Need Help With Temp In Homemade Styrofoam Incubator.....

[ScarlettGirl11]

Last weekend I decided I wanted to make an incubator instead of buying one, so I searched and searched and finally found one that was easy and cheap. It is made out of a Styrofoam cooler with a 15w light bulb a temp/humidity gauge, a jar with water, and a sponge. The first time I turned it on I had a 40w light in and it got up to 120 degrees, second time I switched to the 15w light but its been in the low hundreds (102-108) I put some holes under the light on one side and over the gauge on the other (3 rows of little holes made by a small screw driver) the temp has gone a little bit down (106) since the holes....my question is, should I add more holes or something else?????

 

[bradnjulieplus4]

Id say take the water jar out its keeping the ambien temp to high and maybe try a thermostat to kick the light off for a second to keep the temp down if it gets too high

 

[ScarlettGirl11]

ok I took the jar out and it down to 104...I don't have the money for a thermostat so is there any thing else that could possibly work?

 

[bradnjulieplus4]

Aluminum foil blocking the light a little ?

 

[ScarlettGirl11]

ok ill try that when I get home and update tomorrow on how it goes.

 

[bradnjulieplus4]

Im in the same boat im at 106 but i got a big box and im using a 40w bulb imma try a 15 watt tonight

 

[ScarlettGirl11]

good luck!

 

[shootemup604]

Without a thermostat or similar temperature control, variations in the ambient temperature are going to lead to significant fluctuations in your "incubator". Wafer switches or digital controls are available for under $20 - otherwise, use a hen.

 

[bradnjulieplus4]

Im gonna try to paint a 40w bulb to give it that little bit of cooler edge

 

[PD-Riverman]

There is way you can control the temp without a thermostat----unless once you get to the right temp doing what you are doing and then you got to keep the room the incubator is in the exact same degrees through out the incubation period-------if your room gets 1 degree hotter or colder---your inside temp will change. If you had eggs in it and they reached 106 degree's for a while----your eggs would be fried. If you got more time than money----plug your incubator into a power strip with a on/off switch---watch the temp-----every time it gets 101 cut the switch off, when it drops to 99, turn it back on. If you do this 24/7 for 3 weeks-----the $20 for a thermostat sounds cheap. Good Luck!!

PS, I would check Craigslist etc for a used one------I have bought several styrofoam ones used for $20 and less----one I payed $5 for.