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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

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.

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You know you can buy a 120qt coleman cooler at walmart for only a couple more dollars right?

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Originally Posted by Domepiece

You know you can buy a 120qt coleman cooler at walmart for only a couple more dollars right?

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Actually I didn't but thanks for the heads up.

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!

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.

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by glkherp

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

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How do you keep the humidity at almost 100% w/out any water bottles in there?

Most of the time people use closed tubs.


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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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by glkherp

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.

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