Help needed re thermostat for home made incubator

[WVchick71]

I made my 2 incubators from a styrofoam boxes that the pet store gets their fish in. I cut a whole in the top and put a piece of glass from a picture frame for a window. For one of them ....I used a
bottle lamp kit and a 15watt light bulb. a fan from an old PC and a plastic container for water. I got a thermometer/hygrometer from walmart for like $8. I have hatched alot of eggs in and at times the temp is hard to control. I have to check it very very often and work with it to maintain the temp. the best I can.
For the second one I found something on ebay called an incukit and bought it for about $40 or $50. It includes the heat source, fan and thermostat. It works great as well.

Good Luck!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
The thermostat can be in a hotter place but it does not have to be. A bottom water heater thermostat is set at 120 but turns down to just under 100. Putting it close to the light is just to make it cycle off faster making the temps more stable.

 

[Mareslee]

Ah, ok (this simple project is making me feel very dumb! - probably over thinking it).

I've found a "lower water heater thermostat" on ebay that looks a bit like the one in your link, rebelcowboy, though it's a different brand.
they don't describe it's specs at all, so i was going to put a picture on here to see if you thought it looked right, but it wouldn't copy clearly, so maybe i should just go with it. Even getting it shipped from the US it's cheaper than than anything i can find here, weird.

I've also found a bi-metal strip thermostat which looks quite good, from Incubator Warehouse - care to comment on the pros and cons of either of these?

Meantime, maybe i'll set up Mark 1 version along the lines of WVChick's simple one - I've got some polystyrene fish boxes, and one has a glass window already as I've been using it to 'hatch' seedlings.

Then find the elusive thermostat, and build one in a chilly bin!
Hopefully getting back on track now......

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Where are you?

 

[fishman65]

a lower water heater thermostat will work just fine... you can also use a zoo med repti-temp 500 thermostat....I have heard good things about them...just plug your light in them and set the temp and all should work fine......good luck

 

[Mareslee]

Quote:
New Zealand

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
these normally have a limiter cap that prevents you from turning it above XXX or below xxx this limiter cap can be levered off and adjusted as necessary looks like NZ only uses 230 or 12 volts eh ?

 

[Mareslee]

Yes, our mains power is 230V, but we could convert to 12V or DC if necessary.
I was wondering earlier if that was an issue, but then saw some references to 230V, so wiped it - perhaps I'd better review that again.