Homemade Incubator - Temperature/Thermostat Problems!

[ContessaKris]

We set up our incubator last night (you can see some pics on my BYC page, nothing fancy. What you won't see there is the 12v computer fan we hooked up in there today for even air flow.)) and today I realize we're having a problem.

The water heater thermostat is turning off at 105 degrees (I just need to set it lower so it goes off at 101) but then it doesn't come back on until 90 degrees. That's too much of a difference. So we're still experimenting. I'm wondering if a cooler light bulb would produce different results? But I'm doubting it. I think it has something to do with the water heater thermometer. It doesn't have two little setting arrows. Just one.

Any homemade incubatorers out there who can suggest some solutions?

We're in testing mode, eggs come this week.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
the fan needs to be right next to the light and thermostat, because after the light shuts off the thermostat is still hot, and it will take a while for it to cool off,,,,so it will take a while for it to come back on, you need the fan close to the thermostat, so it can cool down the thermostat and the thermostat will turn on before the rest of the incubator cools down,,,,, Does this make any sense what i am saying to you???

 

[quintinp]

sounds like you have a lot of questions needed answered,,,, first of all it takes exactly 3 weeks to hatch a baby chick,,, and the temperature needs to be 99.5 degrees for the ideal hatch,,,, most of us don't get those results with any incubator, and i said (MOST),,,, usually don't,,, you should try to at least keep the temp at 99, to 100 and most people will tell you to keep your humidity at 40-50% (DONT DO THAT) you dont get good hatch results that way,,, what you wanna do is keep your humidity at 20% the first 18 days,,, and after the 18 days is over,,, then you stop turning the eggs, and let them sit, in the incubator,,, then you add water to it on day 18 and keep water in it.... bring your humidity up to 60% the last three days of incubation,,,, this is called LOCKDOWN,,, and you dont open the incubator at this time,,,, you can if you need to add water REALLY fast,,, then close the lid,,,, and on day 21 dont open the lid for anything,,, by day 21 you should have had enough time to do these thing such as add water, and on day 21 you watch and wait,,, and a word of advise is that you add WARM water to your incubator for humidity

 

[quintinp]

i have a great solution for you

and here is the best one yet... i did this to mine before this video came up on youtube, and i guess the word about it has gotten around, i am assuming you have a water heater thermostat here is the best part,

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

By a real thermostat. Incubator warehouse has an all electronic one with a probe that goes into the bator so the unit is not effected by humidity. I have 2 of them and I they work great.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
yep and the REAL thermostats cost about 6 times as much as a water heater thermostat.....,,, and a water heater thermostat can be made to work just as good

 

[rebel yell]

Move it about 1/2 inch from the light bulb, it will work fine.

 

[ContessaKris]

Quote:
I've already bought this one so I'm going to stick with it.

Is there no other way than drilling a hole? Seems like there should be...

 

[matlock585]

Mine is directly above my 60 watt light bulb... about 2-3" above it. I cut a straw into roughly 3/4" sections and used them as spacers to hold the thermostat off the wall of the incubator. Mine works great and I'm hatching like crazy. My temps stay within 3-4 degrees. I've had no problems with mine.
here's a pic

 

[ContessaKris]

My thermostat is clear on the other side of the incubator. My thinking was, it needs to not be sitting near the light, would give an inaccurate reading. The eggs will be over on that side I'm thinking. I"ll move it around and see if it makes a difference. At least I haven't screwed it down yet and can move it easily. Right now its shutting off at 101 and turning on at 87.