Is a Brinsea thermometer as accuarate as the company claims?

[rarebear]

I have 4 therms, 3 of which are $30 each and all are giving me a different temp reading. I posted this last night but now my question is ....I know so many sites are sponsored by Brinsea and I have read the same comments over and over about it's accuracy which are usually the marketing words right from the Brinsea ads....but are they really as accurate as they claim?

I am so frustrated as I have 12 eggs in the bator. I have no idea how to calibrate a digital therm, in fact I read NOT to put them in ice water etc. I did try (no laughing) taking my own temp with the Brinsea and is registered 98.2. Since humans are suppose to be 98.6 I am leaning towards trusting the Brinsea but wonder why the combo unit I bought yesterday from Petsmart for $30. would be a full 3 degrees lower. I am hoping some of you that own the Brinsea therm could give me some input.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I don't own a Brinsea thermometer but would recommend taking all but one thermometer out for piece of mind. As you trust the Brinsea then only use that. By hatching you know how accurate a thermometer is. Granted that's not the ideal way to calibrate one but in reality is an excellent way to fine tune what your reading. I have a digital combination temp/hygrometer. To check that it was accurate I checked it against a child's thermometer right in the incubator before setting eggs. Being satisfied it was accurate to one degree incubated with it. My first hatch with it was more on day 22 than day 21. They hatched from the night of day 20 to mid day 23. With this knowledge my next hatch will be done at .5 degree higher.

Use what you have and keep note of what happens to fine tune. Keeping the same equipment is really the only way to get better hatches as you can keep notes and make minor changes and note the results of next hatch. Unless one purchases a 70-100 dollar lab thermometer to calibrate one assumes all thermometers are off. Many thermometers don't read from freezing to boiling point of water so we use what we've the most faith in and incubate higher or lower depending on results. Having many thermometers is just frustrating and causes undo stress on the person hatching.

 

[heronz]

This is the hardest part of incubating eggs.
Seems with all thermometers it varies.
I would ask a friend with a thermometer-that has been used in a successful hatch-if you could use it to compare.
I had a 100% hatch in my incubator last year so I labeled that thermometer and brought it with me to go and compare and buy several new ones that read to same to have plenty on hand for the future.
It's awful just how much they vary.

 

[rarebear]

Thank you both for the kind advice...Yes, it certainly is frustrating having 4 therms all different. I use to be in a field where every company wanted to supply me with thousands of dollars of free cookware and appliances if I would endorse them. I would not do it because my reputation was based on pristine cooking and using the proper tools..not what I could get for free. People trusted me and I couldn't get into that baseless promotion of product. Now my second feat will to be try to get that Lil' Giant incubator to be at exactly at 99.5. Alas, this is worse than being pregnant.

 

[heronz]

My problem with a few of the little giants was they were different temps on either side(same thermometer)
Even though I had the fan.
Check temps on both sides and if they aren't the same or VERY close take it back until you find one that is.
Hopefully they will let you exchange.

 

[rarebear]

You are certainly right about the Lil Giant. It is almost impossible to get than heat lever to move a tiny bit for adjustment. I see that you are Wyandotte fan. I have always wondered what shade of blue/red is the most desired color in a BLRW, the lighter or the darker?

 

[heronz]

Most people say darker but I like them all.
I just like variety in a breed where it's acceptable.