wet-bulb humidity question

[LaGeniaLoca]

I'm using a wet-bulb thermometer to measure humidity in my homemade incubator. I've used this method before with no problems, but this time it's acting wierd. I have the water dish inside the bator, just like before, but the humidity is way too high. I can't get it below 60%. Is it possible to get an accurate reading if I put the water dish OUTSIDE the bator with the thermometer inside? I can run the wick through a ventilation hole....

Opinions?

 

[Gypsy07]

I'm not sure, but if you've used this system before and it was accurate, perhaps it IS reading correctly and your humidity really IS above 60%

 

[bjash]

If you have another way of measuring humidity, I'd double check it with that. Otherwise, you can get a simple weather station at most stores for relatively inexpensive that can show you humidity.

 

[Arielle]

Does the ambient humidity change thru the year where you are?? Do you hatch at the same time of year? Or is winter drier than summer?

 

[bjash]

It changes every day here (from as low as 30% to 90%). No real correlation at winter or summer (it can be 90% in both seasons--just depends on the day). Usually a local weather observation from the National Weather Service or a place like Accuweather will be close to your house depending on how far away you are from the location it is observed.

 

[cmom]

The humidity outside as well as inside can affect the humidity in the incubator. Also if you are running an AC or not can affect it also. I have used a wet-bulb too. To help correct my humidity I open the vents more to lower the humidity and close them more to increase it. What kind of incubator are you using? I also have another backup hygrometer in the incubator to check the humidity with.

 

[LaGeniaLoca]

Quote:
Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm using a homemade incubator, made with a rubbermaid storage bin and a plexiglass top. I put more ventilation holes in the sides and put the water dish outside of it so the water wouldn't increase the humidity, but that didn't help much. I finally got it lowered to 50% by adjusting the plexiglass for a larger ventilation point out the top. It didn't affect the temperature at all, and so far is holding at 50%. I candled my eggs, and all but one are developing. I cracked open the one and it was not fertile.

So I'm pretty happy with it at the moment. I'll just wait and watch, and hopefully, will have a better hatch this time. Thanks again!