PSA: red wire heating element in Lil Giant and 2020 Nurture Right 360 out-gassing latex?

[atalanta]

LATEX ALLERGY ALERT!
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone else experienced this...
I purchased a Little Giant with the Red wire heating element. Plugged it in, brought it to temperature, and then noticed it was smelling like plastic. Checked everything. Nothing was melting. Finally determined it was the red rubberized coating on the wires. Cleaned it off with some hydrogen peroxide and proceeded to put some eggs in it. Next day...opened the incubator and this smell filled the room in my house. I'm allergic to latex and walking in a tire store is even difficult. The oder irritated my sinus and lungs. I threw the incubator outside to see if the plasticizers would burn off. Even after running it for several days it continued to gas. Reported it to the manufacturer who said that "it should burn off after a hatch"... that's 21 days! Returned it to Tractor Supply to send to the manufacture as defective. Though I moved my eggs from the Little Giant to a "non-gassing" heating method they did not hatch. Other eggs that had been in the "non-out gassing" heating method for 100% of the time hatched. The box did not say "don't use if you have latex allergies."

When I returned the Lil Giant to Tractor Supply I found a Nurture Right 360 new for 2020 "dome" style machine (really cute). Took it home and found it too had the "RED WIRE" heating element. It too outgassed on heating. The box did not say "don't use if you have latex allergies." Took it apart and cleaned the wire, this time with a little Dawn soap. Still the red wire stunk up the house and caused the same sinus and lung irritation. I took it apart again and pulled the red wire OUT of the machine and then ran it outside the machine...the wire heated up and then stunk the whole house! What's this doing to eggs if it is irritating my sinus and lungs that much? I cut the Red Wire to see what was inside. Basically it is a rubber coated very thing gauge copper wire. Why are the manufacturers switching to this rubberized copper wire heating element? It is possibly latex because I am allergic to latex dish gloves which I get a reaction to within minutes. This can be toxic to your other birds in the house. Contacted the Nurture Right manufacturer and did not get a response. I have not returned it yet because I'm going to install another heating element and see if that works. I really like the machine but the heating element is dangerous.

I'll add pictures later.

 

[atalanta]

So

I was just recently concerned about a similar experience with a Brinsea Mini Advance II. It was a used unit that I purchased on eBay but it was still really expensive and she said it was successfully used to hatch chicks once before they bought a larger incubator. So I was stunned because I didn't smell anything when I initially opened it and sterilized it before starting to run it. The smell worried me so much that I took the entire thing apart and cleaned it again including inside of the top portion that needed to be unscrewed. It still smells when running it and I too am questioning the red rubbery material around the copper heating wires.

What I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around is that I've used several table top incubators now and I've never smelled this before from any of them. I have 2 Nurture Right 360s (a V2 & a V3), an IncuView, a Hovabator 1602N, and I've also had a Little Giant (old model with hand dial) and Farm Innovators 4250.

None of mine smell like this Brinsea but I did just now look in the Nurture Right and there is still some sort of red wire in there even in the older versions so maybe it's just a different material wrapping them. The IncuView has plenty of wires but I don't see anything rubbery if that might be helpful for you to get one that at least doesn't aggravate your allergy.

I haven't used the newest 2020 dome style Nurture Right but I recently saw them and I was thinking about switching this Brinsea Mini out for another Nurture Right but now I'm not so sure since you're experiencing the same stink.

CluckNDoodle,
So far I've gone through:

1) Little Giant 9300 with red wires (killed my eggs in 3 days, bad latex smell, reported it to the manufacturer and sent the machine back to the manufacturer as defective);

2) Nurture Right 360 (2020 dome), with Red Wires, took it apart, cleaned it with alcohol and heat cycled it because it gassing so bad (I get anaphylactic type reaction to latex gas so I know its there) reported to manufacturer twice, still waiting for response. Will be sending back as defective.;

3) Kebbonixs, $79 on Amazon, nice little machine, red wires gassed also. Heat cycled it to 127 degrees and cleaned with alcohol for 10 days. After a week+ the red wires are brittle but it gasses a lot less, still can smell it a little. Not having anaphylactic reaction to it after heat cycle/cleaning. I did put eggs in this one. Have to keep opening up during the day to let the air out and leave the lid open for air to escape. I have 12 eggs with little hearts. Will be replacing wires with this https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Watt-R...606759?hash=item3f654edca7:g:DkgAAMXQgfZRCvRe ;

4) The Hovabator has a metal heating element and doesn't gas the same way as the Redwire heating elements but does smell, even with two fans in it have to continue to manage it for hot spots and cold spots. :/ .

