Question about temperature

[ramhatch]

I have built a small cabinet incubator out of a beverage cooler. Its 15x15x24 tall. I am using a inkbird itc-1000f controller with 2 100 watt ptc ceramic heating elements. I have a fan blowing on the elements. I have the controller set to kick on at 97f and off at 98f. Using a brinese spot check thermometer i get a reading at 97.2 for a low and 103.1 for a high. I add these together and get a average of 100.1f. Is this the right way to figure the average temp?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have built a small cabinet incubator out of a beverage cooler. Its 15x15x24 tall. I am using a inkbird itc-1000f controller with 2 100 watt ptc ceramic heating elements. I have a fan blowing on the elements. I have the controller set to kick on at 97f and off at 98f. Using a brinese spot check thermometer i get a reading at 97.2 for a low and 103.1 for a high. I add these together and get a average of 100.1f. Is this the right way to figure the average temp?

No, to much temp difference, eggs in the 103+ area are subject to possibly being fried. You sound like you are having bad air flow. You might need to work on that and maybe use heat sinks to try and get the temp pretty even. My incubators(which are home-made too) are within a few 10ths of the same reading anywhere in it----using the same thermometer to check each spot. You are using the same thermometer to check each spot---right??

 

[ramhatch]

No, to much temp difference, eggs in the 103+ area are subject to possibly being fried. You sound like you are having bad air flow. You might need to work on that and maybe use heat sinks to try and get the temp pretty even. My incubators(which are home-made too) are within a few 10ths of the same reading anywhere in it----using the same thermometer to check each spot. You are using the same thermometer to check each spot---right??

Yes same one. I took the 2 ptc elements out and wired in a double light fixture with a 100 watt and 75 watt bulb. Now im getting 99.2 low and 100.2 for a high. Im assuming the ptc elements were still heating and holding heat too long. The bulbs cool down faster.