I have built one home made incubator and it works fine but I am concerned that at some point, I won't be able to get the incandescent bulbs that I use as my heat source so I got to thinking and wondering and wondering and finally decided I should start a thread to discuss alternate heat sources for incubators.
Obviously, regular old light bulbs are a pretty easy. They do have shortcomings though, the bulbs can burn out and the worst moments and they may become extinct as we know them now.
Other choices that I'd like more information about are the Ceramic heaters, the ones with the little coils that glow and another heater type I've been wondering about lately is the infrared heat.
I'd love to hear from some of our members that have experience with these type of heat sources and discuss whether, or not, they would be suitable to use in an incubator.
I have found both type heaters in smaller unit sizes that I have wondered about buying. They're pricey but in the long run, how many light bulbs am I going to go through? losing how many chicks to burned out bulbs etc. I don't mind spending more money if I'm going to build a better incubator.
I also know that those heaters in the Little Giants might also be an option to take out and use in a better built hoe made incubator but I don't know what the space limitations are and I don't know what type of heating unit is used in the GQF's and other commercial type incubator.
ETA http://www.efowl.com/Incubator_Heat_Element_Insulators_250_Watt_p/6714.htm
So c'mon you guys, what are your thoughts??
Obviously, regular old light bulbs are a pretty easy. They do have shortcomings though, the bulbs can burn out and the worst moments and they may become extinct as we know them now.
Other choices that I'd like more information about are the Ceramic heaters, the ones with the little coils that glow and another heater type I've been wondering about lately is the infrared heat.
I'd love to hear from some of our members that have experience with these type of heat sources and discuss whether, or not, they would be suitable to use in an incubator.
I have found both type heaters in smaller unit sizes that I have wondered about buying. They're pricey but in the long run, how many light bulbs am I going to go through? losing how many chicks to burned out bulbs etc. I don't mind spending more money if I'm going to build a better incubator.
I also know that those heaters in the Little Giants might also be an option to take out and use in a better built hoe made incubator but I don't know what the space limitations are and I don't know what type of heating unit is used in the GQF's and other commercial type incubator.
ETA http://www.efowl.com/Incubator_Heat_Element_Insulators_250_Watt_p/6714.htm
So c'mon you guys, what are your thoughts??
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