Brinsea Ovation Incubators - Anyone?

[enggass]

Thanks. Just read your review. I currently have eggs in my new Ovation 28 Adv. Question: Since you have the EX and it maintains the humidity for you, are the water wells filling up simply because the amount of water the EX is filling into these chambers to keep the humidity at it's setting? (I assume you have it around 70 deg +/-?) Being that I have the Adv., I control adding the water so this may be a non-issue... THANKS! Also, great tip about the spaces between the egg holders. Good to know!

 

[gatorfig]

Hi Enggass!
Hope you're having an awesome day, and I'm so stinking glad there was something I could offer that was of use to someone who knows all that you do!

(And we are also getting Nigerians this year; can't wait!)

Back to incubators...

Yes, the problem with the reservoirs filling beyond capacity was the January hatch period with Khaki Campbell ducklings. I definitely understand that the house was pretty dry, so to keep it as close to 65% as possible, it just kept adding water (didn't get past 62% until I added the cloths and filled the second reservoir - described below, but I don't really blame the incubator for that; the house was between 18-35%).

As a note, the incubator did successfully keep the eggs at 45% throughout the incubation without using the second reservoir or flooding; it was just the higher hatching humidity that didn't get there well enough.

Once the duckling drowned, I added wash cloths in to soak up the standing water, which is how I realized that keeping damp paper towels in could help the humidity and keep the eggs from rolling in the spaces.
I keep the second reservoir empty until hatch time (so far I haven't needed it earlier than that to maintain the humidity), but I do go ahead and stuff either a paper towel or small cloth in there so that it's ready to go and just pour warm water in on the side without having to open up the entire thing again (or take too long when I'm setting the eggs down).

Okay, I'm shutting up! I think I answered your question; if I'm missing something or can further offer anything at all (including what to NOT do), then I am more than happy to do so!

Have a wonderful evening!

 

[enggass]

Unfortunately with the Adv model that I have, you have to open it to add water. I can add water with a syringe or straw if need be through vent hole. Currently I have the incubator in my basement. Relative Humidity in the air(ambient) is around 50%. That being the case, with no water added to incubator it stays at 20% - If I were to even use one full reservoir, the humidity goes well above 60% - so, what I've been doing is putting just a couple of bottle cap fulls of water in and keeping those filled. I like my humidity around 35% anyhow during incubation.

My guess is that using the reservoirs during hatch will be more than sufficient to get up to around 70% during that time. We'll see. I have an Oct 20 Eco as well which works great - done several hatches in that - but completely different build and strategies to control levels on that.
Steve

 

[gatorfig]

Hi again!

Awesome advice to know - thank you!

I have to ask, if you don't mind: do you [so far] prefer the Octagon or Ovation? We almost got the Octagon and debated for months, but then the Ovation came out by the time we were going to break down and do it...

If I'm on the wrong thread or anything, I'm so sorry! Thank you, in advance!

 

[cshma11]

I ended up getting the Ovation 28 EX. So far my only issue is that the little alarm keeps going off (it's not super loud so it's not disruptive) even though the temps and humidity are staying steady. I've looked through the manual several times and I don't see what would be causing this. It seems to go off every time the humidity kicks in, even though the levels aren't off, it's like it's notifying me that it's turning on the humidity pump? I'm not sure... 10 more days until hatching starts and I will know more about how the hatch rates are Does anyone know why it may be going off? It doesn't display P/, H/, L/, -RM, or +RM for the power loss, high temp, low temp, low room temp, or high room temp alarms, so I'm stumped.

 

[gatorfig]

Hey there!
I'm on my phone, so forgive typos!
My EX beeps every time it turns, so if your eggs are turning (mine are every 45mins), then that may be what you hear.
Hope your day is going well!

 

[cshma11]

Oh!!! Yep, that would be it. Thank you! I was worried that I must be doing something wrong haha

 

[enggass]

Yup. Beeps on turning...

 

[cshma11]

Is there a way to silence that?

 

[gatorfig]

Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to silence the alarm.
I actually thought there was a way to do it, but I just skimmed back through the manual twice and couldn't find it. At least it'll keep reminding me to check it once in a while!