New and Improved Homemade Incubator Testing: Results

[Emilys3guppies]

I just noticed this thread...I just finished wiring my incubator last night!

I had previously run my bator like the one you have now. A lightbulb, a thermometre...no thermostat, no fan. I hatched 3 out of 22 eggs...and out of those 22 there were 17 that developed only to not hatch. Uggg!

Anyway, I've learned.

I used a lamp from my hubby's workshop. I bought a thermostat for $8 at Home Hardware. I got a fan from a friend who had an old computer. I got an adaptor for the fan from an old baby monitor I had. The whole project cost me $8.

Do you have facebook? I put my status as "Emily is looking for an old computer fan. Can anyone help?" I had computer fans coming out my butt! Everyone had them....same thing for the baby monitor adaptor (which is the same as an adaptor for a phone, cell phone, toy, ect...it turns the 120 ac volts into 12 dc volts so that the small electronics can use the electricity.

Anyway, there were a few things that helped. When you wire the thermostat you want to make sure that you do it right or you could blow your thermostat and need a new one. It's easy to do it right if you pay attention to the colour of the wires. Post #6 in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=55932&p=1 It's a great diagram on how to wire your thermostat correctly. I just compared it with the instructions that came with my thermostat and I was able to wire it completely within 5 minutes...and I've never wired anything before!!!

My hubby was impressed and approved my wiring.

ANyway, I hope it works for you. It is quite easy, although you do want to take all the proper precautions. Use electrical tape and make sure all the wire is covered. You should do fine.

Has your situation changed since you posted this thread?

 

[bigdawg]

keep in eye on craigslist. not long ago i saw one on there for 40.00 bucks, bator fan and a turner. used very little. now is the time people sell them. alot of people dont hatch again until spring. good luck with your home made bator. all you can do is try. then try again. you will make it work.

 

[77horses]

OK so far my mom just got an adapter that I can use.

Next, we may get a PC fan from eBay, a lamp kit from wal-mart, and anything else that I need.

 

[Fluffy-Butt-Farms]

radio shack...at least the one by me in florida...sells a whisper fan for 8.00 (which is what i'm going to be using in my incubator i'm making). if you can't get one off of ebay...maybe try them???

 

[walkswithdog]

Look for local FREECYCLE groups in your area as well as stuff on craigslist. Freecycle usually runs by county.

 

[77horses]

I was at my almost-step-dad's house last night and I asked him if he had any old parts that I could use for my incubator. He said he might, but wasn't sure where it all was in his basement(which we are building 2 bedrooms in). I just so happened to look right at a box that had 2 PC fans in it after I asked him!

I have no idea how that happened. I just randomly looked over and there they were. So anyway, now I have a PC fan(kinda...it's a bigger version of a PC fan and it plugs into an outlet).

Now all I need is a lamp kit and thermostat. I can get a lamp kit at wal-mart and the thermostat is the hardest thing to find right now at a low price. (like less than $12 is what I'm looking for).



So in the end I'm hoping to end up with...

a fan

a lamp kit

a thermostat

It feels like something is missing but I don't know what...


Oh well, anyways, how could I hook these all up to work? I'm worried that since the fan doesn't just have wires like a normal PC fan (and instead it plugs into an outlet), will it work with the thermostat and lamp kit?