As part of my ongoing experiments with this product...
Once determining that a humidity higher than 70% was difficult to achieve when the incubator was set up normally, I have set it up abnormally.
After siliconing all of the drainage holes, I also siliconed the 4 notches around the top edge of the base. I then put water in the base, added the foam insert, and put the top back on.
This increased the humidity inside to only 80%. Rather disappointing!
Obviously, in order to make this incubator functional for reptile eggs that require near 100% humidity (as so many do), I will need to modify it further.
I'm debating how to seal the styrofoam so that when I apply tape around the top to seal it, it won't pull the foam apart when removed.
I was really hoping that this product would be all that it appeared to be, and I have been sorely disappointed. My HovaBators do a much better job of holding humidity. The built-in thermostat and hygrometer are working fine. This incubator would work fine for stacks of eggs in deli cups, by the way--as long as they're in sealed containers with their own individual humidity control. It holds even temperatures quite well.
It's really not bad for $100--it's a bargain. But it could be so much better. The lid design is unimpressive.
If I can figure out how to seal it properly, I can set it up as a substrateless incubator with water in the base, and fit 4 or even 5 ball python clutches in it. As it is now, I would need to place the eggs into separate sealed containers, and could fit perhaps 2 of those in there, at most.