About a month ago I think? Brand new, first time around for it. Don't get me wrong, my thermometers always read what I want them to read, but that's quite a temp swing. Granted, it does it fairly rapidly but it seems like such a waste of energy. Difference between proportional, which gives the heat source just enough energy to keep the set temp, and non which kicks on and off.
And that's fine, but please remember that we're all entitled to our opinions and mine is that I think Hovabators are junk. Ask any reptile breeder who has more than a few breeding animals what they think of Hovabators. I figured I'd give it a try, and now I see why none of the reptile folks use these. *shrug* This might be my first time hatching poultry, but it ain't my first rodeo when it comes to eggs, at all. I've probably hatched close to $50k worth of reptiles in that cooler you see there. Do I think the Hovabator is trustworthy enough for even one of those eggs? No way. I understand how incubation works. I understand how incubators work. Or, how they should work. I've built many of them over the years, from all sorts of things. I understand the limitations of flimsy styrofoam. I just didn't think it would perform this pitifully. It's like I stepped out of a rolls royce at the dealership, and they handed me the keys to the beater pinto. Road safety orange, of course.
My room temps are stable. The incubators are in my reptile room, as I talked about several pages back, which has a steady temp (oil filled radiators on wired in thermostats and a fan to circulate air) of 80 degrees, and ambient humidity of 60%. There are no drafts. Windows are caulked and I have transparent film over them to keep out any cool air - also have heavy shades on them to keep sunlight off electronics, and the vent system to that room is completely closed off. My 24 hour temp swing for that room is less than one degree. There is no reason at all that shouldn't be a perfectly acceptable environment for this styrofoam incubator to work in. Don't even get me started on that ratchety turner.
My thermometers are precise. And when I say precise, I mean to less than a tenth of a degree accuracy. They also measure humidity accurately.
My cooler required absolutely no playing with electrical wire. Everything plugs in. Heat tape into the thermostat, thermostat into the wall. Fan also plugs right in. I purchased all of those items that way.
All I'm saying is, I'm not impressed. Why you old timers are taking such offense to it is beyond me. I'm just chatting about the normal daily goings on as is everyone else here, and that includes the fact that once I've got myself a hatcher built this thing is going out the window. Sorry if you are offended by my opinion on what I feel is a shoddy product for $200.
Last post on it. You guys have at it, but you'll never convince me my cooler isn't a million times better than styrofoam or that Hovabator isn't laughing all the way to the bank. If I'm not wanted here with the good ol boys just say so and I'll pack up my ball and go play elsewhere. There's a difference between a friendly debate, and calling someone an idiot without bothering to read the rest of their posts for the info that proves they're not (temps, thermometers, etc).
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