Temp swings. Is this okay???

[chickintexas]

I'm testing my incubator right now. I've drilled holes into the housing of the water heater thermostat to make it more sensitive but it doesn't seem to be as sensitive as I'd like. It will turn off at 102.9 and back on at 97.3. A 5.6 degree difference. I realize that I've got to make some fine tune adjustments so the temp doesn't go over 102 (still air incubator).But is this swing acceptable?

Thanks for your input

 

[babsbag]

I think that is a little wide for temp swings. I mounted my thermostat about 3/4" above my lightbulb and the temps stayed within 1-2 degrees. I didn't drill the holes in either. I tried on the first one and ended up breaking it and drilling through my thumb. Obviously I wasn't using the right tools for the job.

I would also suggest that you put a computer fan it there for circulation. The ventilation is very important and it is much easier to get even temps with a fan.

 

[robin416]

When you average the temp out its 100.1 so its a bit low for a still air. Remember the air temps may be registering those temps but the inside of the egg is slower to lose heat and slower to heat up.

 

[chickintexas]

I knew that the temps were on the low side. Funny how the humidity works with the temps. I've got it within 2 degrees on the thermostat since I brought the humidity up. Turns off at 102.7. Back on at 100.2. I just now adjusted the thermostat down a frog's hair. I don't have a water wiggler so I used a plastic baggie filled with water and sealed up with a meat thermometer inserted into it. That's currently reading 101/102. Is that where it should be? And it holds pretty dang steady there as well. I haven't received my PC fan in the mail yet and I'm hoping it gets here tomorrow or Wednesday at the very latest.

 

[ga_goat]

I had 14 eggs in a plywood cabinet that I built with on of those w/h theromostats in it , it will hold 300+ eggs , was just test running it . the temps swung from 87 to 104 ( i think it may have went above and below these temps a few times ) , the hatch started yesterday now have 5 in the brooder 3 ( tonight) still too wet to move and 3 or 4 peeping looks like i'll get at least 10 or 11 out of 14 , still going to change the theromostat.
I set 20 in the other cabinet tonight . when I get them calibrated and the bugs out of the process I plan to fill 1 each month .
with that much temp swing NOTHING should have hatched