Help bought wrong thermostat

[Enno]

I ordered 2 (1 for spare) of the STC-1000 look alike thermostats from China. I knew when I ordered them that they were going to be Celsius but I figured I could just calculate them out to 37.5 C
When I installed it and tried to set it I realized you can't change the degree that percisely.... it's either 37 or 38 not 37.5.... Crap!
It also won't kick in to restart the heat in till it goes down a full degree.... So basically it goes from 100.4 to 98.6.... Double crap!
Is there anybody out there who has had the same problem? Any idea of a fix?
I'm thinking these might just be good for a brooder box vs incubator
Can somebody please put up a link to the right one please.

Thanks
Enno

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's not necessarily a big problem. Try the probe different places like away from the heat source and get a known good thermometer to put among the eggs. An instant read will tell you exactly what's going on.
The internal egg temp will be more stable.

 

[Enno]

So is it like because the average of 37 and 38 (100.4 and 98.6) is 37.5 or 99.5 the eggs will be okay? As long as the thermostat is accurate?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I believe that to be the case. It may be necessary to get one of those fake eggs with a temperature probe in it.
I have a big homemade cabinet and I shoot for the heat to kick on around 99. The instant read thermometers will rise to around 107 before the slow read sensor on the controller detects the heat. Then the temperature slowly drops back to 99. The internal egg temperature should still be around 99-100.

Do a test hatch with fresh local eggs and make note of the exact time and day they're set. Hatching early and it's too warm, hatching late, too cool. Adjust your setup from there.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

These are the two most accurate instant reads I've found at a reasonable cost and the ones I recommend.

https://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
If a few degrees out of range the brinsea will only display an L or H if low or high.

http://thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html