Thermometer/Hygrometer (Govee mini) Question!

[tviss711]

I just got my first Govee mini for my NR360. I’ve had 2 successful hatches in it so far (3 using the same brand, but 2 in this specific incubator). Both hatches have been on time, with chicks emerging day 21. 19/19 chicks, and then 11/13 with one quitting early and one that was malpositioned that never made it out of the egg. I never had a backup thermometer, and finally ordered one because I know it is better practice.

All that to say, I ordered a secondary finally (the Govee mini). Everything I read online said they come pretty well calibrated out of the box, but may need a calibration after a season of non-use. I’m wondering if I should have calibrated. Just wanting some opinions in my current predicament. I’m not super worried about anything yet, but here’s my dilemma:

My incubator is reading 99.5F, and my Govee is now reading between 98.0-98.3F. I’m not so concerned about humidity as I usually do a dry hatch, but there’s about a 10% discrepancy between the humidity readings as well, but neither reading is concerning to me.

My question is, should I remove and check the Govee for accuracy, calibrate if needed, and try to put it back in after that? I don’t want to adjust my incubator temps at the moment because I have a little bit more faith in it currently, given my last two hatches have been on time. BUT, I also don’t want to ignore a possible issue.

If it’s relevant, my Govee is lying flat in the center of my incubator with the little hole facing up and is directly under the fan; I didn’t opt to hang it, but if that is better practice it wouldn’t be difficult to tape it to the edge of the little upper shelf that holds the fan and heating unit. I’ve checked the egg turner and the Govee does not disrupt it from doing its thing.

Is a discrepancy like this typical? I set my eggs last night.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do not have either that incubator or the Govee so I'm talking in general.

Since you have been very successful in the past I would not worry that much either. But I'd still want to know what is going on. I suggest you get a medical thermometer which should be calibrated in incubation range temperatures to check things out. But, make sure it is calibrated.

The NR360 is a forced air incubator so the temperature should be the same everywhere inside. I think the fan blows upward so the air is forced around the outside and comes up from the bottom so putting the thermometer directly under the fan should work but I'm not sure about that. I would not want it hit directly by the air coming out of the heater. The instruction manual did not help with that.

 

[tviss711]

I do not have either that incubator or the Govee so I'm talking in general.

Since you have been very successful in the past I would not worry that much either. But I'd still want to know what is going on. I suggest you get a medical thermometer which should be calibrated in incubation range temperatures to check things out. But, make sure it is calibrated.

The NR360 is a forced air incubator so the temperature should be the same everywhere inside. I think the fan blows upward so the air is forced around the outside and comes up from the bottom so putting the thermometer directly under the fan should work but I'm not sure about that. I would not want it hit directly by the air coming out of the heater. The instruction manual did not help with that.

Thank you for your input! I will try another thermometer that is calibrated for sure and see what is going on.

 

[cmillerrun89]

I noticed wild temp drops/spikes on my NR360 with a Govee and two other brands of thermometers to back up the readings. I ended up retiring the incubator altogether. The fan blowing might affect the term readings but I felt more confident swapping to another brand.