Lab Oven for Incubator

[AngieChick]

So, I have a lead on an old lab oven, which I thought could be converted to an incubator. It already has circulation, and I may be able to use the existing heating system. I would need to cut and install a window, put in a hygrometer and a humidity source. It's old, so it may need rewired. But, even if I have to redo the entire guts, I think for $30 it could still be a good deal. Does this seem doable? It's about 3 foot tall by around 2 foot wide (outside dimensions), and has 2 racks on it, which I would eventually like to replace with auto-turners.

 

[wilds of pa]

Absolutely is workable.. you don't necessary have to put a window in it..but if i had it i certainly would..Do some test runs with it and see just how stable a temp it holds, then go from there to decide how to make it function like a chicken bator..very do-able

Charlie

 

[hollymh]

My husband is a lab-rat and we were talking about using one of the labs test incubators for a chicken incubator lol We haven't gotten much further then talking about it, but it should work! Good luck!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sure! Sounds like a steal if you can get it to regulate at incubation temps, which it can likely do with some mods. My guess is it was used as a plastics autoclave b/c of the 105C on the front. I'd pass on the window thing depending on if the unit is water jacketed or not, and instead see if I could install a inner door so you could open the front door and see in with little disturbance to the air inside. (I wouldn't want to spring a leak)

Good luck!

 

[AngieChick]

Great, I will pick it up for sure then! Thanks so much for the feedback.

Silkie, the picture isn't the real one I am picking up, but a pic as close as I could get to it. It has on the front a paper with a cheat sheet of what the temps are, it goes down to 30C and up pretty high, I don't remember exactly how high. It's an old OSU surplus model, so I have no idea which lab was cooking up what in it. I'll totally post a pic of it when I pick it up. I love the idea of an inner door, it hadn't crossed my mind that it could have water circulating through it. Shows how much time I've spent playing in labs. I think the inner door could be easier to do than cutting into the door too. I could have some plexi cut the right size and rig it in there. You are a genius.

I've been wanting a "project", and this one should be fun.

 

[silkiechicken]

Good luck with the project! Sounds like fun! Just run a Geiger counter over it before you lug it home just in case. LOL J/k. I'm sure they cooled off any hot instruments before surplussing them.

 

[greathorse]

I hope I am not hijacking this thread, but was just given a lab incubator. It was used at a water plant to grow who knows what. It holds temp perfectly but I dont beleive has air exchange and pretty sure it is still air. All stainless steel not sure how to get air into it.

 

[AngieChick]

You aren't hijacking at all. I was considering getting a nice big fan like what is used in the GQF cabinet incubators, they are similar size. Once I get it, I am going to go through the GQF manuals for their cabinet models to see what I can do with it.

 

[silkiechicken]

As long as you can put some holes in it for air circulation, any ol box would work! A large PC fan mounted at the top would work just fine for moving the air around too. Put a pan of water in the bottom and you're ready to hatch! If you want a turner, that's a bit more work, but shouldn't be too hard. Hey, might as well look for a "rocker" while at surplus too. Since that probably has a good motor and literally rocks things back and fourth, although, may be a bit fast!

 

[AngieChick]

I think I saw one there, actually! I was considering eventually getting the GQF turning system and installing it. Or, even cheaper would be somehow rigging one that I can turn manually from outside. I'm going to do a little more research before endeavoring on that kind of rigging. Scrambled eggs would not be good. But, I think that the oven itself can be workable with a minimum of fussing. I picked up a couple of PC fans and adapters last week, so I have an extra that I can stick in there.