Maintaining temperature in LG when removing lid?

[ChestnutRidge]

I'm going to use an LG still air as a hatcher, so yesterday I got the temperature set where I wanted it. Humidity was still low, so I put a piece of tape over the temperature dial so that I wouldn't accidently move it, unplugged the unit so I wouldn't burn myself while making adjustments, and leaned it against the wall (top towards wall, heat element cooling in the air).

When I put the lid back on and got it running again, the temperature was down in the mid-90s! I went through the whole process of making small adjustments and waiting until it was again correct.

When I move my eggs in for lockdown, what do I do with the lid? I don't want to have to fiddle with the temperature while the eggs are in there; I need it to stay as it was set. What do you do with the lid when putting in the eggs for lockdown?

Also, out of curiosity, what temperature do you aim for in a still air for lockdown?

 

[columbiacritter]

I use a piece of aquarium tubing through an air vent so I don't have to lift the lid except for the two times we candle during incubating. We also have out bator in a spare bathroom so we take in a spare heater and run it while someone takes a real hot shower with the exhaust fan off so it's durn near a perfect incubator temp and humidity when we take the lid off. Doing this makes us feel like we don't have to rush candling as much.

If you can't put your bator in a bathroom like us try putting it someplace where you can safely jack the temp up with a space heater before you open it.

 

[ksf59]

I don't use LG's but do use small bator (forced air). I have to hand turn mine so open the lid twice a day. The direction that came with mine expressly stated to leave the bator plugged in while turning, and place the top down on flat surface just like it set on bator, while turning. I do this and mine will come back to temp within 2 minutes of replaceing the lid. I have hatched in this one, but with no window , was hard to monitor. I did lift the lid slightly every day during hacthing to peek at progress. Mine has a preset electronic stat, so I can't mess with the temp, but it maintains temps very well.

 

[ecse129]

After putting your eggs in, don't adjust temperature for the first 12 hours or so. When you first put the eggs in it will mess with your temperature. Let it stabilize before making adjustments. They then recommend that every time you make adjustments you let it set for 6 hours before making another adjustment. With the Little Giant, it needs time to stabilize and in mine experience with it, it will not stay stable the whole incubating time. Minor adjustments will have to be made throughout the time, but that is just with my experience.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Thanks everyone. I've using the aquarium tubing and I don't want to mess with the temperature once I put the eggs in, but I hadn't been expecting to lose my temperature setting by turning it off or leaning it against the wall. My directions had said to turn it off each time you remove the lid, but I guess that's not going to work. Hoping that it won't be damaging to my table, I'll just set the lid on the table and leave it on when I set up my eggs for hatch.

Thanks!

 

[ecse129]

I turn mine up on the wall like you said and never had any problems. Just try to set quickly. The eggs need time to adjust to the temp anyway so it shouldn't hurt them to let the temp get back up.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Quote:
Do you leave the heating element on?
Thank you!