Problems with homemade incubator thermostat..

[Orange Ribbon]

Just wanted to tell you that I have a homemade incubator, and I did what quintonp said and it is staying within 2 degrees now. Was going from 104 to 88! But I am not quite within 1/2 inch. Got to move some stuff around to get it closer then it might even stay within 1/2 degree or so.

My incubator is out of a small dorm fridge. It holds temps pretty good. When I was waiting on it to go down from 104 to see where it would shut back on, which was 88, it took over an hour to drop that far. Long wait.

But I've just about got it now. Then I'm going to make another one!

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Quote:
my husband hust put the holes in it but its still not turning on when I need it but I can get it to shut off when I need it to... If I get it to shut off at 100*F it wont come back on until it reaches about 93*F..
I have this cooler

IDK if the code will work or not but anyways I have a 40w reptile blue heat light on one side(it doesnt get as hot as a normal 40w bulb) and the thermostat right below it with the back facing in and I made a hole in the cooler for the side to adjust it to stick out of, on the other side I have a handheld battery operated fan on the opposite side facing the thermostat at lightbulb (I pretty much copied someone else's incubator)..

 

[Orange Ribbon]

Quote:
Sorry, I said something above that didn't make sense! I said the fridge holds temps pretty good, but what I meant to say, is it was holding HEAT pretty good because it took a long time for the temperature to drop. You probably knew what I meant, but I wanted to clarify just in case.

Also, in the meantime, I have placed the thermostat directly over the light bulb, back side down, within a 1/2 inch of the light. By doing it that way it also helps to block direct heat from that section of egg tray above. Anyway, it really made a difference. It is in the process of stabilizing now, creeping up a little at a time, but is going off and on in 1/2 a degree increments! As soon as it levels off I am going to work on getting it at the correct temperature.

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

I finally have pictures of my set up.. but from what you said above me I probably got it wrong..
I have it where It comes on at 96*F and goes off at 102*F.. I posted another post asking if that was too much of a varriation but I cant get a responce..

 

[wolftracks]

You need a gap between the wall and the thermostat. It needs to be able to feel the temp drop. Maybe try some washers behind it. I used picture hangers behind one of mine and it worked great. You just need to move that thing and leave a gap behind it. Also. What kind of bulb are you using> Doubt it makers but the blue is kind of cool.

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Quote:
The bulb is a 40w reptile heat bulb. I dont think it gets as hot as a normal 40w.

As for the thermostat I just need to back it out back into the inubator instead of having it IN the wall of the cooler? so the hole its sitting in now is okay there so I can still adjust it from the outside or do I need to cover the hole up??

 

[wolftracks]

I'd cover the hole but that's me. IDK. I've never set one up where I can just adjust easily from the outside. LOL

I usually attach a small screwdriver attachment and fasten it in place. Than an extension to the outside for adjusting. I'm sure you're way will peobably work, but maybe someone that's done it this way will be more help. I have no idea if that is the back of the thermostat showing, way it isn't keeping the temp right on. Maybe try a different bulb?

 

[Orange Ribbon]

This is just a suggestion, and this is my first time making an incubator so I'm not a professional! I had my thermostat about that far away from my bulb at first and it was doing like yours is. I reasoned that perhaps the air was cooling off quicker than the thermostat so I thought moving it further away might take care of it, but it didn't. Then I saw the advice to put it within a half inch, so I did that and it really made a big difference.

So, what you might want to find a way to attach it where the back of the thermostat is real close to the bulb. A small section of screen/hardware cloth might come in handy to attach it to somehow. I'm sure your husband could figure out something. As I said, it helped with mine. It is cutting on and off within 1/2 degree, but it is still slowly raising the temps. What I mean is it started cutting ON at 92 degrees then OFF at 92.5 Then it cut ON about 92.2 and went OFF at 92.7 It has continuously been raising in small increments that way, and what I think is happening is it is taking awhile for the air temps to catch up with the thermostat temp because the thermostat holds heat longer/better than the air. But once it gets stable all around and settles in one place, I will adjust it until I get it to settle at 99.5 or so. Does that make sense?

Anyway, if you try putting it closer I think you will be happier. Can't hurt to try anyway. I'm finding out that getting these incubators right is about like sighting in a bow. You have to get it tuned just right to where it is hitting in one spot consistently then move the sight (thermostat control) to the right spot (temperature) and then it will be dead on.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
the metal side needs to face out if you have holes, otherwise you have to make the metal backing faced towards the lightbulb

 

[Elite Silkies]

I use an Incukit, which houses the electric thermostat, heating element and fan all in one. It's works really well. I set 45-47 eggs and only 3 did not hatch. This is in a homemade incubator.