Need a new thermostat???

[sirj_76]

Hi again everyone. I have a new "to me" cabinet incubator. I got it up and running, but it seems like it short cycles. Like the element doesn't stay on for more than 10 to 20 seconds. Is this normal? My little giants don't cycle that short. Just wondering if anyone has any advice? I haven't had it running for that long yet. Maybe 30 minutes to an hour. The heat is still rising but just didn't seem quite right to me. Let me know if I'm just getting anxious? Thanks for any help.

I should add that it has 2 thermostats in it. I haven't taken it apart to look at what kind they are for sure. I do know that they are wafers. Anyhow when I adjust one of them the indicator light never comes on. That does mean that at least that t-stat is no good right?

Thanks again.

 

[perrym1962]

Should be fine. I have a homemade one that I built to sportsman specs. I have have a wafer and it short cycles when it gets to temperature. Maybe 20 sec on 20 sec off. But this is the way I intended for it to operate. Stays within 2/10ths of a degree. The second thermostat you were speaking of is in case the first one fails the other one will kick it off and not fry your eggs, assuming it is set at the proper temp..

 

[emvickrey]

I don't know if your interested but I found an electronic thermostat on ebay for $14.95. I think it was. It is brand new with instructions on how to wire it. We plan to put one in out cabinet when ever we get it built. I know where to get the thermostat. GQF they cost somewhere around $80.00

 

[jvls1942]

there is ablolutely nothing wrong with our cabinet bator.. You just do not have it set up correctly..

Here's what to do.. turn the one toward the front as high as it will go.. adjust the one to the rear to 100F.. when that indicator light goes on and off at a very rapid rate, you will be stabilized at 100F NOW adjust the front one to 99,5 .. the rear one is your back-up one.. you do not have to set it again.. do all of your adjusting with the front one.. I have three of that kind.. my indicator lights blink like a turn signal on a car when it is to temp...

edit: thermostats very seldom go bad.. if your temerature swings more than 3 degrees, change just the wafer.. I bought some recently for about $7.oo..

 

[sirj_76]

jvls1942 Thanks for the info. I still am a little confused. My stats are side by side not front to back. So do you mean by front the first one in the wiring? I hope you get what I am asking? Thanks again.

I guess I should add that there is only one indicator light.

 

[perrym1962]

Quote:
This is a water heater thermostat you can get at Lowes or Home depot for about 10$. They will work, but not that good unless it is a have to case.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
your stats are on the side of the cabinet.. one is closer to the door than the other.. the one farthest from the door is the back-up stat.. It is adjusted first , to 100F.. the other one, (closest to the door) is the primary one.. it controls your hatching temperature 99.5F

the both are connected to the same indicator light..

 

[sirj_76]

They are mounted in the top, but they are side by side. They are both the same distance from the door. So do I just pick one for primary and one for the back up? Yes it is only wired to one light. So are you saying that the light will work the same as you said earlier even though there is only 1?

 

[jvls1942]

OK,, I have never seen a GQF where the thermostats were not mounted high on one side or the other..

If yours are on top, no matter.. try to pick the first one in line from the power source as the back-up.. If you cannot determine which one that is, then just assume it is the one closest to where the cord enters the cabinet.

go from there as I described.. use the indicator light for setting each of the stats..