incubator bulb issues

[shan04]

I know I'm pretty excited when looking at other people's incubator I thought man this looks so complex and hard so I went and bought one for 140 then got home and decided I'm going to give it a try and it was pretty simple (once I get the thermostat in which I just ordered) I love to DIY Stuff.

 

[lazy gardener]

Good for you. You'll not regret it, and you can buy some nice SQ eggs with all the money you just saved.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When you wire that thermostat? If you got the $16 one from Incubator's Warehouse, just clip the two wires on the thermostat. You'll note two black wires. Don't let that confuse you. When you run the lamp cord or re-cycle an extension cord or whatever you use to bring 120V to the light fixture, just remember this simple rule.

Break Black.

In other words, the white wire goes directly to the white colored screw on your light fixture. The thermostat breaks into the black feed, interrupting the black on the way to the lamp fixture and the brass screw. For the current to be complete, it has to go through the thermostat. If the thermostat require current, it will close and complete the circuit to the lamp fixture and the bulb lights. If it wants no more heat, it break apart, breaking the current flow on the black side to the lamp fixture and the bulb goes out.

Easy peasey. Break Black. That's all there is to it.


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[lazy gardener]

Fred: Quick question here for you as you're using the same thermostat I am. Do you notice any variation in your thermostat control when the humidity goes up? Last spring, my temps went wonky when I went into lock down. I couldn't figure out if it was due to the thermostat, or perhaps my thermometer probe wasn't working properly, or perhaps I got into a wild swing of micro-managing my temps. So far, the incubator is holding very steady, though I did need to back the temp down around day #12.

 

[Fred's Hens]

For $16, you aren't getting a $75 incu-kit digital pak unit. It is what it is. It is influenced to about 1/2 degree by humidity and a huge swing in ambient room temperatures. These el cheapo incubators work best if located in the basement where the ambient temp is a rock stead 60F, for example.

So, they do require a touch of babysitting. But so do the other foam incubators that people buy. I check mine when I get up and just before retiring at 10 pm or so.

I have found that upping the fan speed, by using a higher RPM fan and a larger 80mm fan also helps stabilize the swings. I'm down to a mere .5 degree temp swing, which is nothing. Frankly? This is far superior to Little Giant/Farm Innovator and a couple of other styro-bators that most folks buy and use succesfully.

When you scrounge and built a 'Bator for $30 it is what it is. If you have an apartment fridge incubator or a wine cooler with nice stainless interior? I'd spring the $60-$90 or more for an incu-kit or other digital devices. You'd have maybe $100-$150 in the thing, but when you price a factory built model of similar size and features? We're talking $400-$700.