Would a duct work for a false back of a refrigerator bator?

[Wolf-Kim]

I found out what the false back to the refrigerator bator is. Adam, who is helping build the incubator, asked about just using a type of duct, leading from the bottom to the top of the incubator that would help recirculate the air. This instead of using a board and covering the whole back of the fridge.

What do you think?

The duct would still have a fan at one end. It should still work the same a false back right? Can you see a downfall to this?

-Kim

 

[conny63malies]

should work, depending on the size of the fridge and the duct.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It is a full size fridge, with the fridge on bottom and freezer up top. We plan to run the false back or duct from the bottom of the fridge to the bottom of the freezer compartment.

I wonder what size duct we should use?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Should I put the fan at the top or the bottom of the duct or false back?

I am thinking top, because that's where the rest of the wiring will be.

-Kim

 

[arlee453]

I'd think use a duct about the size of a dryer vent - if you can find an insulated dryer vent that would work nicely. I believe that's either 4" or 4.25" duct. You could get the metal flexible kind and then just duct tape a piece of foil backed fiberglass insulation over the top of it, or maybe even something like waterheater blanket type insultation. I'd think you would want to insulate it so you don't lose a lot of heat through your duct.

Whether you put the fan at the top or bottom, I'd have it oriented so the air flow is from the top to the bottom.

I'd try it first with the fan blowing in the top (freezer) into the duct and air flow out into the bottom compartment.

The if that doesn't work you can always change it around. I'd put it in the top first so you ahve more room in the bottom for egg trays, etc.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I didn't even think of a dryer duct. I planned on keeping the duct inside the fridge, which would eliminate the need for insulated ducts.

The fan will force air from the bottom of the bator to the top. The heating element will be in the top, with another fan located in the center of the divider(between the fridge and freezer) that forces the heated air down over the eggs. Then be recycled into the duct at the floor(where the coldest air "should" be and spit out at the heating element again).

Thanks for the dryer duct suggestion!

-Kim