Please help! How much of a temperature variance is tolerable?

[Engteacher]

So our homemade bator heats up to 101 degrees F and cycles off. The temperature will then drop to 94 and it kicks back on. Is this temperature swing tolerable, or should I try to decrease the range? It cycles on and off about every 7 - 10 minutes.

I don't have eggs in there yet, but my eggs are shipping on Monday and I want a safe "home" for them to hatch in.

Can you help me? Please?

 

[Kittymomma]

I've got my first hatch in now so I don't have a lot of experience, but I think that is way too much. A degree or so isn't bad, but you're talking about a 7 degree range--I don't think you'll get much to hatch out like that.

 

[Daidohead]

Is there any chance you can post a pic of the inside of the incubator ? You may be ok but if you can narrow that swing to 98*-101* I know you'll be fine.

 

[debbie.h]

Try putting your heat sorce closer to the thermosat. The temp should stay more regulated.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If you turn the temp up you could get them to hatch with that big of a swing but lower would be way better.... Move tour thermostat to about an inch from the lightbulb. It will then cycle faster but take longer to heat up from a cold start.

 

[Engteacher]

We built it just like this one:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7562-The_GopherBator

 

[Engteacher]

I've put in bottles of water to act as a heat well in order to stabilize things, but I'm wondering if I should try this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=26580-thermostat-modification

Do any of you have experience with this?

 

[Daidohead]

Is your thermostat screwed tight to the wall or spaced off of it a little ? I am not a fan of modifying sealed electrical components, drilling holes exposes the inner workings to the moisture in the incubator. I had a 10* temp swing in mine until I spaced it 1/2" from the wall so that air could get to it easier. It cut my temp swing to 2*. I also have a cover over my bulb with a pc fan blowing through the cover so that I have no problem with radiant heat. My setup is not the norm on here but it works very well for me.

 

[Engteacher]

It's tight to the wall. I could ease it off at lease 1/8th inch because the mounting screws are long enough.

Do you think some aluminum foil on either side of the light bulb would help?

I'm not used to being so needy, but I'm quite out of my league. I'm far more comfortable with Thoreau than thermostat, but I'm trying!!

 

[Daidohead]

I used a couple of large nuts for my spacers, just put the nuts between the backing plate and the wall of your incubator, the mounting screws go right through the hole in the nut. if you can get 3/8 to 1/2" all the better. W/H thermostats have their temp sensor on the backside, if it's up against the wall the wall has to heat and cool before the thermostat switches. The air heats a lot faster than the wall does.