GQF Cabinet Incubator Not Heating

[feedstorechick]

My very old GQF, probably a 1200 series, (plywood exterior) was holding temperature perfectly, then stopped heating. It's not a thermostat issue, I've checked those out. Anyone out there had to replace the heating element?

 

[muddstopper]

Can you see the heating element? If the element is bad, it will be burnt in two. You can butt splice it for a quick fix just to get by, but it will just burn in two again. If the element isnot burnt in two, check your power supply at the element. You will need a volt meter for this. Little volt meters cheap, but if you have a old lamp bulb socket laying around, you can put a bulb in it and use the wire ends to check for power. If you dont have any power at the heating element, double check you thermostat, if you have power going to the thermostat, but not at the heating element, then the thermostat is bad or way out of adjustment. Try adjusting the thermostat and see if that helps. If you dont have power at the thermostat, just keep chaseing the wireing back until you find electricity. When you find the power, you will have found your problem.

Changeing the element should be rather simple, unplug the wire and remove heating coil from the insulators. Dont stretch out the coils of the nichrome wire of your replacement element, but after installation make sure none of the coils are touching each other. Stretching the coils makes for a loose fit on the insulators, something you dont want. Cutting the nichrome wire to tighten up the fit will lower the resistance rating of the heating element (and raise the heating temp) and should be avoided. If you accidently do stretch the wire coils, you can cut them off to tighten them up, but its best to try and avoid having to do this.

 

[hinkjc]

Don't the older ones run on wafers? If so, maybe the wafer is bad. That's a cheap thing to check before you get into the more expensive parts and replacing them. The schematics for the GQFs are available on their web site, which should prove helpful in fixing it.

 

[feedstorechick]

Yes, this one has a wafer and a backup wafer. I've tried to run it off of each wafer, and still no heat. The heating coil did break but when I reconnected the ends, it started heating again, until now. I think my next step is to take the back off and check the connections.

 

[Teddybear12]

I am having same problem. Have power going to everything. But heating element or turner not working. Heating element did break and bought new and installed but still no heat or turner.

 

[kandyg_99]

I Have One , I've Had It For Years. I Replaced Everything I Could Before Starting It Up & It Is Perfect Now. www.strombergschickens.com Has All The Parts You Will Need To Get It Going Again.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have 3 of the old ones. 2 incubators and a hatcher. I would just order a heat element so you can replace it when you get it apart. I think they are about $20.
Do a thorough cleaning while you are at it.
Mine have the wafer as a primary thermostat and an electronic element for fine tuning.