Homemade Incubator Problem--Help Plz

[Arielle]

I built an incubator using a plastic cooler. THe light bulb is located on one short end about 2 inches above the bottom. THe WHT hangs over it, parallel to bulb. A large desk fan sits on the bottom opposite the lightbulb at the other short end of the cooler.It blows at the bulb.

10 quart mason jars= 5 jars on each side to form the support for the floor.

Here is the problem. When I set in a wire basket with drawer liner on bottom and sides to prevent escape ( and falling to the bottom of the cooler) the temperature dramatically changes. THe air flow changes too.

The liner, despite the tiny holes acts like a solid floor , forcing the air movement to be more in a circle. THe intake at the back of the fan is strong and drafty; at the opposite end, the air blows over the lightbulb hits the wall and flows up very strongly. And the temperature at the level of the liner drops by a few degrees.

Moving the WHT is not possible as it functions poorly when it is move away from the light bulb, causing the temps drop even more.

I need other suggestions for a floor material: open meshed, can fit to dimensions of a cooler easily, and prevents chicks from falling thru and is easy for chick to walk on.

I know I'm asking a lot here but I know I'm asking the right people for a solution.

 

[Arielle]

Finally got the temp adjusted fairly well, running on the warm side. Put the eggs in and it's running hot.

 

[quintinp]

If you could post pictures, I would be able to help you even better. I would move the fan next to the light bulb, and have it facing the egg area of the incubator.

The thermostat would be better if there were holes drilled into it.

Here's a video about drilling the holes into the Water heater thermostat.

 

[Arielle]

THanks quintin.

I had pics loaded in our old BYC format; I don't know how to find those now. ANy idea?

I moved the fan closer. THe bulb still only goes to a brown out, but the temp has increased to 100-101. I am ok with both the brown out and the temperature. As I am expecting more eggs and I suspect the extra eggs will block air flow or something, and the temp will decrease again like when I moved eggs from other incubator.

I was thinking of a second fan. Not sure if less air movement is better than fast air movement.