Water Heater thermostat or plug in dimmer?

[fishfarmer]

Hi all,

I am planning to build an incubator out of a styrofoam cooler. I have one question about temperature regulation.... Would you use a thermostat or a plug in dimmer for temperature regulation?

I was thinking about getting a water heater thermostat at first, but realized that when the thermostat turns off when the temperature gets too high, the temperature could drop by a significant amount before the thermostat kicks back on. That is going to do some damage to the eggs, right?

By getting a dimmer, I could adjust the heating light bulb from high to low. But I am worry that the incubator might overheat this way without a thermostat to turn it off if the temperature gets too high.

SO WHAT DO YOU diy'ers USE FOR YOUR INCUBATORS?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

A dimmer can work just fine if your house stays a constant temp an if you are home all the time. If not, you need a thermostat.

Without getting in to the science of heat exchange that is talked about in hundreds of threads on here, water heater thermostats do work well. Adjust the thermostat to come on at about 99*F an mount it about an inch from your light, flat side facing the light.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

From my experience...neither. I would spend a little more and get an electronic thermostat. Like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-State-The...ultDomain_0?hash=item563a7ce01a#ht_500wt_1182

Both the others are very unreliable and require an inordinate amount of fiddling...again my experience.

 

[Penturner]

A dimmer switch is going to be very touchy to the surrounding temperature in the room. basically it is a balancing act of replacing the heat the incubator looses at the same rate. if the room cools the incubator will loose heat faster and if the room worms up it will loose heat slower. But your dimmer controlled bulb will keep adding heat at the same rate regardless.
At this time I am using a Water Heater thermostat. I like the idea of an electronic stat but have not had the chance to use one and get comparisons. The WH stat requires getting it set up with the back toward the heat source so that it will not allow big temperature swings.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Ive had more issues with the thermostat you are pointing to than an others. I still have one here an I will not use it. Not worth there trouble.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

...or a wafer thermostat, then

I haven't used the one I pointed out...just assumed (yeah, I know) that it would be better than the hot water heater thermostat. My problem with the hot water heater therm. is that the temp has to swing way over and under the temp you want for the heat source (light bulb for me) to click on or off.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I do like wafer thermostats. A incubator built right with a water heater thermostat will keep +/-1 degree of 99.5.
The big plus to a wafer thermostat is it will keep an incubator that accurate even if built wrong. But you cant just go to the hardware store an get one.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I have been really impressed with the water heater stat in my homemade bator.

According to my thermometer, which records high/low, it has not gone below 99 or above 100, perfectly acceptable to me . . .

Its been going for 2 days now, and is very stable.