Homemade bator... a few questions update post 6

[X2Farm]

Well, I bought a cabinet bator, old homemade wood, a while back, for a steal of a price, thanks to a couple fellow BYC'ers!). All intact aside from wiring, heat element and trays. We got the wiring and heat element done. Set the top on and fired up the bator (turner and all) and it worked like a champ! The temp reading was 108, at the bottom and 113 up top. Turner turns like a well oiled machine, fan circulates air well. Left it running for a couple hours and it did fine.

Questions-
With the temps so high, no eggs or trays, would they change once those are added? Any guess how much?

Would 1/2" hardware cloth work for making the trays? Or should I use 1/4"?

The thermostat things are old, there's two of em (I'm guessing a low and high) and they look like this https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=285 How would those be adjusted?

I'm anxious to try the bator out, but wanna make sure I get everything dealt with as best as I can before a test hatch!

Thanks!
Nic

 

[sonjab314]

Any temp over 104 will cook your eggs. You need to lower your temp down before you put the eggs in. Since you have a fan in place that circulates the air, your temp needs to be as close to 99.5 as you can get it. Good luck with your project. Sounds like you made a real find

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
Yup, had that problem with my Brinsea... 110 for over a week due to a bad thermo

But it seems this bator will hold upwards of 180 eggs or so... and without having the racks made for them, I can't throw 180 eggs in and see what happens... tryin to get a ball park figure oh how much it might go down? If at all?

Hopefully I can get a good steady temp... I just need to figure out how to change the high and low on the two thermostat things

Thank you

I have bargain, Ms Nancy Garry here on BYC and lockedhearts, Karen, to thank!

for this great deal!

 

[midget_farms]

It won't go down for long.

The eggs you put in will be cold in comparison to the bator. But as soon as they come up to temp it will be the thermostat that controls the temp.

You need to be under 100*

I don't know about those thermostat switches as far as adjustability - but I would start there.

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
yup, now to figure out how

It looks like I can get a small allen key and adjust... guess I'll unhook both 'stats and see if that helps any

 

[X2Farm]

Ok, so, I can't figure out how to adjust these....

Can anyone help me?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Um those dont adjust. They are just push button switches.


The whole thing should look like this.

You turn the L bar to adjust it.

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
OH! Wow... ok I'm a doofus

I had no clue!

So I need a few more parts I guess....

So it has two of these... here is what it all looks like

Any way to simplify this without spending anything? Maybe putting a water heater thermostat in there? Or can I get it workin easier with just a few small parts?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

You need 2 of these.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=110

An 2 of these.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=312

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
Ok, thats what I thought...looked at the GQF site after you posted above...

So I take it to be ones a high temp and ones a low temp? Any way to figure that out?