first incubator in the mail, wondering if anyone ever used this kind

[jerseygirl1]

Just curiuos how the OP is making out on this///////////////////////

 

[stallionhawk]

Well it came yesterday, but I didnt get to come home until this morning. I looks good, other than it only has a small peep hole to see in. I have had it plugged in for alittle, but it seems to be running high. Its staying around 102 at the moment. My theremometer/hydrometer was bought 3 days ago from walmart. The directions pretty much say plug it in wait 24 hours and add water and eggs. but says nothing about adjusting the tempature. anyone help me there. i has a plastic grate for on top too but I took it off so i can see the thermometer, I will put it back one before the chicks hatch. If I can get it work.



here are some pics.

 

[Olive Hill]

Is that the fan in the last three pictures? The "blades" are exposed to the inside of the incubator?

 

[stallionhawk]

Yes that is the fan, it is spining. It has a plastic grate, just like the one on the bottom, that keeps the chicks from getting hit by the fan. It came assempled, all I did was take it out of the box and pluged it in like it said. I knoe that if it has a fan it should be kept around 99.5. None will hatch from 102 right? It is staying right at that temp doesn't fluctuate from 102 muchthat is with the termometer by the side of the bater, which is right under the heat cable thing. But that is the only spot I can see it thro the hole. I moved it to the center waited awhile, and opened it up and it is reading 101.3 in the middle of the bator, still high I know.

 

[LaurenM23]

Yes, 102 is high. Are you certain of the accuracy of your thermometer? As an example, my LG Still Air (Tractor Supply Company) came with a little mercury-style thermometer mounted on a card (so it can balance on top of the eggs). I also bought an Accurite weather station to monitor high/low readings and the humidity of the incubator and the room. For accuracy, our own moderator, Wynette, recommended the Brinsea Spot-Check thermometer...specifically for incubators and super accurate.

When I compare the Spot-Check to the LG (that it came with), the LG reads a little too low. This means that if I only went with the LG thermometer, my temp would be too high...as in 1 degree off roughly. If I compare it to the weather station, my readings can be as much as 3 degrees off...three whole degrees! The Accurite can also take alot longer to read and settle than my Spot-Check. I could hard cook those babies if I had only trusted the one!

You can also do some simple tests to check the accuracy of your humidity readings. If you search through the forum, there are several great posts with a test involving salt and water of measured/known quantities for testing. Any luck figuring out how to adjust the overall temp? How might this temperature be impacted by your room temp? If there is no form of manual adjustment, this might be a consideration.

Good luck!

 

[stallionhawk]

I couldn't tell you about the termometer other than it is new and from walmart and I have heard of many people using them. I live in a farm house with no ac, so it is 85 in the room with the incubator that could be why it is high

 

[LaurenM23]

I re-read your post. Were you able to find an adjustment that got you to the 101.3, or did it do that on it's own? Does it have any sort of insulation to it? It looks to be completely plastic, but I am concerned I'm not seeing it correctly. It seems like a much different design than any others I have come across. If there really is no way to adjust it, then I am assuming it has a pre-set thermometer. If that is the case, then maybe the room temperature is too high for it to opperate efficiently. I would be curious to see what happens as the temperature in the room drops at night. This feature is definitely something that should have been pointed out in the eBay listing, but wasn't (I found them on there, too.).

 

[Olive Hill]

I personally would not fidget with the thermometer until I'd completed a test hatch. Thermometers can be very inaccurate.

It looks just plastic to me too, which would concern me in a home without temperature control. If it's not insulated you're almost guaranteed to have temp swings.

 

[stallionhawk]

I moved the termometer from the side to the middle of the incubator, and it read 101.3. It still says 102 when the temp is by the side, thats right under the heating element wire, so that might be why it is alittle higher there. It is preset, I hope it will come down tonight when my room cools off, and im gonna keep my room closed up tomorrow to try and keep the cold air in. I hope this fixes it, so I can get some eggs in it, if I can find any, my girls are all broody, or molting.

 

[Olive Hill]

No, no, no! You don't hope it comes down with the temp in the room tonight. If it does that means the incubator is not insulated well enough and any swing in environmental temperature will result in a swing in the temperature inside the incubator. That's BAD.