building a incubator from a wine cooler

[yellowherb]

This is rad. I have a similar cooler I'm getting ready to alter although I don't plan to get quite as intricate as you have. I'm hoping I can replace some components with ones that come ready to do what I need rather than rewiring them. I'm sure it's not difficult but if I try and learn too much all at once I'll crap out!

The cooler is running from a chip that preprogramed and the program can not be loaded back to a pc so you are kinda stuck. The cooler will only allow it to operate between 2 set points and they do not go up to 100 degrees. Some how you will need a temp controller, It may shorten the life of the peltier (4 bucks) but you can install a cheap temp controller and use the relay to control the temp.
If you post a picture of the control board I will show you what wires to cut and where to add the temp control relay but I must warn you it could destroy the peltier. Having said that I ran one that way for 2 months lol.

 

[gpop1]

learn something today........always back up your projects to a usb stick.

well I was planning on rewriting the code once I can get the wife to help with designing the screens. wasn't planning on a complete rewrite but oh well.

 

[gpop1]

finally I think I have come up with a way a panel that will look cool and work. I hated the idea of installing chunky buttons on the front panel so ive been trying to find something neat. Today I had to calibrate a flow meter at work and it was only as I was walking off I realized that flow meter has the coolest interface. The flow meter has a glass front and the buttons are I/r reflective so you put your finger on the glass over the arrows and it reads that your finger is there by reflecting the I/r light off your finger.

well surly someone has done all the hard work I can copy......3 hrs of internet searching and I found a U-tube video of a guy doing a test of a tcrt5000 sensor behind a sheet of glass. Quick search on fleebay and 10 for $4 from a usa seller has go to worth trying.

My screens and stuff from china seem to have got lost so I ordered a screen from a usa seller at the same time so hopefully by next week the display, buttons etc will be installed. I still have one problem to solve and that's I can only get 8 wires to the front panel as it has to run in a channel of the door behind the seal to remain hidden. well that's 3 wires short,

5v positive
5v negative
scl IC2 protocol lcd screen
sda IC2 protocol lcd screen
button 1 input (edit)
button 2 input (up)
button 3 input (down)
button 4 input (light)

now I still need wires for

output (buzzer)
output (red led)
output (green led)

now to find someone who has done the hard work of making a attiny85 a slave to the 2560 mega.

the attiny is not user friendly compared to the mega but its the size of a thumb nail and will give me the extra outputs using the IC2 protocol network.......

will post some pics of the hardware so some of this post makes sense...lol

 

[gpop1]

idea of using attiny went out the window. I got it to work but it frustrated me so badly having to trick windows into loading it that I refuse to use it.

well the motor and new lcd turned up so it was time to go play in the shed until the sketters come out for dinner



new motor its a 0.6 rpm



need to make a new pin as the threaded one still turns to easy



drive coupling im making



drive coupling tying the motor output to the shaft



bracket to transfer twist to the thingy that holds the egg trays (shelf?)



think im going with the uno as i have a solder shield on hand. The shield sits on the arduino uno so you can remove the uno with out having to unplug all the wires



the uno that's controlling the incubator



the new screen ive been waiting on. just need to test then start coding



a box I found in the trash that will make a nice control panel when painted. Going to put a plexy glass square in the front and mount a photopaper print behind that if the I/r buttons work



the lcd just fits like its made for the box. As it came from the trash its going to be a measure twice and cut once as I don't have a spare box.

 

[gpop1]

tig welded a back on to the two pins that I didn't want to turn then added some wiring and to my surprise the turner works great. The speed is faster than I thought it would be and it seems to turn the trays with out struggling

 

[gpop1]

still trying to decided if I should build a de-humidifier. I have a great idea that involves another peltier. It would pull air from the incubator then run in past a cold sink to remove moisture then pass the air over a hot sink before returning it. To stop the air from being over heater another fan would pull of some heat and vent it to the outside.

The peltier will make more heat than what it transfers due to electrical losses that results in heat, So to keep the cold side real cold there will be more heat available than the air being return would require so the extra fan should vented to the outside. Peltiers are already available as de-humidifier so another option would be to buy a 40 to 50 dollar one then just modify it.

wife says the incubator will be in the house so de-humidifier is not required. As a incubator its probably overkill as a project its something else to play with.

just waiting till she sees my plans for reading the heartbeat in the eggs then calculating egg stress level...lol

 

[wynn4578]

The way I look at it is I can build an incubator out of a cardboard box but the fun (and pride) is in building something that takes a little accomplishment.

 

[gpop1]

The way I look at it is I can build an incubator out of a cardboard box but the fun (and pride) is in building something that takes a little accomplishment.

I agree.....I need to you-tube the turner even I was impressed. Its not perfect as most of this is done with out using a tape measure (still a experiment so I haven't been to anal on getting everything perfect).

Still need to test with a weight on one side to make sure the turner can handle a un-balanced load but it looks like its not going to struggle.

I might just make and test the De-humidifier just so the idea can be copied by someone who really needs one. Plus I have all the parts on hand so it will keep me amused.

wish I had found a cooler with more space in the back

 

[wynn4578]

I'm sure there are plenty out there that could use some good plans for a dehumidifier. My current incubator is dry and still running 47%. This morning I took a reading outside and was picking up 56% in the air.

 

[gpop1]

3 hrs soldering a tiny board to get the touch sensors mounted and working. I need a proper soldering iron as the cheapy melted the tip to a large knub after a hour running. (birthday soon hint, hint yellowherb)

learn something new. If you need to see a invisible infa red light just use a digital camera and they will glow blue.

really wish I had started this 10 years ago when I could see with out glasses.