incubator ideas! post your ideas for home made incubators, whether they work or not~

[Lacy Blues]

Doesn't the cooling side of that thermostat need a job? Can I just cut the wire and not worry about it?

 

[coachYania]

Doesn't the cooling side of that thermostat need a job?  Can I just cut the wire and not worry about it?

No, you just set up for heat, that's all, my turn on and off at -+.02.

 

[BobMcDuff]

Doesn't the cooling side of that thermostat need a job? Can I just cut the wire and not worry about it?

Theres no wire to cut, you just don't connect anything to the cooling terminals.

 

[coachYania]

He explain how to do it, you can even e mal him and he will reply the same day most of the time

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks everybody. I'm thinking I will get one of those.

 

[WalnutHill]

Is there a "formula" for the amount of energy output needed per volume of space? I bought an inoperable mini, mini-fridge with about 2 cubic ft of space. My intention was to turn the bottom into an incubator and the top into a hatcher. (The top is 1 cu ft). Anyway, I was planning on dismantling my Hovabator and using those parts in my new build. I know the heat source from the Hovabator would be sufficient to heat the "hatcher" portion, but I was hoping I could use it to heat the bottom as I have another project in mind for the hatcher. I also purchased an STC1000 to use as my main thermostat.

Here is a pic:

I don't know if there is a formula, but I am running a 150w ceramic element to heat a 16 cubic foot homebuilt insulated cabinet incubator and it is more than enough. I ducted the airflow from top to bottom and put the heating element in the duct, though. If I hadn't, I would have gone with two much smaller heat sources at the bottom. 40 watt - 60 watt should have been plenty for mine,

Placement of the heat sensor for the STC1000 is key. My incubator has been working flawlessly for incubation, but when I transferred the eggs to the hatcher drawer at the bottom, the temps were much higher than desired. I had to move the sensor down to the hatcher tray, and now temps throughout the cabinet are even. The heat switches on and off much more frequently now. So try placing your sensor fairly close to the heat source.

 

[chickadoodles]

My DH made this incubator for me and we are using it for a hatcher and getting a 98% hatch rate out of it.




We bought
1 small computer fan off ebay for 1.25
2 light kits hardware store 5.25
2 extention cords 2.00
1 12v phone charger (for fan) 2.45
Styro cooler grocery store 64qt. 35.00
STC1000 Amazon 15.00
Silacone for plexi glass re-used 1.29
Baskets for hatching eggs dollar store 4.00

We also watched a video on youtube by Rush Lane Poultry on how to make the cooler bator and hook up all the wires and set it up and set up the STC1000.
We love it! And I threw out my Hova Bator for this homemade bator that will hold the eggs from two incubaters. I also bought two genesis 1588 this year for incubating.
But after seeing how easy it is to make your own we will not buy another one.

 

[ducklove290]

Can you put a incubator in a closet to help stable temp and humidity??

 

[WalnutHill]

Can you put a incubator in a closet to help stable temp and humidity??

If you use a true thermostat, you don't need to stabilize ambient temperature.

For humidity, it's all based on surface area exposed. You can use plastic covers that slide over your water pan to expose more or less area as desired, or use multiple containers and fill as needed.

 

[ducklove290]

I have a little giant 9300 and I had it in our room but them humidity kept jumping from 46-80% and I took almost all but a tiny bit in on row of water out and it was still like that. Also I calibrated the thermometer and it was 37° so it's 5 degrees off so I should set the temp at what?