**Help needed with incubator adjustment

[Nksg75]

I am trying to quickly fix a problem with my homemade incubator.
I bought the all in one incukit from incubator warehouse. It works great, however I mistakingly have it in a container too small for the amount of power the fan produces. (I should have built a much larger incubator, I realize my mistake, and will fix this after hatch)
The fan blows too much, causing the the environment to be too dry. (15-20% humidity)
I have 5 dozen eggs I need to incubate starting Monday.
I have 2 other incubators that will be full to the max, so that leaves me no choice but to have to use this one for any eggs that don't fit into the other incubators.
I would like sugesstions on how to decrease the amount of airflow from this unit. (Just to clarify: The fan blows up toward heating unit at top and out from all 4 sides, not directly downward)

(Blue tape is covering all the air holes)

It's not possible to adjust the fan speed on this unit, so I have to figure out how to reduce so much air at the bottom of the unit where the eggs are. (I don't have time to start building another larger unit, so...

I have thought of 2 ways that may work ...

1. Hanging long narrow plastic containers from all 4 sides with damp cloth to both reduce airflow, and create more humidity. (Potential problems would be if I accidentally get sponges too wet, it could drip on any eggs below) and I would be constantly wetting sponges.

2. Suspending a plexiglass sheet above the eggs with holes that allow reduced airflow from the fan.(I already have a sheet of this cut to the the exact dimensions of the incubator) I could use the airholes to somehow rig a stand/support system to hold this plexiglass in place.

I am leaning towards option 2, I just am not sure where and how big to drill the holes in the sheet of plexiglass. I know I have to suspended the plexiglass high enough above the eggs.
Just to clarify, I have used this unit, with the entire bottom filled with water, yet it still does not produce enough humidity. I had too many losses during a hatch so

I stopped using this unit unless I needed larger aircells toward the end.

So without any further blathering from me, could anyone please offer advice sugesstions on this??

 

[duluthralphie]

Where do you add the water? Is it just on the bottom right now?

Could you try raising the turning tray, maybe setting it on a cake pan type thing. Thus making a deeper water well, and if that does not work adding sponges to the pan to increase the surface area of the water?

I adjust the moisture level in my Sportsman by adding the proper number of sponges to get the level I want. If you do this and them use a long tube to add water you can avoid putting water on the eggs.

Also Where you have your hygrometer cold be changed. Put a water tight container there and place you hygrometer on the top or outside the incubator, with the probe insde there is no reason it has to be inside the incubator.

 

[Nksg75]

Yes, I previously I had an entire tray on the bottom and the turner above the tray. I even had sponges in plastic containers next to the eggs. I still had shrink wrap chicks.
Right now I am sterilizing it. Here is what I usually have at the bottom of incubator.

 

[duluthralphie]

Try something deeper.. am just guessing here at something that might help. You need to get more water in there someway.

 

[Nksg75]

Where do you add the water? Is it just on the bottom right now?

Could you try raising the turning tray, maybe setting it on a cake pan type thing. Thus making a deeper water well, and if that does not work adding sponges to the pan to increase the surface area of the water?

I adjust the moisture level in my Sportsman by adding the proper number of sponges to get the level I want. If you do this and them use a long tube to add water you can avoid putting water on the eggs.

Also Where you have your hygrometer cold be changed. Put a water tight container there and place you hygrometer on the top or outside the incubator, with the probe insde there is no reason it has to be inside the incubator.

Actually I have never tried sponges at the bottom water tray. I should try that.

 

[Nksg75]

Ok, I will look for something deeper. I have never tried moving the eggs closer to the top for fear it would dry them out more. Can't hurt to try!!
Just curious if there is a reason besides having a deeper water container to move them closer to the top? Is it to bypass so much airflow?
Can you tell I am terrible as far as logistics of this??

 

[duluthralphie]

I am not thinking of moving them towards the top any more than is necessary to make a deeper well to hold more water volume. Which the addition of sponges will require.

Good luck.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Water surface so it can evaporate is what increases humidity, not the depth if the water. The depth if the water only controls how often you need to refill it. Adding sponges or wash cloths that can wick water out of the reservoir and provide more surface area can help.

I think the problem is that too much moist air is blowing out, faster than evaporation can replace it. Can you cover more holes where the air is blowing out, reduce the air lost. Don't forget you need some air movement late in incubation and hatch so you don't suffocate the chicks with bad air. They need to breathe in oxygen and out CO2 just like we do. If CO2 builds up too much it can be deadly.

I don't know how that fan works but can you incorporate a dimmer switch in the circuit to slow the fan speed? I don't know of that will work or not.

Is there some way to put that fan under your extra sheet of Plexiglas with a few holes drilled in it to reduce the amount of air going into the incubator and somehow divert a lot of that air outside the incubator before it gets moist? Maybe under your reservoir. Or maybe build a box around that fan with a hose leading to the outside to get rid of a lot of the air? I can envision this in theory but in practice it gets harder to implement.

I don't have any practical experience dealing with that. It's challenging. Good luck!

 

[duluthralphie]

You are

Water surface so it can evaporate is what increases humidity, not the depth if the water. The depth if the water only controls how often you need to refill it. Adding sponges or wash cloths that can wick water out of the reservoir and provide more surface area can help.

I think the problem is that too much moist air is blowing out, faster than evaporation can replace it. Can you cover more holes where the air is blowing out, reduce the air lost. Don't forget you need some air movement late in incubation and hatch so you don't suffocate the chicks with bad air. They need to breathe in oxygen and out CO2 just like we do. If CO2 builds up too much it can be deadly.

I don't know how that fan works but can you incorporate a dimmer switch in the circuit to slow the fan speed? I don't know of that will work or not.

Is there some way to put that fan under your extra sheet of Plexiglas with a few holes drilled in it to reduce the amount of air going into the incubator and somehow divert a lot of that air outside the incubator before it gets moist? Maybe under your reservoir. Or maybe build a box around that fan with a hose leading to the outside to get rid of a lot of the air? I can envision this in theory but in practice it gets harder to implement.

I don't have any practical experience dealing with that. It's challenging. Good luck!

I am sorry if I was confusing..the depth is so the well was Deeper holding more water..means is easier to keep full less work...the sponges are forsurface area...I thought that was implied common knowledge

 

[Nksg75]

Yes, yank you both. I am attempting to test the sugesstions you both made.
Originally I was trying to picture a copycat of the brinsea octogan I have. The fan is centered in the middle, yet it is covered from blowing directly on the eggs. If you are familiar with this incubator you know that there are small holes on opposite ends that allows the air to flow to the eggs, but not so much that it drys the eggs out.