Which Incubator to buy?

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
Thank you for writing this up - it was a very well balanced pro and con assessment.

When you said that you would not buy another one unless you found it for 75% off, was that a misprint? Did you intend to say 25% off, or do you feel this machine is only worth 1/4 of what you paid for it?

I remember that you had an issue with a frustrating noise, that some thought might be a problem with the machine being properly seated in the cradle. You had planned to call Brinsea about it. Did you end up calling? If so, how did you find their customer service?

I can't remember, how much did you pay for it? And how much would it have been if you had also purchased the humidity pump? Do you think, in hindsight, that the humidity pump would have been worth the price (and the third plug)? Are there any accessories that you bought that don't come standard, or that you wish you had bought with the machine?

Do you feel that the written instructions are easy to understand, easy to use, and adequate for a beginner? Were they written by someone who uses English as their first language? (I'm not trying to be mean here, but sometimes things do get lost in translation, and you end up holding this piece of paper and saying "Huh???" As much as I love my Rcom, so far, there are times when I read the directions and have to mentally translate Korean English to American English. It's not a huge hardship, but it does require me to pay close attention.)

 

[TattooedMama]

Thank you for writing this up - it was a very well balanced pro and con assessment.

When you said that you would not buy another one unless you found it for 75% off, was that a misprint? Did you intend to say 25% off, or do you feel this machine is only worth 1/4 of what you paid for it?

I remember that you had an issue with a frustrating noise, that some thought might be a problem with the machine being properly seated in the cradle. You had planned to call Brinsea about it. Did you end up calling? If so, how did you find their customer service?

I can't remember, how much did you pay for it? And how much would it have been if you had also purchased the humidity pump? Do you think, in hindsight, that the humidity pump would have been worth the price (and the third plug)? Are there any accessories that you bought that don't come standard, or that you wish you had bought with the machine?

Do you feel that the written instructions are easy to understand, easy to use, and adequate for a beginner? Were they written by someone who uses English as their first language? (I'm not trying to be mean here, but sometimes things do get lost in translation, and you end up holding this piece of paper and saying "Huh???" As much as I love my Rcom, so far, there are times when I read the directions and have to mentally translate Korean English to American English. It's not a huge hardship, but it does require me to pay close attention.)

I think there is no way I would pay this price for this machine twice. Others who are diligent with lesser priced machines seem to do just as well. With the list of cons such as the multiple plugs, small hatch area and small viewing window- I just would rather have purchased something else. The only way I would be tempted to buy a second Octagon 20 would be if I found it at a steep discount.

I did not in fact call Brinsea about the knocking noise. By the time it happened the second time, I was the day before taking it off the auto turning cradle anyways. I simply did not get a chance, and then i did not remember. The cradle didn't do it the entire time so it made it easy to forget.

The machine was on sale from Brinsea for $349 when I purchased it. I found an additional 10% off coupon code ("TheChickenChick") which knocked the incubator down further. Total price shipped was $338 I believe.

I wish that the dividers for the egg tray came with the cushioned pieces that accompany the Octagon 40. I don't think it would be too costly for Brinsea to add that feature to an incubator they charge $400 for. The little dividers are metal and a few times I thought I might crack an egg. You have to put them rather tight to keep the eggs from falling over. That could make a huge difference.I would not pay for the humidity pump. I don't need the hassle of a third plug. In the future I would plan for a fuller batch to aid in keeping humidity up. Also, the directions were easy to read and there was no great effort needed, or no need to translate what they meant.

I think the Brinsea worked well but perhaps I just got ahead of myself when choosing an incubator. I spent more than I needed to and believe I could have found good quality in a cheaper machine that would also not have the same issues that this machine does (lack of space, multiple plugs, etc). Overall I wish I would have gone with something simpler and have a pretty good feeling that it would have worked just as well.

 

[Amaldrich]

I own a recommend 20 and would love to know how to turn the music off. Called the company and they said it could not be done. You state it can be done!? Please tell me how

 

[huntseat]

I have a volume control on my main menu... (RCOM 20 pro)

 

[Sydney Acres]

I own a recommend 20 and would love to know how to turn the music off. Called the company and they said it could not be done. You state it can be done!? Please tell me how

I assume you mean an R-com 20. Which model do you own, the R-com Max or the R-com Pro or the other one (can't remember what it's called this time of night, but the one that has all the software to link to your computer/smartphone)? I own the R-com Max, and I do remember reading some instructions about how to turn off the music. If that's the same machine that you own, post back and I'll look up the instructions for you. If you've got a different machine, I can still post what needs to be done for the Max, but it may not be the same for different models.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the large Brinsea Ecoglow is on sale on amazon.com. Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Brinsea-Produ...id=1403338294&sr=1-1&keywords=brinsea+ecoglow

 

[Sydney Acres]

I own a recommend 20 and would love to know how to turn the music off. Called the company and they said it could not be done. You state it can be done!? Please tell me how

According to the owner's manual for my R-com Max 20, you can switch the egg turning melody on or off by "Plese press TEMP+ button over 5 seconds to turn ON or OFF egg turning melody." The little picture shows the temperature readout going from "5.ON" to "5.OFF" and back again. I think it means to hold the button down for 5 seconds, not repeatedly press it for 5 seconds.

I have not tried this, and do not know if it applies to all models or all years. It's just what it says in my owner's manual. I purchased my machine this year, but do not know if it was manufactured this year, or if it sat in the warehouse for a while.

Hope this helps.

 

[Amykins]

According to the owner's manual for my R-com Max 20, you can switch the egg turning melody on or off by "Plese press TEMP+ button over 5 seconds to turn ON or OFF egg turning melody."

That is a wonderful feature that is NOT shared with my Rcom mini. It's so lovely to hear that ear-piercing beep at 3 in the morning! It's why I'm awake right now!

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote: Oh dear, it's that loud!?! Unless you're a super light sleeper, that's too loud!! I wouldn't think that would be good for the eggs either, although the chicks probably can't hear much until day 16-18, when you need to switch the turner off anyway.

Wait, your's is a beep? That would be annoying. Mine is a soothing and soft melody, kind of like gently ringing little bells for about 5 seconds. It is loud enough for me to hear it across the house if everything else is quiet, but the normal volume on a TV drowns out the sound easily.

Have you e-mailed R-com? I have found them very helpful with questions. You do sometimes have to wait several days, but the person who has answered my e-mails has been wonderful. Here is his business card:

You should probably include the model number and serial number of your incubator so he can look up information that is specific for your machine. If the sound can't be turned off, perhaps it can be turned down, or the turner can be set to turn less frequently so you won't be disturbed as often. Or maybe you can switch the turner off at night when you're in bed, as long as you can remember to turn it back on in the morning.

 

[Amykins]

You can't turn it off, as I said it's all automatic. x_x;; And I am a light sleeper, unfortunately! Hehe I wish it was a nice soothing melody, but instead it goes "Beep....beep...BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" I still love this little thing though, it really is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of bator. Bad for a helicopter egg mom like me though. And bad for insomniacs.