DIY CABINET COOLER INCUBATOR How we did it and TEST RUN Ready Set GO!

[ozexpat]

I have an incubator set up with the ST-1000. I got the idea from reading what OZ had done. It works really well, but I also bought some of the oral digital thermometers and just stick them in one of the vent holes. I have two other incubators as well. The wafer does well once you get it set up, but what I like about the ST-1000 is that you can change the temperature easily. I plan on building a larger incubator in the future. Not sure if I will use a refrigerator or a cooler or just build a cabinet.


My latest hatch from my modified (digital) hovabator

thats great. Using them on cheapo stryo bators was a great epiphany following me overheating 41 eggs with a Farm Innovators chick killer

i am glad it worked out as well for you.

mine are cabinets made from 3/4 plywood woth 1/2" silver foil/foam insulation inside.

 

[Penny Hen]

So as I have recomended this product so many times, having someone make a near blanket inaccurate statement bothers me a tad. The "MOST" caveat is all well and good but this is the thermostat recommended the MOST

I have made 10 incubators for myself and others all with excellent "out of the box" results

The following pics are of one of the three in my inventory that I just "certified" as they did not need calibration.




When I wiggled it I could find spots that were 0.1C but this is close enough in a glass of iced water.



This is 10 minutes later with the probe unter my tongue. Having placed thermometers under peoples tongues for more years of my life than I have not, I feel quite comfortable in saying that this is my true oral temperature.

Being intrinsically lazy, if I had to calibrate them, I might as well use one of Sally's gas filled wafers and sit there for a few hours tweaking it till I get it right. She has the patience for such and it works great for her. I dont. I also hatch remotely (with an employee) and I know it will be accurate for him.

One of the upsides of this groovy little device is that you dont really need another thermometer because they are so accurate. I just use a spot check or another one of these in a water wiggler as I adjust the incubator ventilation.

One further plug for this device. I accidentally shorted mine when I over stripped the wires I was hooking it up with. It is such a tight little machine that a 1/16th of an inch too much stripping can cause a spark jump. BUT the damage seemed to be in the wires and not the thermostat. Changed out the wiring and it runs again. Changing to solid core wires instead of twisted wire cores to help prevent sparking in future use.

 

[ozexpat]

One further plug for this device. I accidentally shorted mine when I over stripped the wires I was hooking it up with. It is such a tight little machine that a 1/16th of an inch too much stripping can cause a spark jump. BUT the damage seemed to be in the wires and not the thermostat. Changed out the wiring and it runs again. Changing to solid core wires instead of twisted wire cores to help prevent sparking in future use.

for the purpose of showing the accuracy I cut the end off a pc power cord and put it directly onto the controller but in my set ups i use 6" lenghths of red black and white solid core wire and tthen connect to them.

 

[Regin]

Quote:
I was months ago that I read all the way through your getting-the-flock-out thread. LOVE IT !!!

I bought the hovabator and after using it one time, decided to add the STC-1000.

Bonus is that I can incubate a little on the high side and easily lower the temp right before the hatch.

I have one Buckbar hybrid pullet in this hatch with 24 Lay line buckeyes. 29 went to lockdown, 25 hatched. One hatched a couple hours earlier but most came out on day 20!

If you were using these controllers on a larger unit you could set one for protection to turn on an exaust fan over a certain temperature.

 

[ozexpat]

I was months ago that I read all the way through your getting-the-flock-out thread. LOVE IT !!!

I bought the hovabator and after using it one time, decided to add the STC-1000.

Bonus is that I can incubate a little on the high side and easily lower the temp right before the hatch.

I have one Buckbar hybrid pullet in this hatch with 24 Lay line buckeyes. 29 went to lockdown, 25 hatched. One hatched a couple hours earlier but most came out on day 20!

If you were using these controllers on a larger unit you could set one for protection to turn on an exaust fan over a certain temperature.

yes you could but i have yet to have an issue with an incubator overheat. when my big bator is holding 600 eggs it barely uses any heat source during the last week

i use a temp control safety switch set at 45C to shut down the incubator if there is a catastrphic failure. they are a couple of bucks on ebay

 

[Sally Sunshine]

More chicks due this weekend, and who knows when ducks are due

cabinet running steady!

 

[ozexpat]

I am experimenting with a new heat source

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261435468641

basically the guts of a small fan heater.

hopefully its instant on and off and little heat retention in the element.

i will put it diaginally across a 100mm case fan.


there is a 12v option in 150W that linked to a 12v fan, could make a great 50-80 egg bator that could be hooked up to a car battery

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

 

[Sally Sunshine]

getting there! need a fan and those lights wont cook the top of the cooler will they? you can always cut some cans or something to use as a heat shied if it gets warm.
dont forget ventilation! I like the color of this cooler!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I am experimenting with a new heat source

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261435468641

basically the guts of a small fan heater.

hopefully its instant on and off and little heat retention in the element.

i will put it diaginally across a 100mm case fan.


there is a 12v option in 150W that linked to a 12v fan, could make a great 50-80 egg bator that could be hooked up to a car battery