Homemade incubator thermostat!

[WVchick71]

I have the same thermostat but I havent wired it up to my bator yet. Im a little worried about getting that right.,.so I hope everything else goes smoother for me!

 

[Lark Rise]

Pascopol, does yours work like this one in the video?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat

 

[pascopol]

Yes, it has a probe, plug in and output (controlling your bator).

The only difference is a price, this one you mentioned might be accurate within .1F but who knows.
Mine is good enough for me. Only .5F max temp swing.

Forget all water heater garbage and "solid state" styrobator thermostats, none of them measures up, I used them all.

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Quote:
A lot of people on here use a multitude of different set-ups, including styrofoam, hot water heater stats with good success......they might not appreciate their beloved bators being referred to as "garbage"

 

[Lark Rise]

I only linked that particular reptile thermostat because it had a video in it. We've been using a water heater thermostat in our incubator with success, but it's good to be aware of other options.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Any more info on the $15 dollar made for the purpose T-Stat?

Im referring to the old standard wafer thermostat. Las time I checked, they were around that price.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Between $20 an $25 now plus shipping.
http://www.google.com/search?q=wafe...vns&ei=ewNJTeG8K4-u8AbHwrjfDg&ved=0CAkQuw0oAA

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Between $20 an $25 now plus shipping.
http://www.google.com/search?q=wafe...vns&ei=ewNJTeG8K4-u8AbHwrjfDg&ved=0CAkQuw0oAA

Yeah they have gone up at retail, I see. Thanks.

They are still a good value, when you consider their reliability and "plug and play" use. Their parts can also be replaced as separate pieces, if needed, for well under $15.
I have never seen the switch portion go bad, and switches of that sort are usually rated at a million cycles or more. The gas-filled wafer can go bad over time, but can be replaced for $7.
They were in use for decades, long before most of us were born. They have a long and proven track record of success. THAT is both comforting and a good value at the price.
You could also have an incubator up and running with these - before you figure out that the water heater thermostat is a pain in the neck.

Then there are these - for $14.95:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Incubator-Therm...800?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35aadf8830

These strike me as very reliable and even less trouble, since they are nothing more than bi-metallic contacts.

There are even electronic thermostats from Russia, now. With a bit of shopping they can be had for around $30.

With all of these choices, I remain baffled that people keep trying the water heater varieties. I also find it disturbing that "enterprising" people are hawking cheap water heater thermostats on ebay as 'incubator ready'. If you backed their flat backside with a water vessel of some kind, in the manner they were intended to be utilized, they may do alright. But, for controlling the chambers air mass, alone, I continue to think they are more trouble than they are worth.

Nonetheless, if you are determined to make the cheapest possible items work with the maximum amount of experimentation, effort and bother, then the water heater thermo's would be just the ticket. You are very likely to get your moneys worth, in that case.
But people abandoned them as impractical, well before the current crop of experimenters came along. That hasn't really changed, even if we persist in trying.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

YOU abandoned them. That don't mean that hundreds of others are not hatching eggs day in a day out with them right now.
For the most part I don't use water heater thermostats in my incubators but that's because I can hand build thermostats that are beyond what I can teach others. Sure there are better thermostats out there but not for the price an the ease of use.

I'm sorry the water heater thermostat didn't work for you, but I'm sure it didn't if were adding mass to it like jars of water. Attaching mass to a thermostat, any thermostat makes it less sensitive.

As for your other cheap thermostat options, I know nothing about them. I'm not going to say anything good or bad about something I haven't used my self.

All thermostats have there good points an bad points. Wafers are not perfect nor are electronic thermostats. Ask anyone with a faulty LG.

By the way, I've had to replace a switch in one of my wafer thermostats this year so they do fail.

 

[galanie]

Anyway, we get it already. Some of you don't like water heater thermostats and have suggested different ones.
I'm using one and have almost no temp variation. Since it's working well, I really don't think I'm going to rush out and buy a more expensive one on the strength of a statement here.
You can make things as involved and complicated as you wish, but for me, simplicity works great. I'm not out to win a design contest nor is my goal to have something to show off to all my friends. I save that for my woodworking and forge work.