FINISHED: My DIY Incubator!!

I did it :D

I finished my DIY wine cooler incubator! It was uber easy :P

Sorry for no step by step but I just wanted to get it done.

All I need now is to buy the Herpstat 2 and I will be good to go!

When I bought it :

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...KSqWv48_20.jpg

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...ByW9Q48_20.jpg

Stripped everything out of it :

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...121_205634.jpg

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...121_205620.jpg

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...121_205703.jpg

Everything put INTO it!! :

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b6.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b5.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b4.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b7.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b8.png

My Bulldog Lola was an extremely huge help....not...haha...such a cutie!!!

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b1.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b2.png

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...achnids/b3.png

So now Ill go into detail :

I found the wine cooler on Kijiji ($50) it was in perfect working condition and perfect cosmetically. I gutted the compressor and everything else that was not needed and then I installed the Flex watt, lights and then the probe for the thermometer and then threw the water bottles in and then the fan!

The lights I got off eBay for $20 for 16.5 feet of it and I got the fan off amazon for $20. I got the fan because I didnt really like the idea of splicing a computer fan into a cell phone charger. So I got a USB powered fan off amazon. Even better is that the fan has a built in speed control (it has a knob on the side). I power the fan with a USB wall charger.

The thermometer is from Home Hardware and it is a Indoor/Outdoor with Hygrometer. It also has temperature alarms built in so if it reads a temperature over a point I choose it will start playing an alarm. It also has that for humidity. I got it for $15.

Total build cost : $137

I know I could of done it for cheaper but I went for looks over lowest price.

I dont think it turned out too bad!

Thanks for looking everyone!!!


Now I just need eggs!!!!!

Is that fan just sitting on the water bottles? Id worry that itd overheat a bit and throw off the temps

nope it has stilts

The water bottles hold heat.

When I open the incubator door all the warm air is going to rush out. But the water in the bottles will still be the temp they were so when I close the door the air around the water bottles will heat back up faster then just the flex watt doing all the work.

Not a fan of the lights. Let us know how it works when you get the t-stat! :)

As usual, Lola is adorable.

I don't know about that fan like that.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

As usual, Lola is adorable.

I don't know about that fan like that.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

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Fan like what? On the water bottles?

Its actually the only way to have a fan in there because if I put it up top it wont let me put a second tub in there.

I am running tests now and the fan has been running by it self for an hour and so far there has been a .5 of a degree temperature change at the top of the incubator.

What I would do is to move some water bottles to the top right laying on their side and put a fan in the top right of the incubator- heat rises and you want to push it down. That will leave you room for one tub on top, and one tub on the bottom. For a small incubator you really don't need that many water bottles for a heat sink. Mine is just a hair bigger, but not by much at all and I have 5- 6 water bottles in it.

I just re-arranged mine today and can fit 5 tubs vs. 4 with my previous layout and still have plenty of water bottles.

Old configuration with 4 tubs...
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...-24-51_251.jpg

New layout with 5 tubs- I just moved the shelves up one notch and had clearance. Still room for the fan to circulate air...
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h.../Incubator.jpg

That something 7 nifty postulant Borgnine &.