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  • 01-18-2012, 04:43 PM
    TheSnakeEye
    Time For My Incubator Build
    It's time for me to start building my incubator, so I am going to post my build plan and hopefully you guys can criticize constructively.

    For starter's this is what I want to use:

    http://www.igloo-store.com/detail/IGL+52QT+FAMILY+BL

    My plan is to layer the bottom with water bottles (which is to help keep stable temps right?), if there is an alternate, better, method please let me know.

    Next I am going to put a shelf in the middle, where I can put the eggs tubs.

    Here's where I am stuck, I am having a hard time deciding how I am going to put the heat tape. I was thinking one long strip of 3 inch tape (approx 80 inch in length) lining the cooler to have constant heat from all around. This will be placed just under the shelf.

    No matter what heat source I choose to go with, I will be using a Herpstat to control the temps.

    Please feel free to suggest any and all ideas.
  • 01-18-2012, 04:56 PM
    Domepiece
    Re: Time For My Incubator Build
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by that_dc5 View Post
    It's time for me to start building my incubator, so I am going to post my build plan and hopefully you guys can criticize constructively.

    For starter's this is what I want to use:

    http://www.igloo-store.com/detail/IGL+52QT+FAMILY+BL

    My plan is to layer the bottom with water bottles (which is to help keep stable temps right?), if there is an alternate, better, method please let me know.

    Next I am going to put a shelf in the middle, where I can put the eggs tubs.

    Here's where I am stuck, I am having a hard time deciding how I am going to put the heat tape. I was thinking one long strip of 3 inch tape (approx 80 inch in length) lining the cooler to have constant heat from all around. This will be placed just under the shelf.

    No matter what heat source I choose to go with, I will be using a Herpstat to control the temps.

    Please feel free to suggest any and all ideas.

    You know you can buy a 120qt coleman cooler at walmart for only a couple more dollars right?
  • 01-18-2012, 05:01 PM
    TheSnakeEye
    Re: Time For My Incubator Build
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Domepiece View Post
    You know you can buy a 120qt coleman cooler at walmart for only a couple more dollars right?

    Actually I didn't but thanks for the heads up.
  • 01-20-2012, 12:29 AM
    pedipalps
    Same idea as yours. I have planned to buy a 52 or 54 quarts igloo for incubator, I have also heat tape, herpstat and small fan. But its very difficult to find here a egg crate. Good luck to both of us!
  • 01-20-2012, 12:46 AM
    Domepiece
    Re: Time For My Incubator Build
    I lined the bottom of my cooler with heat tape then put the water bottles over them and covered that with light diffuser(aka.egg crate). I ran all the wires and probes through the drain hole. Hope this helps, my temps are stable.
  • 01-20-2012, 10:32 AM
    glkherp
    Re: Time For My Incubator Build
    Here is a picture of one I just finished making for someone. I have built a couple dozen of these for people with good success. I start with a Coleman 120 quart cooler attach PVC to the bottom of it and run 7 feet of three in Flexwatt crisscrossed back and forth between the PVC. For the shelf I use the metal mesh shelving usually used for linen closets. Then a Herpstat thermostat to regulate it. I have never used water bottles in the bottom of them and have thrown one out in my garage when it was 40-50 degrees and it stayed within a half degree of its set point.

    http://users.tbc.net/~gknaack/coolerincubator.JPG

    George
  • 01-20-2012, 11:27 AM
    Mike41793
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by glkherp View Post
    Here is a picture of one I just finished making for someone. I have built a couple dozen of these for people with good success. I start with a Coleman 120 quart cooler attach PVC to the bottom of it and run 7 feet of three in Flexwatt crisscrossed back and forth between the PVC. For the shelf I use the metal mesh shelving usually used for linen closets. Then a Herpstat thermostat to regulate it. I have never used water bottles in the bottom of them and have thrown one out in my garage when it was 40-50 degrees and it stayed within a half degree of its set point.

    http://users.tbc.net/~gknaack/coolerincubator.JPG

    George

    How do you keep the humidity at almost 100% w/out any water bottles in there?
  • 01-20-2012, 12:15 PM
    Homegrownscales
    Most of the time people use closed tubs.


    Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com
  • 01-20-2012, 05:24 PM
    glkherp
    Re: Time For My Incubator Build
    Some people use the water bottles to help smooth out temperature fluctuation they aren't normally used to increase humidity. Personally I haven’t found this to be necessary for the type of incubators I build. For humidity I place the eggs in shoe boxes with no holes an inch or two damp vermiculite and the lid on. I do the same thing in my big upright incubators as well.
  • 01-20-2012, 09:15 PM
    Mike41793
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by glkherp View Post
    Some people use the water bottles to help smooth out temperature fluctuation they aren't normally used to increase humidity. Personally I haven’t found this to be necessary for the type of incubators I build. For humidity I place the eggs in shoe boxes with no holes an inch or two damp vermiculite and the lid on. I do the same thing in my big upright incubators as well.

    Ok fair enough, but my question then is still how does he keep the humidity up in the cooler?
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