My first buld!!

[SarasNest]

Hello all my fellow chicken lovers!! I'm new to the site but have been looking around for weeks. I have made an incubator this past weekend and have it almost perfect. My issue seems to be cold spots!!! I can't figure it out for the life of me so i figured i would come to the pros lol.





The box is 21" * 11 1/2" * 10 1/2" I have a 60w bulb with the HWH T-stat that is drilled out within 1" of the bulb. i have a smaller pc fan blowing on the bulb& t-stat with a bigger pc fan in the opposite corner blowing toward the other end of the box.. There are 4 vent holes.Soooooooo can anyone look at this thing with a fresh pair of eyes and fill me in on what i might be doing wrong? Thanks so much.

 

[SarasNest]

is anyone looking?

 

[Penny Hen]

Hello all my fellow chicken lovers!! I'm new to the site but have been looking around for weeks. I have made an incubator this past weekend and have it almost perfect. My issue seems to be cold spots!!! I can't figure it out for the life of me so i figured i would come to the pros lol.





The box is 21" * 11 1/2" * 10 1/2" I have a 60w bulb with the HWH T-stat that is drilled out within 1" of the bulb. i have a smaller pc fan blowing on the bulb& t-stat with a bigger pc fan in the opposite corner blowing toward the other end of the box.. There are 4 vent holes.Soooooooo can anyone look at this thing with a fresh pair of eyes and fill me in on what i might be doing wrong? Thanks so much.

is anyone looking?

Your cold spot is directly in front of the fan at the distance that the air loses momentum and the colder air drops to the bottom. Ideally you fan should blow across the area directly in front of your bulb or the fan should be positioned above the bulb because heat rises and then would rise up into the air stream caused by the fan. You could probably fix it with a secondary smaller bulb placed above that cold spot. You might have to try different watts to get the temp right and not create a hot spot. I would try a 30 watt bulb there to begin with. You have the choice of wiring it into the thermostat too or leaving it independant as a failsafe for the other lightbulb. Lower watt bulbs last longer and if the main bulb goes out it can keep the eggs from totally chilling so that you have time to check and replace the bulb.

 

[SarasNest]

Awsome thanks. Also should the light be blinking on and off like a crazy car directional? It is only doing this when I get to 99.5-100.5 Its almost kike a loose wire but I know its not lol I made sure. Getting eggs this weekend and hoped this would just work hahaha silly me!

 

[Hounds51]

Also you need more insulation, thats why your light keeps blinking on and off so often.
get some of that craft foam and insulate at least 3 sides.

 

[Penny Hen]

Also you need more insulation, thats why your light keeps blinking on and off so often.
get some of that craft foam and insulate at least 3 sides.

And at least you know your thermostat is sensitive enough. I used a cheap water heater thermostat at first and on the 16th day it spiked to 131˚ before cutting off and cooked my eggs. Also you can use glass jars of water as a heat sinks. If you find you need to up the humidity than you half submerge a sponge in the jars.

 

[SarasNest]

I do have some sinks in there on the bottom. I have 3 sides insulated with the whole thing( except the thick glass top) is covered with that tin foil tape stuff. Is that not enough?Does anyone know how to drill hols on a T-stat like this one?

 

[Penny Hen]

I do have some sinks in there on the bottom. I have 3 sides insulated with the whole thing( except the thick glass top) is covered with that tin foil tape stuff. Is that not enough?Does anyone know how to drill hols on a T-stat like this one?

Do you have the bottom insulated? It looks like it is sitting directly on the concrete floor which will pull the heat away from it real fast. Even just folding up an old blanket between it an the concrete will improve your heat retention.

 

[SarasNest]

Yup it is insulated.. on the inside and out hehe. It is in my living room no concrete.

 

[SarasNest]

Could someone please help me with fan placement? Where it is now im not getting even heating and im going nuts. I have been fiddling with this darn thing for a week... The temps are 98-101 in different areas. I have one fan right on the Tstat and bulb blowing toward the back wall. I have the other blowing toward the front wall. It sounds right....right? well it is not working. I need to figure this out before it goes right out the window!!