Sick Of Foam Incubators...

[iluvsedward]

too frequent adjusting of the thermostat can cause malfunction.

 

[speedy2020]

There is a high chance that you have a bad thermometer.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I took the Acurite out. It was to big to be in there with the turner anyways. I either had to leave 4 egg spots open to put it in there or let it ride on top of the eggs which I hated to do. I have my meat thermometer in there now. I also went to Walmart and got myself 3 aquarium thermometers.

According to ChooksChicks' cheat sheet, I do a big no-no. I adjust the temps in the first 24hrs after it ran at a stable temp for at least 24hrs before I set the eggs. Lesson learned. I won't do it again.

In the mean time, we have a steady and constant temp of 100! All thanks to the meat thermometer! Now, to see how these new thermometers work...

 

[ChickenPrnces]

I use an LG forced air with turner for the first 18 day and an LG still air for lockdown and hatching! I keep mine in the same room as my wood stove! I have no temp fluctuations at all! Needs a bit more water because of the stove though!
I use an acurite with my turner!

I set it on the back rail and it stands just fine! I don't lose any spots and the cover still sits on perfectly!

I put 12 - 16 eggs in the hatcher every friday and have yet to have more than 1 egg not hatch. I always move 11 - 15 babies and none die later! That is pretty much like a 95%+ hatch rate with 2 LG's!

I really think your thermostat is busted or something!

 

[Barbedwirecat]

I use a digital probe thermometer inside a "water willy" toy to check the internal egg temp and another digital thermometer inside the incubator to check ambient temp.

One question---are you tightening the wingnut down on the temperature adjustment rod? I did this when I started hatching and found it SERIOUSLY messed up my temperatures and would cause the thermostat to heat up too much (or too little) and now just leave it loose.

Honestly I keep an electric radiator on the room with my incubator JUST in case, but my room temps are about the same as yours. I think your previous thermometer was malfuntioning. You should be better off as long as you have calibrated them and know what "normal" is.

 

[Reyvaughn]

@ ChickenPrnces - You must have a much more stable wood stove than mine. One day I have to fight to get it to burn and other days I fight to cool the house down. If I were to keep an incubator in my living room, kitchen or dining room, they would literally cook to death.

@ Barbedwirecat - Yes, I tighten the wing nut until it's snug. I have noticed that it does mess with the thermostat if you over tighten it or even wiggle it a little.

At the moment, my room temp is about 63 (woodstove almost went out - it isn't burning right again) and the incubator is still holding nicely at 99. It only dropped a degree and the ambient temp went down by almost 10 degrees since I first put the meat thermometer in this afternoon. I'm happy right now. I just hope this is the start to a good hatch!

Obviously, the Acurite wasn't very accurate or right.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

Yep, I found mine was compressing the wafer. Crazyness.

Accuwrong? LOL!!!

 

[cva34]

This post started out as Sick of Foam INC.As I've read its the usual problem Thermostats There a simple device that causes lotsa problems.One problem is use in a INCUBATOR 70%+ at times ...high humidity/they get damp / sweat .That sets up corrosion on contacts.Then with the kind of use they get is sit for weeks or months before use again (and contacts are stuck or sticking and not making good contact and you got Problems.It AIN'T the Foam that's the problem.Foam is a Wonderful Cheap light insulator.and easily formed That's why its used. Now it's not the most durable .Some one needs to encapsulate the foam (like the Igloo/Coleman ice chest.Where it tuff and easily sanitized. While there at it get the thermostat outside the incubator with only the sensor inside...cva34

Why would they do that ..We're in the throw away Age .And they can sell more!!!!!

 

[Reyvaughn]

Well, I am sick of how foam incubators are made. You are right. They need to make a better one. This Hovabator is driving me nuts.

I have a new issue. I put my 3 new thermometers in the incubator. They are all reading 94 degrees while my meat thermometer reads 99. The GQF one (their cheesy cardboard one) says 96. So, now I have 4 thermometers all reading something different (the aquarium ones are all the same)..

 

[wvtim]

Without a fan installed the still air incubators are not good - in my opinion. I installed a the fan in my LG and hatching increased dramatically