Inaccurate thermometer question

[araucanasmom]

I found out that the temp. in the bator is lower then thermometer reads. I have eggs due to be put in hatch position today. Should I still do everything on schedule or wait? My last hatch is running 2 to 4 days late.

 

[77horses]

Almost same problem here; we have a digital thermometer with probe, and we measure the temp. by sticking it in a water wiggler(homemade out of a ziplock bag filled with water...) The thermometer (at night) goes up to 101-103*F. During the day, it will stay at 99.5-101*F. I think it's the thermometer because when it says 103*F, I stick my hand in and it feels much cooler than that. So, I'm just sticking to my method to see how it works; keeping the small door on the bator cracked open to help with ventilation and using a 25 watt light bulb. Hopefully it works!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Hmmm... It would be interesting to check the voltage of the receptacle that the incubator is plugged into. Check it around 2pm and then again around 10pm. The load on the power-grid will be less at night when folk's AC units are not working as hard. I'm curious as to whether a higher voltage at the receptacle is found. If the voltage is higher this *might* be contributing to the higher temperatures...more power getting to the thermostat and light bulb.

Think about it...why would the thermometer be showing a different temperature at night???

Just a thought.
Ed

 

[ZZsBabiez]

I bought the Brinsea thermometer with the probe thinking it was better than the cheapie Walmart thermometer/hygrometer... that wasn't the case..
I came to the conclusion that it's near impossible to really know the exact temp..
I put the cheapie in there.. got the temp fairly close... marked the position of the dial.. and stopped checking the temps! That was the best thing I ever did.. Now I have MUCH better hatches! Constant fretting over a degree or so.. or adjusting the dial is deadly to eggs.

When I put them in the hatcher.. I only worry if I don't see condensation on the glass.. Other than that, I don't look at temp or Rh anymore.. and my hatch rate is better than ever.

 

[77horses]

Quote:
Yep, instead of constantly cracking the lid of the bator open when the thermometer said it was too hot and then closing it again when it said it was too cold, I'm just leaving it cracked open a little bit to make sure there's enough ventilation, since I have heard that ventilation is the key, not humidity(someone made a post about it).

Now, I'm not even paying attention to what the thermometer says. A broody hen never does that, does she?