HWThermostat not cycling?

[Barbedwirecat]

Still working on the fishtank. I didn't set anything on fire and the bulb works. I have the metal side of the thermostat towards the bulb about 1 1/2 inches from the light bulb. It's still not cycling though? I drilled three 3/16 holes in the front and one in the back like was in the video instructions.

Any clue?

 

[Barbedwirecat]

Here's a pic of the end of the tank. Should I rig another bulb to this light too? Like a trail of lights?

 

[DMRippy]

I know this is basic and maybe a dumb question but did you turn the temp down on the thermostat? And is the light wired AFTER the thermostat? Makes me think the temp is not right or the wiring is not right. I didn't do my wiring my son did so I can't tell you how to do that properly. But I know the thermostat has to be able to control the light.

BTW since you will need to tweek the temp you may want to make the dial accessible, the back to the light and the knob to the front somehow so you can make changes. Oh and you will want that fan to blow between the light and the WHT.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

Yep, all wired right. I thought that myself, but I triple checked everything. After the last thing I rewired started an electrical fire (small, out in seconds) I tend to third guess myself when it comes to this stuff. I turned the temp down to where I thought about 100 was... is that right?

It just actually started cycling, but not as fast as the one I saw in the video I watched to see how to modify it. It's cycling every 5/7 minutes about? Now I did JUST set it up in there and add the light, maybe it just takes it a while to heat up? But the way I understood it works with radiant temp, not ambient---so radiant temp is pretty immediate?

There is also a fire extinguisher next to the tank. I take no chances.

Also why I had a Hova setup two days ago to make sure I at least had something reliable.

 

[DMRippy]

Don't trust the temp on the WHT use yours. Mine does not cycle that fast either but it works. I don't have the holes in mine but it will run for a minute and then be off for a couple. My hatcher cycles much faster so it must be a thermostat thing because they are different. My hatcher on the last day of hatching was for some strange reason cycling like the video DKW

See my edit up top too. Good luck. I will check in the morning and see what happens.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

Oh ok so I should have the fan blowing on the light itself? I had it that way but I figured that was what was making it not cycle. I'll change it.

Does it take awhile for it to get going right? I mean I know I'm not using a cooler like DKW, just a big 29 gallon fishtank. I heard someone mention to cut the little stopped down to turn it lower too I think? It's all the way down at 90 right now.

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Yes, blow the air past the bulb onto the thermostat. And I have my thermostat facing the other way, so that I can access the adjustment for fine tuning.

What size bulb do you have in there again? If you think about it, a super high wattage is going to cycle faster, because of the increased heat output. I have two 20w bulbs in mine, and yes - it probably cycles every 5-7 minutes, like yours does. Also, though - think about the stress on the light filament from cycling. I'd rather it cycle a bit slower, but keep a steady temperature, than it cycle super quickly and burn out the bulb (probably while I'm not looking, because that's my life).

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Oh - and you're going to need to fit a wicking source of moisture in there near your thermostat, too, for your humidity - so if you can back all that up closer to the fan to make room, it'll work better.

 

[Arielle]

Sounds like you are making good progress . . .

Bigger light bulb: wattage. I changed from a 40 to a 60 with better results.

Set WHT to a much higher setting. Like 120. Temp is for bulb temp not actually air temp in the incubator. If you change the design and move the WHT far awayfrom the radiant heat and are now measuring air temp, then shoot for the 100 setting. Does this make sense?

 

[DMRippy]

Go look at my link to may incubator, it is at the bottom of my post. I don't think the water for the humidity will change the temp. It will evaporate the water especially if the fan is blowing near it too. We feel the difference but a thermometer will not feel like it is hotter with more humidity. I have 2 75 watt bulbs in mine BUT I tried 60 watt 100 watt and every combination of the three before I got the temp right so you may have to play with that too.

I too don't like the fast cycling it will blow you lights out quick! I am on my 2nd hatch in my incubator and I was so glad that I had two bulbs in mine cuz one did go out but it was not the one next to the WHT so it stayed warm and did not stop anything. After this hatch I will change the other bulb out to the hatcher cuz it only runs for 5 days max and I am watching that one a lot more often with fuzzy butts popping all over the place

Have you had any change or improvement in the light cycling or the temps getting stable?