Question about thermostats/temperature

[jojo2676]

I have made myself a homemade incubator. I used a water heater thermostat which cuts off fine when the temperature reaches 99.5 but it lets the incubator cool down 6-8 degrees before it will kick back on. Is this ok? If not, does anyone have any cheap thermostat ideas?

 

[joe17]

You shouldn't let the temp. go down that much!!!!! That really not good!!!

Your best bet would be to just buy a hova bator for cheap

 

[jojo2676]

I have a little giant incubator with a turner. I just want something I can put the eggs in for the last 3 days so I dont have to mess with taking the turner out of the incubator.

 

[Penturner]

The Water heater thermostat right out of the package will have about a 10 degree temperature swing if the back of the stat is not close to the heat source. keep in mind that the stat was designed to have the metal back right up against the tank of the hot water heater. I placed mine so the back is a bit less than an inch from the bulb with the bulb laying on it side. Stat is next to not above the bulb. I have my temp holding within a degree for the last 36 hours or so. I also tried the drilling holes in the front of the stat idea. it did help with reducing the temp swing but not nearly as well as having the back toward the heat. My stat now also has the front drilled out of it, in fact I used my dremel tool and carved out as much of the front as I could.

 

[jojo2676]

thanks i will try that

 

[joe17]

To keep it clean, get a paper egg carton and put the eggs in there for hatching. All the mess will be in the cartons and it will prevent all the other chicks from rolling the eggs.

 

[Daidohead]

I also used a water heater thermostat in my home made. The temp pick up is in the rear of the thermostat, with it mounted tight to the wall of my incubator it also had a large temp swing. It was slow to react because it was depending on the surface to cool before it kicked in. I put 2 spacers behind the mounting bracket which gave it a 3/8 air gap. since the air changes temp much faster than the surface does the thermostat reacts much faster. I now have a 2 degree swing. My 25w heating lamp comes on for 4 minutes every 10 minutes. Been holding 100 degrees for over a week now.

 

[debbie.h]

I also get a 5 degree change. I think I'll move mine and see if I can get a better hatch next time.

 

[jojo2676]

I tried moving it where the back of the thermostat is as close as possible to the light bulb. I got a 2 degree swing and I can live with that. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[mknr1966]

The Water heater thermostat right out of the package will have about a 10 degree temperature swing if the back of the stat is not close to the heat source. keep in mind that the stat was designed to have the metal back right up against the tank of the hot water heater. I placed mine so the back is a bit less than an inch from the bulb with the bulb laying on it side. Stat is next to not above the bulb. I have my temp holding within a degree for the last 36 hours or so. I also tried the drilling holes in the front of the stat idea. it did help with reducing the temp swing but not nearly as well as having the back toward the heat. My stat now also has the front drilled out of it, in fact I used my dremel tool and carved out as much of the front as I could.

What if i have a Little Giant Incubator to which i replaced the thermostat for the water heater thermostat? i set it up to 100 F but when it turn off, the temperature inside the incubator goes down to 80 F and the thermostat wait 10 minutes to turn back on. What can i do to fix that issue?