Redwood Incubators - Information, help, for sale and wanted

[duluthralphie]

That doesnt make any sense. Is there a wiring diagram somewhere i can see?

I have no idea,

All I know is 2 wafers is the norm in "better" older incubators, One is set at the hatching temp, 99.5, the other is set as a high temp limiter to stop a runaway wafer on the primary from cooking the eggs.

What does not make sense? Many times the primary will "fail" and people will run on the secondary by limiting the temp to 99.5.

 

[Chic Rustler]

How to wire them, if they both break on a temp rise or if one breaks on a temp fall, etc. Kinda sounds like they are wired in series though and they both break on a rise in temp with different set points.

 

[Chic Rustler]

And then if they are both in series, how would you adjust the second one with the higher set point? I didnt see any temp indicator on the dial. I assume you just fiddle with it until it holds the desired temp? If that were the case do you set the high limit at 102 first and then set the primary to 99?

 

[Chic Rustler]

Sorry for all the questions. I am trying to get a plan together to build my own wooden incubator.

 

[duluthralphie]

And then if they are both in series, how would you adjust the second one with the higher set point? I didnt see any temp indicator on the dial. I assume you just fiddle with it until it holds the desired temp? If that were the case do you set the high limit at 102 first and then set the primary to 99?

There is a way you set them, I believe you open the primary all the way to HIGH... then you adjust the secondary down to the temp you want it to cut off at.

Then you set the primary to the temp you want it to turn on at. If I recall correctly.

Yes, I believe they are in series with the secondary wired backwards so it shuts off instead of turns on. If you look for the wiring diagrams for a GQF 1202 you should find how they do it. I have 2 of those wired this way.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Thanks

 

[Chic Rustler]

Ok i think i got my head wrapped around it. The micro switch os normally closed and the wafer expanded and breaks the circuit on a rise in temp? Then you just wire them in series with different set points, one for the desired set point and one for a high temp safety?

 

[duluthralphie]

Ok i think i got my head wrapped around it. The micro switch os normally closed and the wafer expanded and breaks the circuit on a rise in temp? Then you just wire them in series with different set points, one for the desired set point and one for a high temp safety?

I think so...

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Here's a website with a pretty detailed description on operating them. http://www.heavensentranch.com/redwoodincubators.htm and there's a wiring diagram at the bottom of the page.

Yes, they are wired in series. The microswitches are normally closed. When the wafer expands it opens the switch killing the circuit. Yes, open the primary wafer up all the way. Set the secondary to cut off at 101 - 102. Then adjust the primary down to 99.5.

If you are building your own or even renovating an antique, I highly recommend you put a fuse in it. Figure out your power consumption - heat, lights, turners and fan. I've seen quite a few people's homemade incubators catch fire.

Good luck with it. If you haven't read it yet, I've got an article here about the renovation I did on a Leahy 420. Link is in my signature.

I'm currently working on an kerosene Buckeye incubator. It's slow going but I should have it running in a couple of weeks.

 

[jasongrate]