new to me Lyon roll x incubator! Im excited!

[skylarms]

I purchased a FI pro series 4200. While is works okay, I was losing too much sleep to temp flucuation. So, I stumbled upon an ad for a Lyons Roll X plus two different size trays and a few other accessories. It's super nice and I got everything for 350 which I feel was a fantastic price. I can't wait to use it and get ride of the other! Anyone have any tips or hints for this particular incubator? I'm hoping that the old one didn't fry the eggs.......I have a variety of marans and some lavender ameraucanas cooking right now. Also, they have another one available still. It's older but works great. 300. In w. Wa state.

 

[Bill 101]

I do not have the model you listed, but I've had a Roll X for a long time. It is simply - outstanding. There is no "trick" to using them. They are really easy to set up & run & the best part, they are extremely accurate. Once you get it set, it will run like that forever. If the solid state thermostat is working the way it should, it will hold temperatures within 1/2 degree of set point

 

[Bill 101]

Got to thinking about it & I do have some suggestions & tips. Hopefully you got the Lyon operating instructions for the Roll-x & the hatching manual. If you follow those exactly it will tell you how best to operate it. The last page of the Hatching Manual tells you what settings you need for incubating & hatching. Follow those EXACTLY& you will get a hatch rate that exceeds your expectations. What ever you do, don't use advice from other incubator operators, their incubators are different, but be assured, this one is better than most all of them. If you set it up right & use the settings Lyon suggest, I almost guarantee you a hatch rate of 90% or better. I get 98%+ & at times 100%, consistently. Yeah, there that good
I don't know what egg racks you got, but I have just one, the bantam rack. It is good for most bantam eggs, but some bantam eggs are larger & the eggs won't turn properly. Just skip a space between eggs. Eggs every other space.
To keep it cleaner & avoid calcium buildup inside, use Distilled water. You can get it at most grocery stores
It uses a wet bulb for humidity readings, the last page of the hatching manual tell you what it should be, use that setting. But on page 14 (at least on the hatching manual I have) is a conversion chart: wet bulb reading to % humidity, it's real handy for understanding what % humidity you are running
If your not mechanical, I'd suggest you hatch out chicks in another incubator. If you hatch chicks in it (and it does an excellent job) you get all the fuzz up in the upper sections of the lid. Its pretty hard to get it all out unless you take it apart
You will notice that the eggs don't roll, they tilt. When adjusting the turning arm, the eggs only need to tilt at a 45 degree angle, the don't need to lay down. It prevents a lot of problems with having air cells on the wrong end. Also, the small end of the egg goes down on the rack

 

[komer]

Can you tell me about turning,is it the roller turning or?

 

[Talihofarms]

Once you have a Roll-x 1 or 2, you will not want to use another brand.
I have been buying up RX1 and 2s for 10 years.
I have 6 of them and can say that the only part I replace if ever is the temperature controller.
When I replace the controller I always use the 10 turn as a replacement.
I can keep my temps within .25 degrees for the entire hatch ( make sure you incubate in a temp. controlled room).
That is more accurate than my Grambaugh Bator.
$350.00 is a good price for a used RX-2 with external water bottle, automatic egg turner with a 10 turn temp knob.
I have have hatched, Quail.Pheasant,Chicken,Duck,Goose,Peacocks,Turkeys (large eggs we made a 3" spacer from Styrofoam.) with no losses from the bator failing.
Easy clean up. 4 black knobs on the top allow separation of the top section, I separate half way and blow the little feather dust out with air after each hatch.
Or remove eggs and finish in another bator at lock down. ( I use another roll x with the egg tray removed., till a couple days after the chicks are finished hatching)
Wash with window cleaner to clean up any smudges.

Clean lower area with bleach and water after each hatch, let air dry for 24 hours before reuse.
Any calcium build up from hard water cleans up with CLR in less than 5 min.
Ours run constantly from Aug through April without a break.
New you will be looking at over $700.00 before shipping.
Once you have temp. and humidity set the rest is a easy.

 

[Bill 101]

The only thing I can add to the above, I use distilled water in all my incubators & it avoids the calcium build-up that comes from city or ell water.
The turner tilts the eggs. You put them in point down. To adjust the turner I push the turning rack to the front ( away from the turning motor) pull it back about 1/2" & set the front set-screw (where the turning arm will touch the set screw), then I put in an egg, the size you will be hatching, & slide the turning rack back till the eggs tilts over on its own plus maybe a 1/2: & set the rear set screw. The eggs don't have to lay down. Mine are at about a 45 degree angle both directions.

TALIHOFARMS : If you handy with a soldiering gun & can do some soldering & de-soldering, you can replace the potientiometer. I think the difference in price between a new solid state unit with a single turn & a 10 turn is reDQlious. I wanted to have my single turn switched to a 10 turn. I was going to ship mine to them, have it changed & returned. They wanted $50. I bought the new one, simply got the number off one of my Turn-Xs , from an electronics strore (for $9.00) & did it myself. Pretty simple, real easy, took about 10 minutes.

 

[Talihofarms]

The only thing I can add to the above, I use distilled water in all my incubators & it avoids the calcium build-up that comes from city or ell water.
The turner tilts the eggs. You put them in point down. To adjust the turner I push the turning rack to the front ( away from the turning motor) pull it back about 1/2" & set the front set-screw (where the turning arm will touch the set screw), then I put in an egg, the size you will be hatching, & slide the turning rack back till the eggs tilts over on its own plus maybe a 1/2: & set the rear set screw. The eggs don't have to lay down. Mine are at about a 45 degree angle both directions.

TALIHOFARMS : If you handy with a soldiering gun & can do some soldering & de-soldering, you can replace the potientiometer. I think the difference in price between a new solid state unit with a single turn & a 10 turn is reDQlious. I wanted to have my single turn switched to a 10 turn. I was going to ship mine to them, have it changed & returned. They wanted $50. I bought the new one, simply got the number off one of my Turn-Xs , from an electronics strore (for $9.00) & did it myself. Pretty simple, real easy, took about 10 minutes.


I have thought about it, however time seems to never let me tinker.

I do keep the old units. the funny thing is that when I received my new replacement there was a
schematic with a list of all the parts for the circuit board.
I may send them to a friend who is an Aircraft instrument tech. he might find it entertaining.

 

[Turkeytruff]

So I am excited

- I am planning on buying one of these this weekend from someone. The X2 version.
Thanks for all the hints and tips above. I think I will use my battered old Hovabator for the hatching out.

 

[CrookdBeak13]

I know this is an old thread, but thought I would bump it by adding that my new to me Marsh Roll X is doing amazing! I started with an LG Still air and with that disaster made a homemade cooler bator....while that took a lot of tinkering, I finally have it functioning properly.....so 5 hatches in I finally came across a Marsh Roll-X on craigslist for $125....after reading reviews, I jumped at the opportunity. It came with the 71 egg rack and now that I know how to place eggs in it, it in functioning properly. I have one question though, my Japanese bantam lays TINY eggs, and they don't fit in the 71 egg grid. Which grid would be best, the quail or pheasant? My silkie eggs fit just fine, but not the japs.....they fall right through the hole.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[thenderson14]

This is an old thread but I thought I would see if I get a response. I have a quail grid for the Marah Roll-X but need a chicken grid. Does anyone have a used grid I can purchase or will trade grids? Really don't want to purchase a new one as cost is pretty high for new. Thank you!