Little Giant 10300

[AKchicken1]

My 10300 is a disaster. I have attached the thermometer probe to the lid, hanging down at about top of egg height. I am calibrating with multiple reliable thermometers, which I always have to anyway. Hoping it helps with the variability of the probe moving around on the turner. This will be my last attempt to make the 10300 work. I will get a brinsea40 and sell the 10300. Although I will feel bad selling this nightmare to another. We will see what happens. Plan to set 40 eggs tonight.

 

[feedman77]

My 10300 is a disaster. I have attached the thermometer probe to the lid, hanging down at about top of egg height. I am calibrating with multiple reliable thermometers, which I always have to anyway. Hoping it helps with the variability of the probe moving around on the turner. This will be my last attempt to make the 10300 work. I will get a brinsea40 and sell the 10300. Although I will feel bad selling this nightmare to another. We will see what happens. Plan to set 40 eggs tonight.

I just got a 10300.

Was thinking of doing same thing with the probe.

When I was dry running mine. It looked like I had to set it at 103 to get 99.5 at egg level.

What issues have you had with yours?

Was gonna set 40 turkey eggs on thurs. And try mine out

 

[AKchicken1]

I just got a 10300.

Was thinking of doing same thing with the probe.

When I was dry running mine. It looked like I had to set it at 103 to get 99.5 at egg level.

What issues have you had with yours?

Was gonna set 40 turkey eggs on thurs. And try mine out

Temperature inconsistency is the main issue. One day I need the thermostat set at 93.8 to keep one side under 102 and the other side barely above 98.2. Next day that setting will be cooking one side and the other will be about right, 99.5. Our house is a steady 70 where we have the incubator.

The hygrometer is also on the useless side. Now that I have a good one in there that's obvious. It is supposed to be reasonably accurate above 50% I believe, mine isn't. It's a good 20% off always, and variable.

But temp inconsistency is the big one. Having a job to go to I often come home to Temps that I am certain have killed some eggs.

I am going to stick with this batch, temp probe taped solid to a wall, and see what happens. At least it hasn't randomly spiked to over 105 this go around yet.

I've tried rotating the lid, weights in the lid, the controller on mine is just garbage I am afraid.

my last batch mostly all died between 18 and 21 days, either cooked or drowned from my necropsy results. Considering running dry right through hatch.

Let me know if you figure yours out or if it just works for you. Mine is 18 days away from a one way trip to the dump I think. Maybe I just got a dud. I used to have way better hatch rates withe a 30 year old wafer controller without a turner. I thought I was upgrading! Oops. Eyeing the brinsea 40 advanced or will just build one.

Good luck.

 

[AKchicken1]

I just got a 10300.

Was thinking of doing same thing with the probe.

When I was dry running mine. It looked like I had to set it at 103 to get 99.5 at egg level.

What issues have you had with yours?

Was gonna set 40 turkey eggs on thurs. And try mine out

Well, scratch the never above 105 part from last post. 105.5 on right side of Bator 100.9 on left, set at 93.7 on the incubator. I guess taping the temp probe to the side does not work.

 

[AKchicken1]

Well, scratch the never above 105 part from last post. 105.5 on right side of Bator 100.9 on left, set at 93.7 on the incubator. I guess taping the temp probe to the side does not work.

Today, when I got home from work it was apparent that my brand new egg turner, 3 days into its second batch of eggs had quit working. With Miller Manufacturing s stellar 30 day warranty, I am hosed. I will never purchase any incubating related anything from miller ever again.

 

[feedman77]

My 10300 won't stabilize I have 4 different temps in all the corners.

The fan seems about worthless.

I don't know why miller wouldn't center the heating element and fan. It's offset is counter productive.

That temp probe when I had on the top of eggs on turner would move toward the heating element and really messed with the temps. Took it off plastic zip tied it to the wires across the lid adjusted to to get temps close. Still didn't help with the variability around the bator.

After this round off eggs will probably take this bator apart adjust the heater to the center. If can't get that to work might use element and build a coolerbator.

The one other thing I noticed is the lid where the handles are notched in don't seal and let a lot of air in besides all the vent holes.



My 9300 I'm using as a hatcher I have got it to work well enough for that.

 

[AKchicken1]

My 10300 won't stabilize I have 4 different temps in all the corners.

The fan seems about worthless.

I don't know why miller wouldn't center the heating element and fan. It's offset is counter productive.

That temp probe when I had on the top of eggs on turner would move toward the heating element and really messed with the temps. Took it off plastic zip tied it to the wires across the lid adjusted to to get temps close. Still didn't help with the variability around the bator.

After this round off eggs will probably take this bator apart adjust the heater to the center. If can't get that to work might use element and build a coolerbator.

The one other thing I noticed is the lid where the handles are notched in don't seal and let a lot of air in besides all the vent holes.



My 9300 I'm using as a hatcher I have got it to work well enough for that.

I put weights on the lid over each handle area to try to seal the lid better. Not convinced it really did much. I'm not sure I will bother moving the heater element or not. I'm pretty sure the thermostat and heater combo are not capable of being consistent. Every time I think it's starting to hold it will fluctuate wildly. A bit ago, after seeming alright for almost 5 hours with thermostat set at 98, one side heated to 104.5 again, while the other side was 97.8, so mine on average has a good temp in it. But in reality, all my eggs on one side are surely dead from overheating, while the other side is probably heading towards under development and death.

Do you think the controller is decent enough to work in a cooler bator.

The miller manufacturing warranty is pretty entertaining though. It lists some of the factors that can affect hatch rates. I think the main one they have forgotten, use of an LG incubator seems to be an important factor in reduced hatch rates.

 

[feedman77]

I had temp readings of 102.1 and 99.6 in the corners next to the heater.

In the corners away from The heater I had 96.7 and 95.5.

I thought I had temps stable when I had no eggs in it. But after eggs were in all bets were off.

I would try everything in a coolerbator if the controls didn't work there I was gonna replace with an stc1000 or comparable control.

 

[cphats]

I see this thread is old, but I too have wrestled with the 10300. I placed a second fan in mine opposite side of the heater and in the corner, disconnected the probe from the film, suspended it from the top at mid egg level. All of this only fixes the temp fluctations. I then used 2 reliable thermometers and ended up turning the set temp to 101......this gives me an even temp of 99.5 all throughout the incubator, and has produced several hatches of 80% all the eay to the rare 100%. Oddly hyrdogometer has been spot on.