Please help with a homemade incubator--what am I doing wrong????

[cici_p]

Ok, somebody help me with the "wafer type" thermostat:

Is this a complete one on this page (you have to scroll down a little bit to get to it):
Is this what I need?:
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=110

Or do I need everything that comes with this one?
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=98

Or what about this one?
http://www.strombergschickens.com/products/brooders.php

Actually that last page has some cool items. . .Check out the aquarium hood!

Ok, this is turning into a more expensive venture than I expected. . .

Oh, more questions on the wafer thermostats. . I just read info that says the temps on the wafer thermostats readjust when the humidity changes? Is this correct? Here is a link to the page I was reading. I could use some help with this type of thermostat *before* I spend more money on it. Can someone who has used one explain how I would hook one up in my homemade model and how it would work???

Thank you!
More help with my current set up is also appreciated!

 

[cici_p]

Oh I just noticed an electrician posting!! And having the same problem? At least I don't feel so incompetant now! But a little depressed that you can't answer my question either!
And just for the record, I just moved my thermostat off the electic box so it would measure the air temp instead, and still had the same swing in temp.
I don't understand how other people are getting 5 degree swings and I am getting 15 degree swings! I know there has to be a way to bring my swing range down. . .but how?

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

Quote:
The way I'm looking at it right now is that I've had two broodies fail in the last six months so I can't possibly do worse.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That is a 60 Watt Ceiling Fan Bulb. You can see the thermostate is just to the left. The fan is angled out over the buld and the foil on the end of the cage, keeps the egg in front from getting to hot. My temp goes between 98 and 101. My 1st hatch included 8 chicks. In this Pic, you see those 3 brown and 2 green eggs. 3 of them just hatched today in my hatcher which is wired the exact same way. The water in the jar helps to keep the temps stable. You can thank GopherBoy for that idea, I saw he did it in his bator.

My bator is an old Thermos Cooler and my Hatcher is a styrofoam cooler. For details on mine, go here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=4065-linds-incubator
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=4065-linds-hatcher

 

[mirecipes]

If I can remember in the morning (after chores) I will send a pic of my wiring

I should rem..I have subscribed to this thread

Edited the next day to say: Looking at the posts after mine..Seems like you got things covered

Happy hatching thoughts headed your way!!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Read this post.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=140432

Ya need the fan blowing the air strait across the bulb an on to the flat side of the thermostat. That makes the thermostat kick off faster an the incubator settles at the "kick on" temp of the thermostat.

 

[cici_p]

That post is very helpful! Thank you! It almost gives me hope. . .
Here is my current set up for a reference:

Note that currently my fan is pointed right at and just above my light source--something I did right, right?

From this post I am gathering I should:
1) Scrap the electrical box
2) Move my thermostat right next to my heat source, mounted backwards or with air space
Anything else?? Doesn't seem like this is going to be enough, but I will try. I really don't want to have to figure out how to wire yet another thermostat!
I will try this tomorrow. Right now I am still

 

[clayhillcouple]

I think the 2nd link to the complete Wafer Thermostat(1715) is best.

 

[tiki244]

From the picture it looks similar to my incubator. I ended up getting a socket with 2 lightbulbs and they are bothe 75W. This helped tremendously. The lightbulbs could be up a bit higher. You could move the thermostat slightly farther away from the heat source. I think just moving a 2 socket light bulb hook up closer to the topp of the bator and then just adjusting the thermostat untill you get a consistent temperature will work. Humidity should be constant as possibly because that will affect the temp readings. It can take a good week to adjust the thermostat to become consistent. temp. Very frustrating. The higher wattage bulbs really did the trick for me. Mess around with that. But I would definitely use 2 bulbs. That is the only way I can keep mine running at a good consisteent temp.

I ended up buying a wafer thermostat at Cutlers Pheasant and game bird supplies for around $20 online. It is easy to hook up as the hot water heater thermostat.

 

[greathorse]

It has been well established on this site that a hot water thermostat is not adequate for keeping good temp in a bator. MOst experienced hatchers will tell you that a wafer is far better but just adequate. Hot water therms are just not designed to hold temp within the narrow range required for hatching eggs. Wafer therms are not expensive. I submit that if the 20 bucks for a thermostat is out of a price range, keeping chickesn is likely not going to be in the budget either.

Go to Randall Burkey GQF or any number of poultry supply sites and you will find a wafer thermostat and all information needed.

Electronic Therms are the superior thermostat for excellent hatches.