I just thought I'd post my experience with the Incukit DC with proportional Thermostat from Incubator Warehouse. Before I bought it, I had a hard time finding reviews, so I wanted to share in case there were others wondering about it.
This is my first time hatching and I went with a DIY cooler incubator because I though I could build one for much less than the cost of a Hova Bator Genesis (which gets such awesome reviews on here, but more than I wanted to spend right now). I already had a cube cooler in great shape and I paid $52 (including shipping) for the Incukit. They had a $5 off coupon on their facebook page. I ordered last Thursday evening and it arrived on Monday via USPS using standard shipping. I'm really glad I didn't pay the extra $7 for expedited shipping! It would have been a waste.
The specs of the incukit are here http://incubatorwarehouse.com/48-watt-incukit-dc.html
It took me a few hours to cut holes in the top of the cooler and install my glass (from a picture frame) and the incukit. The all in one unit comes with screws, washers and a template to help you cut the hole. Once I had the incukit in place, I plugged it in and the heater and fan kicked in. I set up my cooler with a pan for water, a few glass bottles for heat sinks, and a hardware cloth tray to hold the eggs. I also bought an acu-rite remote thermometer/hygrometer. I know there are MUCH better thermometers out there, but I bought this one just as a backup to make sure the incukit was still reading accurately. I have my cooler located in a closet space, so it is protected from most temperature fluctuations. I set it on a thick blanket to insulate from cold tile floors.
It took about 4 hours to reach 99.5, but I also forgot to put HOT water in my heat sink bottles. I imagine having to heat up room temp water added time. Once it got to temp, I let it run overnight to stabilize, however, I don't think it was necessary. Once it reached temp, it was quite stable. The air temp fluctuates around 99-100, but most of the time it reads close to 99.5. It is a proportional heater, so the closer it gets to 99.5, the element uses less power. The directions say it should not run above 65% the majority of the time, and if it does your incubator is too large or not insulated enough. It only puts out 48watts, so is best for small incubators, or could be used in conjunction with a lightbulb. The fan runs constantly, but can be adjusted in the digital menu (it is recommended not to lower it too much, however, as that can cause the unit to overheat).
I set my eggs on Tuesday and have been really happy so far. I did not buy an auto turner and have been turning by hand. The air temp reads 98 after I'm done, but quickly gets back up to temp. My only concern is how long the unit will last. I feel like the fact that it is so close to the heat elements may wear on it over time. That being said, Incubator Warehouse has a 1 year guarantee, so if there are any problems, I will surely send it back. I had initially considered wiring a ranco thermostat, but that would have ultimately cost more and been more timely. I'm also not an electrician by any means, so that may have been risky!
Ok, I will update as my hatch goes. If anyone has questions, I'd be happy to answer. I did so much reading on BYC before I built my incubator, so I thought I should return the favor and post my experience. -Kelsey
Here are some photos:
The incukit DC
Installing it into my cooler
A cozy spot for the incubator
Heat Sinks before I set my eggs
The unit from the inside of the cooler
Prepping eggs with Xs and Os!
This is my first time hatching and I went with a DIY cooler incubator because I though I could build one for much less than the cost of a Hova Bator Genesis (which gets such awesome reviews on here, but more than I wanted to spend right now). I already had a cube cooler in great shape and I paid $52 (including shipping) for the Incukit. They had a $5 off coupon on their facebook page. I ordered last Thursday evening and it arrived on Monday via USPS using standard shipping. I'm really glad I didn't pay the extra $7 for expedited shipping! It would have been a waste.
The specs of the incukit are here http://incubatorwarehouse.com/48-watt-incukit-dc.html
It took me a few hours to cut holes in the top of the cooler and install my glass (from a picture frame) and the incukit. The all in one unit comes with screws, washers and a template to help you cut the hole. Once I had the incukit in place, I plugged it in and the heater and fan kicked in. I set up my cooler with a pan for water, a few glass bottles for heat sinks, and a hardware cloth tray to hold the eggs. I also bought an acu-rite remote thermometer/hygrometer. I know there are MUCH better thermometers out there, but I bought this one just as a backup to make sure the incukit was still reading accurately. I have my cooler located in a closet space, so it is protected from most temperature fluctuations. I set it on a thick blanket to insulate from cold tile floors.
It took about 4 hours to reach 99.5, but I also forgot to put HOT water in my heat sink bottles. I imagine having to heat up room temp water added time. Once it got to temp, I let it run overnight to stabilize, however, I don't think it was necessary. Once it reached temp, it was quite stable. The air temp fluctuates around 99-100, but most of the time it reads close to 99.5. It is a proportional heater, so the closer it gets to 99.5, the element uses less power. The directions say it should not run above 65% the majority of the time, and if it does your incubator is too large or not insulated enough. It only puts out 48watts, so is best for small incubators, or could be used in conjunction with a lightbulb. The fan runs constantly, but can be adjusted in the digital menu (it is recommended not to lower it too much, however, as that can cause the unit to overheat).
I set my eggs on Tuesday and have been really happy so far. I did not buy an auto turner and have been turning by hand. The air temp reads 98 after I'm done, but quickly gets back up to temp. My only concern is how long the unit will last. I feel like the fact that it is so close to the heat elements may wear on it over time. That being said, Incubator Warehouse has a 1 year guarantee, so if there are any problems, I will surely send it back. I had initially considered wiring a ranco thermostat, but that would have ultimately cost more and been more timely. I'm also not an electrician by any means, so that may have been risky!
Ok, I will update as my hatch goes. If anyone has questions, I'd be happy to answer. I did so much reading on BYC before I built my incubator, so I thought I should return the favor and post my experience. -Kelsey
Here are some photos:
The incukit DC
Installing it into my cooler
A cozy spot for the incubator
Heat Sinks before I set my eggs
The unit from the inside of the cooler
Prepping eggs with Xs and Os!
Last edited:
