HELP :) diving in with a cabinet incubator have a few questions

[chellebyerly]

Okay, I have a cabinet incubator. I got it years ago, its got a piece of paper on it that says "chickasaw, Houkla MS" and has their address.

Inside is the disk heat thing. and a plug in duracraft humistat control.

I dont know anything about this thing. anyone know how they work?

Also, it turns automatically, which I reckon is good. I can also turn that off.

BUT, My questions are :

How can I get my humidity over 39.?
Temp is holding steady. Humidity is NOT.

I dont know how to work that duracraft thing, so I put in a few bowls of water, and a wet sock.

Its still steady at 39.
It was 43 when it was out here in the house. LOL



And, has anyone got one of these? the fan and heater works fine. and it has 2 heat adjusters on it. THe disk thing, and then another thing. Both can be adjusted from the outside.
But the humidifier is after market. Its pluged in, but I dont know how to make it work...

 

[ozzie]

I don't know about the humidifier but with a lot of the cabinet incubators, a flat dish is placed just in front of the fan (ie on the top shelf) where the hot air is being blown. Make sure the dish is flat - surface area affects the humidity. Have you calibrated your hygrometer to make sure it's measuring correctly? Fill with lukewarm water. You could try adding sponges to wick the water up - just make sure it doesn't touch the heating element behind. Then wait for about 1/2 day with the bator turned on and check the humidity periodically.

good luck

ozzie

 

[chellebyerly]

Thanks

I will do the flat dish, I will admit, I am using butter bowls.

But what are you talking about putting the lukewarm water in to calibrate it?
Cause My hygromiter is that electric dealiemabob with the temp on it... ??

That big white thing IS something to with a hygromitor or what ever, but i dont even know how it would work.

I have been holding steady at 38-39 for over 24 hours.

 

[chellebyerly]

sorry, its a DURACRAFT humidistat control

 

[greathorse]

Do you have water to your dura whatever? I dont really know what that is but I dont see a water source anywhere. You need a big flat pan of water surface or I am guessing that Dura thingy needs water hooked up to it somehow. I have the exact same bator. My cabinet was shot and I needed to build a new one. I tried to call that company but no good phone number. It is just like the GQF except that the turnig trays are much heavier.

Whish I could be more help but I am not sure what the Rh system is all about for you

 

[greathorse]

I just took another look at your photo's it looks like there is a water line to your humidity control. I think you need to hook it to a water source.

The disk thingy is your Wafer thermostat, it is your back up. The other thingy is your electornic thermostat. It will blink when the temp is close.

You need to first set the back up to about 101 or 102 degrees of course the electronic for this period of time will need to be even higher. When the bator stabilizes at the higher temp back up at 101 or 102 wherever you have set it, you now need to set the electronic thermostat at 99.5. this will control your temp. The wafer will now come into play only when the electronic fails which is hopefully never.

Hope you understand teh jibberish

 

[chellebyerly]

in just the short time that I have had the flat dish in I have gained 3% in humidity.


Thank you great horse, YOu helped me alot, and just to know I am not the only one with it helps! LOL

thankyou so much for the info on the two thermostats.


that line that you see is not water, for some reason there is an extention cord coming OUT of the duracraft and heading OUTSIDE the bator.

You can see the white cord pluged in the bottom in the second picture.

We cant fiqure out what it is, but it says on it something about being an applience control, and since someone drilled a hole in the side that is now covered with tape, I am thinking it CONTROLLED a humidfier. SO, I just need to do the bowl thing.

THat I can handle.
LOL, IF I dont let it get too high..

 

[greathorse]

Sounds like you are on the right track. Now for about thirty bucks you can order from any number of places I got mine from Randall Burkey, a humity tray and bucket etc. It is a tray with a float and a slot for humidity pads. Mine at my altitude is great with just the pan and then for the hatch I add one pad. You also have those holes in the back to mess with for rh.

If you dont mind telling us where did you find this bator? I paid fifty bucks for mine but all I had was the controls cabinet literally fell apart when I took it out of the truck.

That electronic stat is worth about 65 bucks by itself and the turner you have is well over hundy.

The turner switch has two positions down will rotate every cople hours or so, and if you hold it up it rotates on demand so to speak, but you probably already have that.

 

[chellebyerly]

I paid about 200 for it about 5 years ago. I got it from a distant relative, He 'did us a favor' adn gave us a good deal on it. -- At the time (and possible still) I fiqured I wasnt getting the best bargin. LOL

I cant remember where he said he got it, -- hubby says he bought it new, I think he got it used.

I bought a horse from the the old boy too... That was NOT a smart purchase. LOL

Glad to know that its somewhat worth it though

The cabinet is in good shape. I guess the whole thing is in fairly good shape, I just need an instruction book. LOL

Your right about the turner. I just cant fiqure out how often it turns. I have tried to watch it, but it keeps sneaking them by me.. LOL
I guess as long as it turns at least 3 times a day I am good right??

 

[ozzie]

But what are you talking about putting the lukewarm water in to calibrate it?

No - I always add lukewarm water in my bator because it means the water is already in that lukewarm temp range (the same temp as the bator) and the heat source doesn't have to work overtime heating the water and the air...

To calibrate your electric hygrometer (the one with the temp measurement as well), follow these instructions

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer_2.htm

I would agree with greathorse and just forget the Duracraft thing on the side (or remove it if it's in the way) and just stick with pans of water to regulate your humidity. The flatter the pan the better - remember it's surface area of water exposed to the air that matters not the amount of water, so your butter dishes may have held more water than the flat pan (baking trays work well), but because the surface area of water exposed to the air is less, it will evaporate less and therefore humidity will be lower.

good luck,
ozzie​