best (or easiest) heat source for cabinet incubator

[thedollysmama]

Hi, All:
Our friend is a carpenter and is building me a 200 egg capacity cabinet incubator. I already have a 48 egg capacity Humidaire cabinet incubator and one Little Giant 48 egg incubator but wanted more capacity. I don't NEED more capacity but by golly I wanted it! I am planning on using computer fans for air circulation and have a vent in the top for, well, venting, but am undecided as to what to do for a heat source. I was thinking light bulb or bulbs but was also thinking that I could buy a heating element for a Little Giant and mount it in the incubator on a thermostat. I am looking to do this as simply as possible. I would love to hear from someone else to get a different perspective!

Karen in Oroville, CA

 

[The Chicken People]

type in homemade incubators in the search bar and you will come up with a lot of threads about this subject! Good Luck with your ventures!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I was thnking of using heat tape. It looks like it would warm more evenly, and then the fans would back it up as well. Can you use a regular bator element? I thought it would be too small. I need to get mine designed, but I have been too busy procrastinating

 

[Matt A NC]

A heating element for a GQF 1502 is fairly cheap. You should be able to find one with the Porcelain mounts for less then $20. Just the heating element is less then 10.

Matt

 

[galluskid]

I used a Rope Heater (FGR Series) from OMEGA...

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=FGR&Nav=heam02

Really good and heats up gradually well, by the looks of it, it will last a lifetime if used properly...

 

[DaiquiriDuck]

If you go with the bulb idea ceramic bulbs are always good for heat and they dont emit light so they are less wasteful i think

http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/heat_wave_lamp.php