LG still air

[theredroosta]

Quote:
here is a LG 9200 pix taken of thermometer temp from egg level with no water in the tray. 4" from the heat element to egg level heat has no chance to rise in order to cool down at 122.0 degrees F (thats what the thermometer stopped reading at)



https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/74222_img_2972.jpg


it stopped reading at 122.0 on a black car out here that would be hot enough to fry an egg on!

Heat rises out of the incubator, it doesn't rise up to cool down. Then cool air is drawn up from the bottom and heated by the element.

 

[theredroosta]

Listen, I need to learn how to use a still air properly or how to make it work better (fan, turner, etc.) Not how heat rises or expands so please stay on topic okay? thank you

 

[barefoottrims]

that was with every vent open and still got a 122 temp both bottom and top and then even took one of the windows off and the heat element was able to produce a temp of 122

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

why would you turn it up that high anyway?


theredroosta, a fan will help a lot. I wont incubate without one anymore. Turner is nice to have but I don't think it actually helps hatch rates compared to hand turning.

I use medical/oral thermometers. Cheep an usually very accurate.

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

Quote:
Understanding how heat works is important to knowing WHY the LG is so problematic, but if you just want the steps:

The LG stinks because of two factors: No air circulation, meaning that the hot air moves in a slow convection pattern around the inside of the unit and you can't get a consistent correct temperature, and a cheap crappy thermostat element that doesn't keep temperatures within an acceptable range.

You can solve those issues by 1) installing a fan under the top lid (or putting a very small standalone fan on the wire) and 2) by running the plug into a reptile thermostat or by installing a better thermostat element like a water heater wafer type.

However, once you do both those modifications ($40-$50 for the LG, $40 for the fan kit including shipping, $30 for the reptile thermostat) you've just bought yourself a Brinsea, which is a fundamentally better designed incubator even apart from the fact that it already has a fan and a better thermostat. If you are good enough at electrical work to DIY the circulation and thermostat using parts you have around the house, you can still come out ahead with the LG.

 

[barefoottrims]

Quote:
because I plan to try it with a incubation and hatch to see if it will work at 30% humidity and before I use anything I want to know what it can or can't do before I get started with it. now I know that even at 122 it still has 20% humidity just need to figure out how to get it to 30% and keep it there

 

[BeccaB00]

I use LG still air. No turner or anything. I've had awsome hatch

rates with this thing! last time 10 out of 12 hatched.

I don't use the original thermometer though. It's to... 'dinky'

and I wouldn't trust it. I'd buy a different thermometer.

-Becca

 

[Rainwolf]

theredroosta
The theory with still air incubators is that the cool air comes in from the bottom and exits the top making a even flow of temp air.
The reality is that the still air incubators have hot spots and cold spots which can create bad hatches.
The secret is to know your incubator. not the brand or type or etc...
Each incubator reacts slightly differently in different locations, climates, ambient temps, etc etc
example If I have my incubator in my dinning room there tends to be issues with temp control. if its in my bedroom the issues seems to go away. Mainly less air disturbance and less temp flux in the room makes my foam incubator behave better. I live in Seattle I don't need water in the try to maintain a 35-40% humidity... its in the air here. etc.

So before hatching anything else. find a thermometer you know works right. I use a oral medical thermometer. the old fashion kind not digital
Get a couple more thermometers.
Test them all in a cup of water I use room temp so that the temp does not flux to much.
Check and see if they all read the same if not note which one is high/low by how much
Then place them all around the incubator and run it for 12 hrs. check for the variances, move the thermometers again to different spots test again.
Once you know where the cold/hot spots are you know to move those eggs around to different spot or not place a egg in that spot.

OR get a fan and install. You still want to check for hot/cold spots but the variance will be minor most likely.


Most problem hatches I find are due to A) hot/cold spots B) humidity issues.

Make sure you have a hygrometer that you've tested for accuracy as well.


I know this is all info you most likely already knew but thats what i believe is needed for a accurate healthy hatch

 

[speckledhen]

barefoot, your thermometer is incorrect. That is the worst one on the market. I have that exact one and I never used it for incubating because mine always read ridiculously high and I junked it. It always read 20% humidity, too, so you are NOT getting 122 degrees in there. It's not made for incubating at all and if anyone has an accurate one, it's the exception to the rule. Finding good instruments is the hardest thing about incubating.

If you really do have that temp, it doesn't matter about the humidity, your eggs will cook to a crisp, no matter the humidity. A turner doesn't matter as far as temp- it's a fact that in a still air bator, the temp at the top of the eggs must be 101.5-102 for proper incubation, turner or no turner. Hand turning does not change the temp requirements; the fact that no air is circulating is what matters. I tell you this is correct from experience. The only time you need only 99.5-100* is when there is a fan circulating the air. That is just a fact. So, enough of the arguing, please!

 

[Katy]

I used to have one and hated it. Cooked more eggs with the temp spikes than I care to think about.