New home made bator 12/26 update

[3forfree]

I've gone from a styrofoam bator to a cooler with a fan and a modified hot water heater thermostat. I have put two water bottles on the bottom of the cooler to use as a heat sync. The fan is blowing across the light bulb to the thermostat, and keeping temps steady at 100 degrees on a bulb thermometer on the bottom. near the top of the cooler where I plan to put the eggs I have a digital thermometer/hygrometer which is steady at 97.8 and 20% humidity, from what I've read these numbers aren't what they are supposed to be. What do I need to do to get the 100 degree temps up to the top? I did put a small open top jar of water on the bottom to see if the humidity would raise, and won't look at it until tomorrow. I will also post pics tomorrow.

 

[quintinp]

I have a White Springfield digital thermometer. Probably the one like yours, and I found out that it read 2 degrees the actual temperature. So mine says 97.3 degrees, and it is actually 99.3 degrees. Post up some pictures of the incubator. I would like to see how you did it.

 

[quintinp]

I would like to the placement of the thermostat to the light bulb.

 

[3forfree]

Here's a pic using my phone camera. The thermometers are almost on top of each other, but are separated by about a foot. They read the same this morning as they did last night, after putting a glass of water inside the humidity only went up 1%. the light bulb is to the right in the pic maybe 1 ft away.

 

[cmom]

What wattage is your light bulb? The pic was a bit fuzzy but I put a sponge in my jar of water and it acts like a wick.

 

[cva34]

Try swapping the thermo's ...cva34

 

[3forfree]

not sure on the wattage ink is gone from the bulb, I think it's a 60w. I'll put a sponge in the jar and see what happens,

I'll swap the thermos and see also.

thanks

here's a pic with a real camera instead of my phone, hope it's better

 

[quintinp]

The wattage really isn't that big of a problem, I use 60-75watt light bulb. I would like to see the placement of thermostat and light bulb, could you get another picture of the thermostat, and light bulb in it. I don't think it is A huge problem when testing the incubator, but I would suggest cleaning the bottom of the incubator, because if the moist dirt on the bottom gets Really hot, it will turn into one of the hardest problems before you plan to set eggs, because the dirt will turn into a hard crust, and stick to the bottom, and possibly stain the bottom orange, or brown. That was just a suggestion, and it will make the incubator look better while you are testing it. I am going to get a different thermometer here pretty soon. I am getting the incubator warehouse thermometer. I would suggest getting a new glass thermometer. They usually sell them in the poultry aisle in the feed store. I would calibrate it to see if it is correct, the BIG one you have now may be an outside thermometer that could be 5 or more degrees off.

 

[3forfree]

Last year I had an 0 for 24 hatch, and turned the bator into a greenhouse, and btw worked real good. Just having the potting soil in there raised the humidity to 98%. That's where the dirt comes from, and will be cleaned before using it as an incubator. Here's the pic you ask for.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
The placement all looks good. I don't use the heat sinks though. Have you tested the improved incubator without the heat sinks, if you could take them out, you could get the rubber shelf liner to line the bottom of the incubator, and a guard between the hatching area and the light bulb and the fan. You could hatch more eggs on the bottom instead of the top.