JN8-48 incubator

[beetandsteet]

I got this no-name incubator a few days ago in the mail as a surprise birthday gift from my uncle and aunt. Since it didn't have any name on it, or on the unusually translated and vague instructions, I did some research and it looks like some version of a JN8-48--a chinese incubator. I turned it on and it is extremely loud, vibrates excessively and the cheap, flimsy egg turner came broken. It also came with styrofoam shields to insulate it, which I think I will use because it can't seem to hold temperature--it keeps fluctuating. I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth here, but this beats my Little Giant any day for cheapness! Has anyone used this incubator before, and if so, do you have any tips? I can already tell it's going to need a lot of adjusting and tweaking!

 

[ArcticMermaid]

I have the smaller model that holds 48 eggs and it is horrible. out of 30 eggs none hatched because the temp and humidity kept fluctuating so much. The temp actually run so low i had to put a heat lamp on it to try and get the temp up. It constantly alarms and it is loud. i hope you have better luck

 

[beetandsteet]

I have the smaller model that holds 48 eggs and it is horrible. out of 30 eggs none hatched because the temp and humidity kept fluctuating so much. The temp actually run so low i had to put a heat lamp on it to try and get the temp up. It constantly alarms and it is loud. i hope you have better luck

So do I. I don't have very good vibes though

 

[Muldune]

I just used a simular incubator the cux on these systems is the heater element. Its a ptc type heater which is frail and can corrode cuasing intermittent loss of heat. I just installed a heater element from my old foam incubator into the new incubator and its working. If it stays stable for three days and does burn up I intend to do a writeup with pictures and a video so others may benefit. Hope this helps you. I would also tell you expect to use the packaging as insulatation it really does help the cycle times for the heater.

 

[beetandsteet]

I just used a simular incubator the cux on these systems is the heater element. Its a ptc type heater which is frail and can corrode cuasing intermittent loss of heat. I just installed a heater element from my old foam incubator into the new incubator and its working. If it stays stable for three days and doesn't burn up I intend to do a writeup with pictures and a video so others may benefit. Hope this helps you. I would also tell you expect to use the packaging as insulatation it really does help the cycle times for the heater.

Thank you! And

 

[Muldune]

Day 9 of hybrid heater element still functional calling this a winner. First hatch due christmas or there abouts with this setup.

 

[ArcticMermaid]

I decided to give mine a try again using a tip form another site of putting a heating pad under it on low to help the element so far it is working

 

[Muldune]

I would look to your heater element judgeing from your last post. You stated it was not consistent. The heating pad is just going to mask some of the main issue. I think you will be frustrated unless you repair and calibrate the unit.

 

[ArcticMermaid]

I would look to your heater element judgeing from your last post. You stated it was not consistent. The heating pad is just going to mask some of the main issue. I think you will be frustrated unless you repair and calibrate the unit.

The temp is staying to low and i have the unit turned up to as high as the unit will go. The replacement element is almost as much as a new incubator. I am using a hygrometer and thermostat that show with the heating pad on humidity and temp are now perfect for hatching. If I have a bad hatch rate it will not be bad as it is one days collection of eggs. Once spring gets here i may get a better incubator but until them i am happy with the practice.

 

[Muldune]

As an update and to the orginal posters concerns. The heating element failed after the first hatch. It was replace with a TSC foam incubator 40watt heating element i had on hand. I used all the mounting hardware from the foam incubator and secure it in the upper section above and attached to the plastic mesh. For the wiring I just connected it to the leads of the prior heating element and it turned on when the pcb called for heat. That has been working extremely well, the heat does swing alittle but its less than .3 celcius on the probe reading. It is corrected within 5 minutes of a heat call from the pcb. Now the next thing is the turner. It lasted 2 cycles and then the drive bearing on the motor released. This disconnected the motor from the turner trays and i havent found a fix for this yet. I removed the new turner and installed my old tsc turner, all good now. I guess the plus side of this incubator is the pcb temperature control and the box is easy to clean and holds temps well with the packing foam on it. This package combined with my old foam bater is doing well. Hope this helps someone. P.s. i did order more heating elements like the one that came with it but never used them cost was 5.78$ free shipping aliexpress. Took 18 days to get here usa from china.