OK I give up - incubator temperature????

[Jbrandt000]

I have bought several different types of temperature thermostats TRYING to find one that will hold 99.5 degrees.

Even the most expensive one varies from 95 degrees to 102 degrees. 80 percent of the time it will show 99 degrees.

There is no such thing as one that will hold or even show 99.5 degrees.

Is this swing of temperatures ok?

How do you keep the eggs at 99.5 degrees?

 

[quintinp]

Well, the more expensive thermostats are way more sensitive than the others, so they will show everytime you may have opened the incubator, or when a draft effected the incubator. I recommend going to your local Dollar Tree, Dollar Store, Family Dollar, and try to find a water wiggler. Then stick the probe of the thermometer in the water wiggler, and it will give you the internal temperature of the eggs.

 

[WVstruttin]

Sounds to me like your incubator is not sealing properly. Should not be that much of temp swing. Also make sure that it is not sitting in a really drafty area.

 

[speedy2020]

I have bought several different types of temperature thermostats TRYING to find one that will hold 99.5 degrees.

Even the most expensive one varies from 95 degrees to 102 degrees. 80 percent of the time it will show 99 degrees.

There is no such thing as one that will hold or even show 99.5 degrees.

Is this swing of temperatures ok?

How do you keep the eggs at 99.5 degrees?

What kind of incubator do you have? I used the old GQF no 1850 (glass tube) and Walmart digital thermostate brand. The temperature between the 2 thermostat is 2.5 degree apart. I used the temp in the middle and call it good. You don't really need exactly at 99,5degree (between 98-102 will hatch), Some thermostat are more sensitive then other so you may want to give it few minutes between adjustment. Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I can't remember if it's RebelCowboy or Dawg, but someone on this forum is really good at thermostat placement. I don't have a homemade so I can't give you details, but from what I remember, the thermostat needs to pretty close to the heat source to get it to stabilize. You might try playing around with thermostat placement relative to the heat source. Not much help, I know.

You asked the right question. Egg temperature is what is important. What you are measuring is air temperature. The center of the egg will change temperatures a lot slower. Temperature swings are not as bad as you might think because of how long it takes the center of the egg to change temperatues as long as those peaks and valleys don't last too long. It is average temperature that matters, not the individual peaks and valleys. That water wiggler will give you a better idea of what is going on from the eggs viewpoint.

 

[Angeleggster]

I am a newbie too, my air temp is 99 - 101 but water wiggler is 104. what should my internal egg (wiggler) temp be?

 

[cva34]

Are you talking about a thermostat (cuts on and off heat source to regulate temp). Or are you talking about a thermometer (measures Temp ) .Just a couple things that cause overshooting temp.If your useing a light bulb Try lowering the wattage on the bulb .Does it have a fan adding one probably help...cva34