DIY Incubator Humidity problem

[theroaringlion]

How do you use the hot water heater thermostat. Can't figure out how to wire/use it.

 

[Bantam Chase]

Rush Lane Poultry has some great wiring diagrams for the hot water heater thermostat. I've made two of their 'cooler bators' (I call them hill billy 'bators) and they work excellently.

I had a lot of luck using a mason jar with a sponge sticking out from the top and had that in front of my fan. Crazy humid, I actually had to adjust to lower the humidity for lock down.

 

[Crafty chick]

I agree about rush lane poultry... he has awesome youtube video how-to's! I just wired my hot water heater thermostat using his instructions.... just waiting to get the right temp before I set eggs. The last two sets I DIDN'T HAVE A THERMOSTAT! Crazy Iknow... the house was a constant 67 degrees and I just had a bulb in a rubbermaid tote and adjusted holes or propping the lid. My first batch I got 50%... the last one 0... it got above 80 outside and raised my bator temp too high. So happy I have this thermostat, I won't be on edge for 21 days!

 

[tropicaliano]

I had the same problem. How did I solve it? I changed the heating element and method. Instead of bulbs on top I use a tea cup water heater placed inside of a water pan at the bottom of the incubator ( pan filled with water at 100 deg F almost to its rim). The heater must touch the water surface enough to create water vapor (humidity). I added two floats (PET botles) to the sides of the heater, so that I could put enough water to the pan and still having the heating element just touching the water surface (auto regulated by the floats). Once every 3 to 4 days I refill the pan with water at 100 deg F. The heater and floats assembly is put not upward, but laying side down. The floats do not touch the heating element, or they would melt down. I used 2 small slabs of wood to separate the floats from the heat. Since the heat touches the wood, it could burn, but not in this case, since the wood is wet in the water. If you still doesn´t get enough humidity, change the relative positioning of the floats so that the heater gets a little deeper into the water, thus generating more water vapor)
Since most of the body of the heating element will be floating above the water surface, some may think that it will get red hot and will melt down, but it doesn´t . Using a 220V water heater plugged to 110V outlet will avoid getting red hot, but you will have to buy a bigger water heater (larger power rating). Also, you can just use a dimmer to control heater temperature.
Does this help you? Or sparked a better idea? I just love learning you all.

 

[allo]

If your fan running fast your humidity will drop , try slowing the fan down a little

 

[Kukukachu]

I have been having the opposite problem. My humidity is always too high inside my homemade incubator. I don't add any water either. Without eggs in it, the humidity is about the same as ambient outdoor humidity, but once the eggs go in it ramps up. Any ideas?