Incubating - Temp variation

[Candiss]

I bought two digital thermometers, one has a reading of 100 and the other is showing 104? What should I do?? Has this happened to others and what was the out come. Thank you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You need to calibrate your thermometers. You will be surprised how far off they can be. Next time you are at a store that sells thermometers look at several. It is educational to see how far apart they can be in the same location.

The thermometers you buy to check the outside temperature can be off by 1 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit. That does not mean they are within one ot two degrees of the correct temperature. It means if you take them away and bring them back, they will get within 1 to 2 degrees of the temperature they read before, even if it is off by several degrees. I got thermometers that read within 0.1 degrees of the repeatable temperature, then calibrated them so I know what is really going on in my incubator.

Calibrate thermometer
http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/fsrl/pubs/factsheets/ThermCalibration(07).pdf