Help with thermometer please

[kyeschicks]

Hey guys so I am lost on which thermometer to go by. I have two $10 digital thermometers that both read 95f in the bator, BUT my two $2 alcohol thermometers both read 100f.

I was lost so I decided to calibrate the alcohol thermometers by putting them in ice cold water and only one of them read 32f the other read 22f. I want to go by the one that read 32f, but when I stick my hand in the bator it doesn't really seem warm enough, it feels like the 95f digital thermometers are right, but I did the iced water test on the alcohol ones and one read exactly the freezing point.

So confused and don't know what to do lol I feel like I'm just gonna go by the digital thermometers and pray for the best. What do you guys suggest? My digital thermometers are 'Acurite' from walmart here is a pic:



I have not put the eggs in there, not before I have some input from you guys.

 

[kyeschicks]

here is a post I found, I think I will just take my chances and go by the digital thermometers.

You have stumbled upon the eternal curse of incubation. Inaccuracy of thermometers and hygrometers is IMO the main reason for incubation failure. I use an old fashioned mercury bulb type thermometer. It's about 35 years old. I calibrate all of my other thermometers against that one. The big issue is, even if you calibrate a standard thermometer with the ice water trick, it may be accurate at 32*, but that doesn't mean that you won't get some drift of accuracy as you approach 100*F. I've even been tempted to take my hand full of thermometers with me to my next Dr's appointment, and check a bulb type thermometer against their digital one... but then, I'd be stuck, explaining to the people in the white suits, and I might just end up with a diagnosis other than the problem I went for in the first place.

 

[kyeschicks]

Okay I think it is respectful to keep a thread updated with what our findings to help those out with the same issue that they may encounter in the future.

I bought 3 different additional thermometers including an oral thermometer lol and I punctured small holes around the bator to stick the tip in and it was working fine at first (Was reading the temperature around 99f - 101f but later on I was no longer reaching that high with the oral thermometer, it would go as far as 95.

One of the original alcohol thermometers started synchronizing with a digital thermometer so I will be using those two as my final thermometers.

That is all of the updates that I have to give so wish me luck and I will keep in mind this thread to update the development of embryos (if I have any, which I hope I do!)