Stabilizing Temperatures

[ScottLovelandCO]

I built a cooler incubator this past weekend. I ran it all day saturday and sunday and monday morning we threw 2 dozen eggs in there. I can't seem to stabilize the temperature. When the light is on it runs for 20 minutes and shuts off at 101.5. It is off for 8 minutes and it kicks back on at 97.5 degrees. I didn't do enough research in the beginning and put a hot water heater lower t-stat in. It wasn't until today that I realized that they are pretty inaccurate to say the least. I have a computer fan running as well to circulate the air and two quart jar heat sinks. I am running around 45-50% humidity. (Before all you dry hatchers jump all over me, I'm a high altitude hatcher (o:] ) Does anyone have any suggestions? It's too late to turn around now. Should I just see what happens?

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

All these wise people and no comments?

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

Is it because I made a crack at the dry hatchers? I'm sorry dry hatchers.....I was only kidding.

 

[sumi]

I don't think you offended anyone. I think it's more a case of "don't know what to say". In your situation I would replace the thermostat... The eggs can handle a cool down period, so if you could do the switch quick. Would that be possible? If not hopefully someone else will chime in!

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

Any recommendation as to a different t-stat?

 

[olesmokey88]

sounds pretty good to me it takes the internal temp of the egg along time to change temperature id say that your on the right track for a good hatch. jmo

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

Thanks. We're continuing on and seeing what happens. I guess we'll know more this weekend when we can do our 7 day candle.

 

[olesmokey88]

I am using a water heater thermostat as well and I have 5 thermometers in my bator 2 digital with hygrometer and two plain digital with a probe an then an egg o meter the two probed digital fluctuate from 97-102 all the time the two digital with the hygrometers stay between 99-100 and the egg o meter stays constant 98.9-99.7 and I've got 1 pip and 1 hatched in the bator right now and it's day 20

 

[olesmokey88]

P.s I'm a dry hatcher 15-20% day 1-18 then 65-80 day 19-whenever they hatch

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

Because of my altitude it is recommended that we do 50-55% humidity for the first 18 and then jump to 65% for lockdown. It sounds like you're in store for a pretty successful hatch. We're keeping out fingers crossed. This is our first time incubating eggs since grade school and we're doing it in a homemade incubator with barnyard eggs. We're definitely keeping our fingers crossed.