Help!! Thermometers not reading the same

[erin0415]

I put the 2 plastic thermometers that came with my incubator in it to get it regulated and they are reading different. I added my bedside digital thermometer/ clock and then a digital thermometer/ hygrometer. They all read differently!! One of the plastic ones read slightly over 100 and one read slightly below 100, but one digital (with the hygrometer) read 105.3 and one read 101.7. How am I supposed to know whats real???? I have a cheapie forced air incubator.

 

[panner123]

Put all of them aside. Go to the local drug store & get a thermometer for taking your temp a (human one), you might have one in the medicine cabinet. Place it in the unit and see which one is the closest. Then use the human one and use the other one
as a back up.

 

[erin0415]

Thanks. I will try that. Still have an old fashioned mercury thermometer. im freaking out... eggs will be here tomorrow

 

[NYREDS]

Or try this: fill a glass with crushed ice, add water to the top of the glass, one by one put your thermometerws in the water. Use the one that reads closest to 32 degrees f.

 

[SGM]

What a helpful thread!!! Great ideas!!!

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
Make sure you stir the water constantly to get the most accurate reading.

Steve in NC

 

[twigg]

Quote:
You have the right idea, but you can't do it this way. Medical thermometers are Immersion Thermometers, and can't work in air. They need to take the temp of something.

A ball of modeling clay works well.

 

[erin0415]

I will try both the icey water and putting the medical thermometer in clay or something, because you are right, just putting it in there diddn't work

 

[twigg]

Quote:
The ice water test is a standard lab test for thermometer accuracy. Google it. It is actually quite a difficult test to get right.

The advantage of the clay is that you are calibrating your thermometers at exactley the temp you need. They don't have to be accurate, they have to be calibrated.

Good luck .... but it's easy and repeatable. You can quickley check your thermometers any time you want.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd personally go with the cup of water in the bator equilibrated with the incubator and measured with a medical or lab thermometer. When I buy thermometers from the store, I put the whole rack side by side and pick from the ones that are reading the same temp. I rarely go digital unless it's a lab certified instrument.