Hubby's already planning upgrades to the Frank-en-Bator

[KDbeads]

And we haven't even got the first set to hatch yet!

This from the man who's always telling me to take it easy on the numbers of animals we have, not to go increasing our load. And he's sitting here this afternoon trying to find a heating element that has a temp regulator better than a water heater unit!
I had already told him if we get 50% hatch rate this is it, no more, a promise that would keep us within reasonable animal ranks here.... which is still my plan with the exception of a silkie (just for him).


I think he's addicted.....

 

[mulia24]

ups, i can't intervene other people's business.

 

[walkswithdog]

Quote:
KD it's a GOOD addiction. Yes, once you begin to build and tinker, upgrading is a way of life. Tell him I like the reptitherm thermostats you plug your heat source into. The thermostat comes with a long probe cord you place where you want in the bator or in a fake egg, then you plug your heat source into the Reptitherm and voila - it controls the on/off of your heat element and holds your temps.

I've used water heater thermostats before, they can be tricky to get set right. The reptitherms run around 20 something. If I had the $ I'd buy the GQF electronic ones for 80. I like the reptitherm because you can plug two things into it, letting you add a backup source where needed.

I got my Reptitherm on amazon.com cheap. Kept my eye out. Sometimes they're on ebay and at the major herp websites for cheaper.

I've been evaluating the Reptitherm with my "new" antique incubator, it's been holding a .3 degree range. That'll do.

Tell hubby he rocks. Spare chicks can be sold at swap meets for 50 cents a piece or a dollar depending on time of year, very reliably. Keep practicing.

 

[KDbeads]

walkswithdog.... All I can find on amazon are the under tank repitherms. Is there another part of the name I should be looking for? I'm looking into this myself so I can be ready for another hatch if this one goes bad or for later on when we decide we need more birds

See, here I'm the tinkerer.... he's just moral support and manual labor for most things... though he tends to like editing wikipedia and video games a bit much. He designs plant processes and product flow etc., I'm the product designer.

Really, you think I'd know better than to have 2 engineers in the same house huh?

Edited because I really can't spell most days without spell check!

 

[walkswithdog]

I probably got the name wrong be right with ya.... LOL no sleep and too much to do.

 

[walkswithdog]

Got it confuddled all right... here is one at big apple herp,

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Rheostats?sc=2&category=15

 

[KDbeads]

Cool!! Thanks for the link, I think we may have one of those here somewhere. If I didn't give it away when we made the move down here....

 

[faerielady]

So what do you plug your rheostat into?

 

[walkswithdog]

Right now my heating element for the antique bator is plugged into the rheostat and it's working wonderfully.

The probe cord is plenty long enough to reach where I wanted it, even in the large cabinet of the bator. I'm getting about .3 degrees variation over a 24 hour period, outdoors on the DECK. I'll take it.

Took a bit of toying to decide where the probe worked best to keep temps perfect throughout the bator but it's all set now and I'm pleased. Next is setting up turners