Incubator can't hold temperature

[CCCLin]

Hi everyone, first timer here.

My incubator can't seem to hold the temperature. It gets to the right temperature and then the thermostat goes off and the temperature drops to around 85 degrees before the light kicks on again. If I set the thermostat any higher it will turn off at 105 or higher, too hot.

I have a simple styrofoam cooler with a hot water heater thermostat hooked up to a lightbulb. I had a 60W but it got too hot too quick. I changed it to a 40W and it was still too hot even after the light turned off. I now have a 26W energy efficient light bulb in there. It gets it to the right temperature and turns off when it reaches 101. After it turns off it stays there for a few minutes but then drops to about 85 before it kicks on again. There is a Zoo med thermometer and humidity gauge in there (humidity holds steady at around 60 right now). I also put 3 glass jars of hot water (I tried putting rocks before but it didn't do much).

I couldn't get a hold of a computer fan, I don't know if that makes a difference. Anyways, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Tony

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Here, read this page an watch the second video. It should help you a lot.
http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html

 

[CCCLin]

Excellent! Thank you so much!! Is that video linked somewhere on BackYardChickens? I somehow missed it...

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Just on some of my posts I guess. That's my website an my videos.

Here's the Youtube channel for all my videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/RebelCowboySnB

 

[perrym1962]

If it were me I would get a thermostat designed for an incubator instead of a hot water heater thermostat. But that's just me, I tend to have some strange ideas...

 

[Robo]

I would just use a light dimmer.

 

[rebel yell]

The trusty old wafer type thermostat has been proven time & time again, its all i use, I would recommend it.

 

[rancher hicks]

If I've learned anything about incubation is that everyone has to work out their own system. Seems like even when you buy a brand new one you have to tweak your things to your way of doing things. Never heard of a "hot water" thermostat or using a dimmer. But if that's what works for you then thats' great.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Hot water thermostats are the simplest an cheapest thing to use that can be picked up locally, which means a lot to some people an the only option to others.

A hot water thermostat is a wafer thermostat, its just stuffed in to a box. When done right it works as good as a wafer built just for incubation.

 

[CCCLin]

I'm still working it out. It turns off at the right temperature but once it's off the temperature drops very rapidly (like 10 degrees in a minute) so I think I have insulation problems... But the thermostat doesn't kick on. I have thermostat that I got from Lowes. The same one many have used in their DIY incubators here on BYC.