Will add to this because just ordered another incubator and a heater and thermostat Might end up making my own but I really like these little dome ones like the Kebbonixs and Nurture Right 2020... I like to see my eggs.

Go ahead and get the Nurture Right 2020, if it stinks, call them, tell them its defective and send it back. A company that big can do some quality control. Its a 50 cent heating element to them! I still have the Nurture Right2020, will send it back after I experiment with a new heating element.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I was just recently concerned about a similar experience with a Brinsea Mini Advance II. It was a used unit that I purchased on eBay but it was still really expensive and she said it was successfully used to hatch chicks once before they bought a larger incubator. So I was stunned because I didn't smell anything when I initially opened it and sterilized it before starting to run it. The smell worried me so much that I took the entire thing apart and cleaned it again including inside of the top portion that needed to be unscrewed. It still smells when running it and I too am questioning the red rubbery material around the copper heating wires.

What I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around is that I've used several table top incubators now and I've never smelled this before from any of them. I have 2 Nurture Right 360s (a V2 & a V3), an IncuView, a Hovabator 1602N, and I've also had a Little Giant (old model with hand dial) and Farm Innovators 4250.

None of mine smell like this Brinsea but I did just now look in the Nurture Right and there is still some sort of red wire in there even in the older versions so maybe it's just a different material wrapping them. The IncuView has plenty of wires but I don't see anything rubbery if that might be helpful for you to get one that at least doesn't aggravate your allergy.

I haven't used the newest 2020 dome style Nurture Right but I recently saw them and I was thinking about switching this Brinsea Mini out for another Nurture Right but now I'm not so sure since you're experiencing the same stink.

 

[Chickassan]

There is normally a transparent plastic sheet stapled to the end of the temperature probe.
I have no idea of the intended purpose of it whether it is ment to protect the probe or assist in keeping it in position the manual doesn't specify the reason.

Three thermometers, all confirmed 99.5 F.
Interesting... I ran many tests. The Thermostat was working. The rubberized wire might have been a different formulation than what was originally spec'd out by the engineers. I called Little Giant and they ran through tests with me then advised I send it back to them.
What plastic sheet?
If you're stuck with an LG that sheet has got to go.

It was sent back to the manufacturer. What sheet are you speaking of?
[/QUOTE]

 

[atalanta]

Kebbonix manufacturer emailed from Amazon. The Kebbonix manufacturer is looking into improving the Red Wire situation!

 

[atalanta]

Reported by customer to Underwriter's Laboratories:
UL safety regulations, certificate Number is E230488 for RED HEATING WIRE.

Out gasses latex or teflon plasticizers. Found on Little Giant 9300, Nuture Right 360 (2020), (other manufacturers Brinsea, Farm innovators, GQF, Kebbonix) egg hatching incubators. Little Giant killed 10 fertile chicken eggs with gas from Red heating wire at 99.5 F (Operating temperature verified with glass thermometer) after 3 days. Gas emitted upon opening incubator after 3 days of use, gas oder/particles throughout house. Could harm parrots in house. Symptoms in humans are: coughing, redness, rash on contact with gas. Can cause immediate caustic irritation to eye, sinus, lungs to latex/teflon allergic individuals. Reported this to the manufacturer Little Giant, Nuture Right 360. Returned Little Giant to manufacturer as defective. Nuture Right 360 was also tested and found same gas problem at operating temperature. Reported to manufacturer. Pulled RED WIRE from NR360 and replaced with two 8 watt light bulbs...works fine NO gassing. Will be returning to NR360 to Tractor Supply.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So


CluckNDoodle,
So far I've gone through:

1) Little Giant 9300 with red wires (killed my eggs in 3 days, bad latex smell, reported it to the manufacturer and sent the machine back to the manufacturer as defective);

2) Nurture Right 360 (2020 dome), with Red Wires, took it apart, cleaned it with alcohol and heat cycled it because it gassing so bad (I get anaphylactic type reaction to latex gas so I know its there) reported to manufacturer twice, still waiting for response. Will be sending back as defective.;

3) Kebbonixs, $79 on Amazon, nice little machine, red wires gassed also. Heat cycled it to 127 degrees and cleaned with alcohol for 10 days. After a week+ the red wires are brittle but it gasses a lot less, still can smell it a little. Not having anaphylactic reaction to it after heat cycle/cleaning. I did put eggs in this one. Have to keep opening up during the day to let the air out and leave the lid open for air to escape. I have 12 eggs with little hearts. Will be replacing wires with this https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Watt-R...606759?hash=item3f654edca7:g:DkgAAMXQgfZRCvRe ;

4) The Hovabator has a metal heating element and doesn't gas the same way as the Redwire heating elements but does smell, even with two fans in it have to continue to manage it for hot spots and cold spots. :/ .

