Hovabator temperature problem

[furbabymum]

I just received my hovabator and egg turner. I'm having a real problem with the temperature. It doesn't have a dial where you can set it, it's like a screw type thing you twist to increase or decrease the temp. Great except you have no real idea how much you are increasing/decreasing it. So my bator was steadily at 105 degrees. I was turning it a small amount at a time to try to reduce it. Now it's at 95 degrees. The instructions on the incubator say 100 degrees is ideal. Is all this fluxuating temp just going to ruin the few eggs I put in there as a test?

 

[dbcooper02]

It is likely that if those eggs were at 105 for very long they are probably done for. I'd keep them in until day 7 when you can candle them and see if they survived. Leave them anyway for now to act as a heat sink while you dial in the temperature.

I'm guessing that incubator has a wafer thermostat. First thing to do is make sure the wafer is tight on the bottom of the screw. If it is loose there setting is nearly impossible. If you are still at 95 degrees do this. Turn the screw on the top counter clockwise 2 full turns then monitor your thermometer closely. When the temperature hits 99 slowly turn the screw clockwise until the pilot light just clicks off. Tighten the wing nut on the screw and allow the incubator to go through several on and off cycles. At this point your temperature will have stabilized somewhere in the area of 100 degrees. Now make small adjustments, clockwise for cooler and counterclockwise for warmer, allowing time for things to stabilize between adjustments until you arrive at your desired temperature.

 

[furbabymum]

It is likely that if those eggs were at 105 for very long they are probably done for. I'd keep them in until day 7 when you can candle them and see if they survived. Leave them anyway for now to act as a heat sink while you dial in the temperature.

I'm guessing that incubator has a wafer thermostat. First thing to do is make sure the wafer is tight on the bottom of the screw. If it is loose there setting is nearly impossible. If you are still at 95 degrees do this. Turn the screw on the top counter clockwise 2 full turns then monitor your thermometer closely. When the temperature hits 99 slowly turn the screw clockwise until the pilot light just clicks off. Tighten the wing nut on the screw and allow the incubator to go through several on and off cycles. At this point your temperature will have stabilized somewhere in the area of 100 degrees. Now make small adjustments, clockwise for cooler and counterclockwise for warmer, allowing time for things to stabilize between adjustments until you arrive at your desired temperature.

Hmm. Thank you! It is a wafer thermostat. Very confusing thing! I'll try what you suggested. Thank you!!!
Eggs were in at 105 for awhile so they're probably done for. I didn't figure I'd hatch anything while figuring it out anyway.

 

[dbcooper02]

I wanted to add that once you reach your desired temperature lock the wing nut and leave it there. When you load a new batch of eggs the temperature is going to drop and it may seem to be taking a long time to come back up. Don't readjust the thermostat. Once the eggs are warmed all the way through the temperature will come back to your original setting.

 

[Stewarts]

I'm new at this and just bought the same incubator, I replaced the thermometer with a digital temperature/humidity monitor and haven't had a problem since. I can easily maintain the correct temperature at 99 F and the humidity between 45 and 55 %. Its very accurate.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha,

My Hovabator was at 106 degrees and I couldn't make it go any lower. After two days, I figured out that the fan was producing the heat. So I have to send for a replacement fan and do my next incubation with still air. feel your fan if it is warm. This may be a source of temperature problems.

aloha, Puhi