Tall Homemade Cabinet Style Incubator Heat/Fan Question

[doxies1]

I'm building one using "duct" work and a 350 watt hair dryer. The duct work helps distribute the air evenly to all heights. It will blow across water or wet shammy to keep humidity high. Haven't decided if I'll hatch in the bator or use the old Styrofoam bators as hatchers.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
the false back is the "duct" I have not finished mine but I was going to add a few holes in the middle of the back to try to make sure I do not have any dead air or any hot spot/cold spots in the bator

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
the false back is the "duct" I have not finished mine but I was going to add a few holes in the middle of the back to try to make sure I do not have any dead air or any hot spot/cold spots in the bator

How much false back do you have? Does if flush with the top, and if so, what's the "return" gap at the bottom?

 

[aprophet]

I will have to measure it Randall my day ended and it was 11pm when I read this I ain't really dressed to go outdoors right now LOL tomorrow pal

 

[aprophet]

these are the measurements I used to build mine by

http://www.vonrussellfarm.com/IncubatorandHatcher.html

I built the top the same but where his is 48" tall mine is shorter I only need 2 turners and a hatching tray in mine

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
the false back is the "duct" I have not finished mine but I was going to add a few holes in the middle of the back to try to make sure I do not have any dead air or any hot spot/cold spots in the bator

How much false back do you have? Does if flush with the top, and if so, what's the "return" gap at the bottom?

gap at the bottom is 3". My water shelf is 8" from the top the front edge of the water shelf to the front of the bator is 3 1/4" the gap between the false back and the back is 4" mine is 19 1/2" wide on the inside 19 1/2" deep from the false back to the front these are inside measurements I used 3/4" A/C ply mine is only 28" tall this an inside measurement I put mine together with angle brackets and screws and caulked the inside with a latex / butyl type caulk.

 

[_Randall_]

Here's a sneak peak at mine. 2-1/2" gap at bottom of the false back, 4" gap between false back and back, and 10" from water shelf to top..................33" tall............pretty close to your measurements. Made from 3/4" cabinet grade oak plywood with multiple coats of water based polyurethane.

 

[SED]

Guys, this has been an awesome and informative thread! Thanks for all the insight!

 

[The Point]

Here is the bator I made from a wine fridge. I have a Vet Med reptile thermostat in it, works like a cham. The Little Giant turners fit perfect. Getting the humidity right was just a matter of adjusting the water pan size. When the fans were pointed down I had to use a tiny dipping cup from my son's lunch box, had to refill the thing twice a day!

I did a lot of messing around with the fans. 1 up 1 down, both up, both down... but what ended up working was both of them blowing up, but on an angle. Every other configuration left my a degree cooler each shelf up. So much for heat rising. The thermometer in the picture is half a degree off. That made me nuts for close to a week. Doesn't matter what shelf I put it on it reads 100 and everything else reads 99.5 or 99.7.

I would like to add a hatching tray on the bottom shelf, but then I will have to relocate to fans. I am thinking of hanging them on an angle under the shelf. I am sure that will start a new set of issues.

 

[Strader]

Hope I didnt miss the link or part of the info on incubator building that showed the correct GQF parts that I can use for my thermostat and heater? I need a link to a thermostat and heater that will work with each other for my incubator build. I guess they can be another brand ....Thank you for your help.