dimmer switch vs. hot water heater thermostat

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
A wafer switch works exactly the same way a HWT works. The trick to the HWT is to make it cycle faster. In other words it stays on for a short amount of time, and then kicks out, with a well insulated bated housing it is possible to maintain a plus or minus 1 degree temp shift. Use a 60 watt heat bulb in place of a white bulb, mount the bulb as close to the HWT as possible. This way the bulb heats up the stat fast and it kicks out, but it does not kick back in until the temp drops below the kick in point. This will again cycle faster keeping the temp only at the top near the bulb, then it circulates through the bator.

One thing to keep in mind is that either a wafer or a HWT is NOT a actual register of temperature, but the external and internal pressure based on the atmosphere conditions in the bator. This will change if the humidity levels are not kept constant, and this is where some problems come in as when the weather changes and barometer levels. Keep the humidity up in the room and the humidity will be up in the bator. Monitor high temps when weather changes, low temps usually do not cause a problem unless they are extreme.

 

[vegaschick]

this is so helpful. thanks for everyone's input. am putting my bator together and have tons of questions regarding temp and humidity. just had to post to save this thread. coming back soon with lots of questions.

 

[Billjr]

I don't know about a wafer, but a water heater thermostat, not hot water heater , hot water does'nt need heating,LOL expands and contracts with rising and falling temperatures. When the temp falls below the setting it contracts and completes the circuit turning on the heating element/light bulb. When the temp rises to the set temp it expands and opens the circuit and shuts off the heating element/light bulb. Temps are measured by your thermometer not the thermostat or wafer. It is trial and error done ahead of time to get correct temp control. My temps do not fluctuate when the barometer rises or falls that I can see or if the humidity rises and falls. If it does it's minimal and not an issue. Hope I have explained clearly enough. Also hope my "bator' is an example for the general population. Good luck to all.

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
If you are putting the incubator in a room that is controlled by a thermostat, you are doing exactly that. My living room stays at 70 degrees. Never gets below 69 never gets above 70. As long as I finish the hatch before it starts to get over 70 outside it seems like the dimmer switch would work just fine.

 

[muddstopper]

OK, even tho this thread is almost 3 years old. My humble opinion is to never try to use a dimmer switch as a thermostat. Someone has already posted that in theory a dimmer switch should work, but theory is the heat source will always be on and temperature in the incubator is subject to whatever the ambient air around the outside of the incubator decides to fluctuate at. Temps swings wont tell the dimmer the air is to hot or cold and turn it off and on.

HWH thermostats are nothing more than wafer thermostats enclosed in a plastic case with a metal back. Remove the metal back and expose the wafer to the air inside the incubator cabinet and they will work much better than drilling a few holes in the back of the metal backing. As long as the wafer inside the hwh thermostat is enclosed it will always be slow to cycle according to actual temps in the cabinet. Once it is exposed (the wafer inside the hwh thermostat) to the actual air inside the cabinet, the hwh thermostat should function very close to one of the gqf wafer thermostats. In fact, I have one on hand and think I will go test it by removing the back and see how well it regulates.

Edited to add, I took a hwh thermostat apart and surprise, surprise, it wasnt like the old ones I am used to. It didnot have a standard wafer type thermostat inside it. Instead it had a much cheaper bimetal design. In other words, altho I know some hwh thermos do have a wafer style temp control, evidently, not all hwh thermostats are the same. If you do deside to take one of the newer, more modern hwh thermos apart, rest assured, you have just ruined a perfectly good thermostat. My suggestion would be to remove as much of the metal backing as you possibly can without damageing the disk inside and it should improve the performance of the unit.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Better yet, just spend a little bit more and get one like this that is designed for an incubator. Works like a dream.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yep, very old thread....

I just point the flat side at the light an put it close to the light. http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html

 

[galanie]

^^ what rebelcowboy said. I tried drilling holes in the thing and it didnt' work for me. But the page in my sig (second link) or the one in rebelcowboy's post above works like a dream. You will get huge temp swings if you don't and the secret is basically just what he said: Make it so the back of the thermostat faces the light. Then adjust the distance till you end up with zero temp fluctuation. You read that right. Zero temp fluctuation. Follow the link, there is stuff to read and a video if you are one of those who refuses to read (though why such a person would read this, I don't know hahaha). Yes, other thermostats work for other people and may work better for you. But don't go talking about something being awful if you haven't tried doing it properly yourself.

 

[Cold Canadian]

I have a hatching box that I made useing a dimmer switch as a POWER REGULATOR not a thermastat ! What you end up doing is regulateing the power going to your heat sourse , in my case and a few others , two 40 watt light bulbs .I have no problem keeping it at a constant temp , I have a fan to move the air and as I said it is alot easier to keep the temp where you want it then most would think. The only problem I had was if there was a power outage the dimmer switch might not turn the bulbs back on ( and the constant fear of the bulbs burning out ! ), to low a wattage seemed to be the only downfall when it came to power outages .I know of quite a few who have built there home builts with a dimmer switch to regulate the power to there heating sourse , bulbs .and are doing just fine and having great hatch's .

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
Where did you get that and what did it cost?