Thermometers and accuracy.

[xcalibor67]

Well, now i have another problem....My controller stat reads between 98.6 and 100(lows & highs)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F05UI8O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have a
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H1R0K68/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and i have one of the mercury wall hangers with tin shroud. It seems they all give a different reading. The merc and the lil square thermometers do not fluctuate like the controller, but they still all read differently. Merc read *102 and the lil square one reads 93.4, while the controller stat fluctuates between 98.6 and 100... Any suggestions on what to buy maybe on Amazon that you have found to be accurate?. Cant reall do the ice bath thing on mine..Thanks.

 

[jvls1942]

you can do the ice bath test on the wall hanging one, can't you ?

what you can do is find one that is accurate. that is the hard part.

once you have one, put all the thermometers into the same place.

get the temperature to 99.5F on the accurate one. then note the readings on the rest of them,.

if one of them reads low, say, 94F.
make a note of that, from now on, 94F on that particular thermometer is actually 99.5F.

maybe the one fluctuating that you have is doing that because the temperature in you incubator is actually fluctuating that much..?

when you get one you can trust, put the rest of them away in a box and forget them.

DO NOT take two thermometers and average the temperature. what if they are both actually reading low, or high ?? think about it...

 

[xcalibor67]

Ok, found my candy thermometer with a 6" stem. Did a ice bath test 3 seperate times to be sure..It read 32.4 each time..I "Assume" an exact 32 is perfect, and my meter is reading .4 high. Anyway, i adjusted my digital controller stat to match that of the candy meter. When the heater comes on they stay neck and neck within +/- .1 all the way up to 100, where the controller stat cannot show higher as it only has 3 places. The candy stat rises to 100.4 and then starts back down in a few mins, at which point the controller stat will again start to match, until the heater comes back on at 88.6. I may try one of the "Fake egg" gel filled thingy madoos with the candy prod just to see what my "steady average" temp is, and then adjust off/on accordingly.

 

[xcalibor67]

Ok. now that i have a known accurate thermometer, is the ideal temp of the egg core temp 99.5? trying some different plastic eggs filled with various liquids..It seems after several hours my core temp is 98.4, a bit low im afraid..Thanks.

 

[jvls1942]

tell me.. shat kind of incubator are you using?
does it have a wafer ? or is it digital ?
don't panic just yet about the core temp.

.....jiminwisc.....

 

[xcalibor67]

Digital controller. Forced air fan.just finished up the bator, havent hatched any yet, just trying to get as near perfect as can for 1st clutch. Temps look ok varying between 98.6 to 99.9. But checking my makeshift plastic goo filled egg only shows a lil lower than what i assumed was the ideal core temp of 99.5. Thanks

 

[xcalibor67]

home made cabinet

 

[jvls1942]

what kind of heat source do you have in there?

 

[xcalibor67]

Had a horseshoe shaped element behind the fan, but since have replaced the copper tube covered element for a 225watt coil, as it heats faster and not much over run when controller cuts it off
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272192289179?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[jvls1942]

it sounds like a good set-up.

with all of my incubators, especially the small styro ones. I pre-set the temp with no water in the reservoirs.
when it stabilizes at about 100F I know I am good to go.
after I add water, the temperature drops to about 99.5F.
so, whenever the temp rises to about 100F I know it is time to add more water.
by presetting it this way, the temp should never spike more than the dry temp of 100F. as long as you don't fiddle with the temp controller again.

when you add eggs, the temp will drop. that is normal. just wait until the eggs warm up and all will be good.

.......jiminwisc......