Will add to this because just ordered another incubator and a heater and thermostat Might end up making my own but I really like these little dome ones like the Kebbonixs and Nurture Right 2020... I like to see my eggs.

Go ahead and get the Nurture Right 2020, if it stinks, call them, tell them its defective and send it back. A company that big can do some quality control. Its a 50 cent heating element to them! I still have the Nurture Right2020, will send it back after I experiment with a new heating element.

Oh my, with your allergy being that bad I think making your own might be the safest bet.

 

[atalanta]

Oh my, with your allergy being that bad I think making your own might be the safest bet.

Ordered this... https://www.ebay.com/itm/100W-12V-C...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Will be testing it.

Yeah, even latex medical equipment causes an immediate rash. Latex gloves crack my hands if used when washing dishes. It's almost as bad as poison oak. Memory foam pillows, mattresses and Tire stores are the worst. The thing is latex is in many forms and the medical community looks at it as an aberrant immune response to a "harmless substance". As if humans and animals should be OK ingesting latex as it's harmless. Birds have a similar reaction to these things. Teflon is also touted as harmless except we've all heard about pet birds dying from "Teflon" gasses (particle expulsion) from cooking utensils and ovens. Cigarettes were even "healthy" in advertisements during the 50s... "4 out of 5 Doctors recommend Marlboro".

 

[atalanta]

article on latex https://blog.onespotallergy.com/2011/02/allergic-to-latex-foods-and-products-to-avoid/

""Allergic To Latex? Foods And Products To Avoid
Published by One Spot Allergy on February 21, 2011 | 4 Responses
Recently, I wanted to learn about latex allergy, so I turned to my incredible community of well informed people in my Facebook allergy group. This is what I learned from them, led by Krystal Ahern of the Latex Allergy Awareness Site.
Latex is the milky fluid derived from rubber trees, which is used to make latex products. The same protein is contained in certain foods, which causes cross-reactions in some people who have a latex allergy. Cross-reactive foods are tricky – You may be fine with a food one day, but react when you eat it the next time. Waiting days to repeat the same food seems to help reduce reactions, and it allows any symptoms to show themselves clearly. Here is a list of cross-reactive foods for people allergic to latex:

Latex cross reactive foods:

Banana

Kiwi

Papaya

Grape

Avocado

Watermelon

Tomato

Potato

Celery

Chestnut

You may also consider testing:

Spinach

Broccoli

Apples

Squash family, pumpkin

Legumes, beans

Spices, mint, cinnamon

Mango

I just found this information explaining the cross-reaction between latex and some foods: “Like bananas and chestnuts, avocados contain enzymes called chitinases that are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. There is strong evidence of the cross-reaction between latex and foods that naturally contain high amounts of chitinase enzymes. If you have a latex allergy, you may very likely be allergic to these foods as well. Processing the fruit with ethylene gas increases these enzymes; organic produce not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds.”
Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5#nutritionalprofileAccessed 18 May 2011
I was surprised to learn that Kraft food handles all their food with latex gloves in the factory, which can deposit hidden latex on the food. More information on cross-reactivity of latex and food can be found here on the American Latex Allergy Association site.
I knew that disposable gloves often contain latex as do balloons, which are a huge threat when they pop and the powder inside them becomes airborne, but I didn’t realize how many everyday items have latex in them. Items that often contain latex are:

Disposable or dishwashing gloves	Balloons
Toys	Cuffs and waistbands on clothing, underwear, bras
Carpeting	Freezer bags
Cling wrap	Water bottles
Shoes	Socks
Chewing gum	Toothpaste, toothbrushes
Baby bottle nipples, pacifiers	Disposable diapers
Sanitary pads	Rubber bands
Erasers, pens, school supplies	Condoms & diaphragms
Swim goggles	Racquet handles
Bike & motorcycle hand grips	Medical supplies: blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, intravenous tubing, syringes, vial stoppers, electrode pads, surgical masks
Vaccines	Bandages
Dental dams	Stickers
Postage stamps	Computer mouse pads

The American Latex Allergy Association maintains a list of latex-free suppliers of medical products and household products. For school supplies, DiscountSchoolSupplies.com has over 300 products marked “latex free”."

 

[atalanta]

Ok, I cut the red wire heating element out of the Nutra Right 2020 and soldered two 8 watt light bulbs in series to provide a heat source. IT WORKS! Will post pictures tomorrow after I run a few more tests.