I need help...

[galanie]

Look down at my signature and click on the second link. Rebelcowboy has instructions and video on his page showing how to install a hot water heater thermostat to get very little variation.
Not many seem to have caught this and so you get lots of people here saying those thermostats just don't work well. They do, you just have to do it a certain way. The second video is the one to watch even if you look at nothing else on this page:

Using a hot water heater thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html

I tried many things, including the suggestion of drilling holes in the thermostat, but what he says works. I get almost no variation now. It takes a bit of tinkering but it works.

And yes, use a 40 watt bulb.

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Do you have any thermal mass (heat sinks) in there, closed jars full of water, rocks, anything that holds heat? That will limit some of the fluctuations. Thermostat might be too far away from heat source. I use two 40 watt bulbs, so 80w total.
There are people on here far more knowledgeable than me so i'm sure they will chime in.

 

[rebel yell]

the water heater thermostat has to be about 1 inch from the bulb with the meatel side faceing the bulb & you will get it to about 1-1\\2 a deg. varition.

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Quote:
And I second that....Rebelcowboy has it figured out...

 

[paddock36]

I've seen people put them in all different spots. Some say closer together, some say father apart. My incubator keeps good temp. The thermostat is upside down because I wanted the wires down instead of on top, but I have read that's the best way. I'm no expert. Also, I have always used the 40 watt bulb and I buy the more expensive bulbs instead of cheap ones from the dollar store. They always burn out too quick. I have all the photos of my incubator on my BYC page if you want to see more of them. I will say you should be very careful. I don't think I would move it now if you have eggs in there already. The lower temp will slow development but that's better than cooking them.

 

[htaesali]

Thank you all so much! I have done what you said in a matter of minutes so I hope they make it and dint loose too much heat while I was working in there. Well if these guys dont make it my next batch will...Ihope... You guys are really great! Thanks so much.

 

[paddock36]

Let us know how your hatch goes.

 

[htaesali]

Ok will do. The temp is even now at 98 degrees so a little more work and I can get to 99.8, thats what our book says it should stay at in a circulated incubator. does that temp sound good?

 

[rickerra]

Dialing in temps is tricky. It's even more challenging with eggs in there. On the one hand you should wait after every adjustment or change and let it stabilize and see the results... but if those results are spiking the temps too high or low then you can't wait or risk hurting the eggs. Tough situation.

As for the water heater t-stat... it's distance away from the light bulb is dependent on a number of factors. There is no perfect distance for everybody.

The bulb wattage (how much heat it gives off) matters. The size of the incubator (how much space to heat) matters. How well the incubator holds heat (styrofoam vs glass) matters.

Use the temp adjustment screw on the t-stat to set the TURN ON temperature you want... based on temps from a thermometer near the eggs (ignore the temp numbers on the t-stat it's self). Use the distance between the light bulb and t-stat (backside of t-stat in direct line of sight to bulb... don't cover bulb shining on t-stat) to set the amount of time the light stays ON... ie the cycle time. The time the light bulb is on is the only time your putting heat into your box. You only need enough heat to reach your desired upper temp. Shorten the ON cycle by moving the t-stat ever so slightly closer to the bulb until the ON cycle puts in enough heat to get you to your upper temp. Be sure to let the whole cycle run OFF then back ON... between each adjustment.

In my very well insulated box (1.5" styrofoam)... using a 60W bulb... I have my t-stat 2.5" (a little less than 3 fingers) away from the bulb. This gives me a 3 minute ON cycle (5min off) for my bulb which raised the temps enough to go from turn-on-temp of 99 to 100 degrees. Keep in mind that after the bulb goes out... temps will continue to rise a tad before dropping. Earlier in my attempts to dial-in my box... I had the t-stat 3" way and that gave me a 5min ON cycle... but that put in too much heat... hit 101.5 temps... so I shortened the ON time by moving the t-stat closer to the bulb... till I found the "sweet spot"


99.8 sounds like a great temp. I just keep mine at 100.


Hope that makes sense and is helpful.
Cheers!