Computer fan overheating.

[GoodOldDays]

Built an incubator, pretty stoked with myself.

Started it up for a few hours and everything seemed good though I did need to fine tune the thermostat to get less bounce in temp as the heater switched on and off.
Came back a week later, started it again...
Temp got to 37.7C (100F) then ever so slowly climbed...

So I touched the fans, they were too hot for me to hold my hand on for long. It has to be the fans because the light bulbs were quite cool and there is nothing else in there to create heat. Devastation. I don't know why the first time I switched it on the temp went up and down as I had expected, then the second time I got this overheating business..

My query is what would you do?
Would you remove one fan and let it get hot, see if it lasts the whole 3 weeks? After all you would have a back up fan handy lol.
- I believe 1 fan (probably) will be enough to circulate the air, 2 may have been a bit much to begin with anyway seeing as it's only a bar fridge and I had 2 x 80mm computer fans in there.

Or what? Buy a bunch of different fans and see if they overheat? Knowing that these ones seemingly ran fine on they're test run.

Just wondering if anyone else gets hot fans and whether or not they go the distance even with the heat.

Cheers for any feedback

 

[GoodOldDays]

Dunno why there is 2 pictures.

But look at it!! It's pretty legit looking right? It fits 72 eggs and cost me bugger all.

Manual turn but I don't have to open the door to turn them, I just pull/push a rod for each level and it rolls all the eggs

But it overheats dammit.

 

[True Patriot]

Interesting set up. Looks good. One fan should be fine for circulation. You just need to keep circulation, not wind tunnel test the eggs. Are the fans directly under the heat? That may be part of the problem. If you replace the fans try to get an induction motor fan as a replacement. ( Can't tell what type is installed) I think most are nowadays. But they are more efficient and have fewer problems. Also, the V configuration with fans will cause problems, the air currents will fight each other causing hot/cold spots. Better to pair them side by side facing same direction. Hope some of this helps. Best of luck with your hatching

 

[GoodOldDays]

Interesting set up. Looks good. One fan should be fine for circulation. You just need to keep circulation, not wind tunnel test the eggs. Are the fans directly under the heat? That may be part of the problem. If you replace the fans try to get an induction motor fan as a replacement. ( Can't tell what type is installed) I think most are nowadays. But they are more efficient and have fewer problems. Also, the V configuration with fans will cause problems, the air currents will fight each other causing hot/cold spots. Better to pair them side by side facing same direction. Hope some of this helps. Best of luck with your hatching

The fans are right next to the globes. I thought that would help disperse the heat quickly and evenly but yeah, they'd be sucking in hot air I guess. There is a vent hole inbetween the fans and globes to draw in fresh air but obviously not enough to cool it.

I thought the fans facing the same direction would create hot/cold spots, thats why I angled them so that they don't miss any corners and mix up all the air,.. interesting..

What's an induction motor fan? They're just normal computer fans as far as I know.

 

[True Patriot]

This link explains better than I can.
http://www.edisontechcenter.org/inductionMotors.html
Induction doesn't have parts that cause friction which extends lifespan and reduces heat created inside the motor itself.

 

[RosieR]

One will likely do the job. Maybe move it a bit farther from the bulbs? Maybe mounted an inch from the top of the bator blowing down on the bulbs?
Try it and test how even the temp is throughout.

 

[Mosey2003]

I would buy fans from Incubator Warehouse instead of using computer fans.