homemade incubator temperature and venting questions

[rocketdoctor]

my daughter and I just finished building a homemade incubator for her science project. I am using a water heater thermostat to try to keep at proper temperature. I am doing a dry run and the temperatures seem to vary greatly at each time I adjust. Im using a digital thermometer that measure min and max the best I got so far was a range of 97-104 degrees. Is there a way to keep the temperature more stable but if I get an average of 101 would that be ok?

The incubator is in a styrofoam cooler with a small computer fan running in it. Im thinking it gets air through holes for wires and loose fitting top. Should I punch more air holes in it

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[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I used to hatch my eggs in a toaster oven and I could get it to a steady 101. Tell ya the truth...my hatches were much better than with two new incubators I bought.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Read this page an watch the second video an see if that helps ya.
http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html

 

[4-H chicken mom]

A few questions, what is the temp when the light comes on and goes off? What is the wattage of your bulb? It could be your thermostat and bulb are too close to one another or your wattage maybe to high. If you want you can see my bator on my page. My bulb is a 20 watt. 101 is not that bad. You tend to get early hatches, so I would adjust lockdown a day or two earlier according to what the aircells look like. Good luck.

 

[camillebug]

We solved the problem with a mercury bulb thermostat The water heater thermostats are very inconsistent from unit to unit. they are also hard to adjust. The mercury bulb thermostats are easy to adjust and the on off temp difference is only about 1 F

 

[raimnel]

tape your seams, my homemade 'bators (4) are made out of coolers I use water heater thermostats and a 60 watt bulb and a PC fan, my temps are 99-102. make sure you put holes in it for fresh air to get in. don't put holes near the light or thermostat. all should go well. oh and reset your high/lows (ie pull the battery out) lol only turn the dial on the thermo very little sometimes it doesn't even seem like you moved it.

 

[rocketdoctor]

Whats the best location for the fan, I have the eggs sitting on a wire shelf with the fan underneath, should I put the fan farther away from the eggs and closer to the light?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Where ever its moving the most air. Hard to say where that would be from here without lots of pictures.

 

[pascopol]

JustAChickenLittle&More :

I used to hatch my eggs in a toaster oven and I could get it to a steady 101. Tell ya the truth...my hatches were much better than with two new incubators I bought.

I can believe a toaster oven would make better incubator than most of (styrobators? let me guess).

Anybody knows where to get a larger toaster oven? I'll go for that!

Betting it is much cheaper and better than some lousy "incubators" for exemple this little 3 eggs "bators".

Individuals who make and push this 3 egg piece of c*ap to gullible public should be charged with fraud.​

 

[RioLindoAz]

Quote:

Very good info on this site.