperatures in an incubator.

 

[tacothechicken]

@ R2elk what is your suggestion? Now I'm curious cause I too would like a accurate measurement of temp for my critters. Heat gun has worked best for me personally reading wise although I'll note mercury fill glass thermometers are also supposedly accurate, although obviously the more you pay for a good thermometer it generally gets you a better product so I suppose it depends on how much you want to spend and how much accuracy you require.

 

[TabbiMae]

About to just throw the whole incubator away

Got a digital thermometer/hydrometer. Incubator is set at 103.6 48%, glass thermometer says 98, digital says 99 25%.

 

[HatchCraft]

You can calibrate the glass thermometers and calculate the temp offset, but it better to bite the bullet and spend the money on an quality thermometer. This way you will have a trusted accurate instrument to compare other thermometers against.

 

[007Sean]

I use antique mercury incubator thermometers, have 5, only one is off by 1°F, the other 4 are dead on.
I have a lab standard thermometer that I use to check them against. I don't trust the spot checkers, digitals or heat guns.

 

[HatchCraft]

I use mercury thermometers from Philadelphia Instruments. They have a narrow temp range made for incubators. I have all confidence in their accuracy. Fragile if dropped, and can be a little difficult to read compared to a digital type. I'm with you on the spot check and digitals. Never tried the gun type.

 

[R2elk]

@ R2elk what is your suggestion? Now I'm curious cause I too would like a accurate measurement of temp for my critters. Heat gun has worked best for me personally reading wise although I'll note mercury fill glass thermometers are also supposedly accurate, although obviously the more you pay for a good thermometer it generally gets you a better product so I suppose it depends on how much you want to spend and how much accuracy you require.

This is the one that is used by the lab I worked at. They calibrate it in a water bath against NIST Traceable thermometers. It is adjustable and very accurate.

The problem with alcohol thermometers is that the liquid can separate. Sometimes the separation is very small and difficult to see but it does eliminate their accuracy.