TOP Hatch Incubators NOT?

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
I'm glad to read this as I have had temp fluctuations and have wrapped it. I just came from putting a different brand of bulb in and then read this post!

My temps have stabilized much nicer.

 

[Critters-InThe-Country]

Quote:
I'm glad to read this as I have had temp fluctuations and have wrapped it. I just came from putting a different brand of bulb in and then read this post!

My temps have stabilized much nicer.

I'm new to hatching & have a Brower Top Hatch on the way. I was wondering what "Brand" of bulbs you each switched to that made the temps more stable?

& What about size of the candelabra bulb? I mean I've seen slimmer ones (almost a skinny style bulb) compared to a regular candelabra bulb. Does that make a difference? Do you change just brands & stay with the same 'size' of bulb in diameter?

I read on one post where someone changed wattage on their Brower Top Hatch... but for a big incubator like that doesn't it need a 60 watt like the manufacturer calls for? --not that I'd be interrested in changing from the called for 60 watt bulb.

Any info would help.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I broke my original bulb

and was using Westinghouse. I switched to GE and got better results. It's the small base candebrella bulbs. I have the 60 watt that they recommend. Hope this helps you.

 

[equus2]

I may truly have had a lemon

(I've had some quirky bad luck this year!)...I suspected so when we assembled it. The distributor, in the end, agreed to refund the purchase price (but not the shipping both ways.) And only after losing two expensive hatches. I've had power outages before, and have had reduced hatches in my styros and tX, but these two were total losses.

The Brower rep recommended the hammer and screwdriver to disassemble......he was very nice, and agreed that when new, they do require alot of force. He said, "and don't worry, you may crack the plastic. Just return it (at your expense) and we'll replace the top." And when brand new bulbs kept frying just a few days into incubation (I am away for 14 hours or so, a day), I decided that it wasn't the incubator for me. Funny the "relationship" you develop with these things. This one was definitely love/hate for me!

But as for the quirky luck.....I just bought a used genesis on ebay....took 3 weeks to get here, and they didn't send the POWER CORD! Said that wasn't part of the deal. So, lessons learned the hard way!

 

[newbiecaroline]

Hi everyone, I got mine a few days ago. Set up was easy except for those tiny minuscule ball bearings...5 have to be placed in each little stand...I managed to find the 3 I came up short on lol.
The next time consuming part was getting it up to temp.
Then farmer Kitty gave me a heads up....one full turn of the small control screw equals 1 and a half degrees. THEN I got it regulated....and it's been bang on since.
The humidity just went up for no apparent reason...the eggs are due today or tomorrow....does that change humidity?
I can understand the eggs once hatched changing it....but why before?
I did have to cover the light bulb by placing a kleenex over the lid just so I was not blinded by the bulb lol.
All in all I like it.

 

[NewChickenMom]

i LOVE LOVE LOVE my tophatch. i do have temp fluctuations from day to night, but it's also because my AC in my house isn't working, i just turn the knob a little bit and it fixes it. i'd much rather have my tophatch than anything else. i'm using it for the first time and i have 25 eggs in there. 17 of 25 had veins in them at day 4!! im going to check again on day 7 before i throw any out. and btw, these are shipped eggs from ebay!!

i haven't changed anything on mine, no wrapping, no new bulbs and its doing great!!