DIY Incubator innovation

[vehve]

Well, hand turning 3 times per day wasn't too seldom, so I'd rather go slower than too fast. An hour is probably the shortest period of time that makes any sense. If I remember correctly, some commercial models can be set to as short intervals as 5 minutes, but that sounds a bit too often to me. No point scrambling the eggs.

 

[vehve]

Oh, by the way, if you make both the humidity control and the turner with the plate model, you get synergy benefits, similar builds for both.

 

[newinthegame]

Thats true! I dont know if I will be using active humidity controll or not. Maybe just an warning lamp if too low/high. With my new clock IC it is easy to set target value for each day of the incubator time.

 

[Daedalus62]

... Feels like I need less torque from the motor if I have them on the floor...

Hi,

If the eggs are evenly distributed across a tilting tray (like the one in your drawing), I guess you wouldn't need much torque in a motor to tilt it side to side... It's balanced, by the center... Unless, of course, your aiming at a hundred(s) of eggs size tray

Besides the effects (or not) on the hatch rate success of either system (I wouldn't know about that

), my thoughts on the roll vs tilt tray...

How many eggs are you aiming at?... Tabletop or cabinet style incubator?

For a large quantity of eggs, I would aim at a tilting tray... Bigger (higher) incubator, but you can fit more eggs in there at a time... Otherwise (less eggs, smaller incubator), the roll system seems perfect.

Something like this, seems like a pretty strait-forward build:

Actually, I'm in the process of building one right now, using an (adapted) cheap mechanical plug-in timer and a repurposed microwave oven motor.

My 2 cents

Cheers

 

[vehve]

With the tilt table I'm worried about hatching, the slide plate would be a better surface for a chick. Unless you just stack the eggs on the bottom and take the tilt table out when it's time for lockdown.

 

[Daedalus62]

With the tilt table I'm worried about hatching, the slide plate would be a better surface for a chick. Unless you just stack the eggs on the bottom and take the tilt table out when it's time for lockdown.

Agreed.

To whatever system you go (tilt or roll), I would try to make it completely detachable from the rest of the incubator... When hatching time comes, just remove the whole structure (frame, tray, motor) from inside and leave a clean floor for the eggs/chicks.

Cheers

 

[newinthegame]

I will not hatch hundreds of eggs, so I think I go with a roll system. My plan for hatching stage is to remove the eggtray and place the eggs on the bottom in some kind of enclosure. It should be easy and fast if you build it similar to the youtube link that Daedalus62 posted.

 

[cotquail]

interval/ interrupt PLC, on seconds off hours, control egg turner by switching on x seconds then off x hours

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271665260202?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT​

 

[cotquail]

control motor speed rpm DC motor 0-100%

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361131365014?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT