water heater thermostat

[bethsplace]

We made a homemade incubator last winter and got a hot water thermostat like everyone says to do but werent sure on how to hook it up so I used it successfully with out it twice. My DH is a safety freak and doesnt want to use it because its made for a 30amp appliance and its being wired to be used in a regular electrical outlet in the house, If you are a licensed electrician can you give us some advice on this

 

[Bobby Joe]

the therm. is only being used as a switch to turn the power off to your heat source ...light or heat element , the 30 amp rating is way above what you would need to cycle the light on and off . I have been using mine for 3 hatches now with no problems and it was a old one from a discarded water heater. if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 

[al6517]

I originaly used one in the homemade bator I made and it worked Ok for 2 years, the temp swings were not bad but I wanted better control. I just recently upgraded to a dbl wafer back-up and I am loving that, temp's within 1/10 are awesome. Any way the WHT is just a relay switch tell the DH you shouldn't worry it is quite safe, but tempremental.

AL

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

A water heater thermostat pulls no amps at all its just a switch. It can also handle quite a bit more than 30 amps going threw it. But even to match the 30 amps it sees in its normal use you would have to plug in 33 one hundred watt light bulbs at the same time.

Running the .83 amps of a regular 100 watt bulb threw it is harmless.

 

[bethsplace]

thanks for the advice, I had a fellow chicken lover give me a thermostat with a heat coil type of sensor on it used in chicken stuff he uses them in his brooders i think it might be more reliable then the hot water thermostat we will see, I will be getting some eggs from the march egg swap and want these to hatch! thanks again for your help