Custom mini fridge incubator (pix)

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Heat does rise to a certain point but when the bator is filled with egg tubs they will interfere with the hot air circulation so it will be warmer under and cooler over. The reason I run it along the back is so

1- heat is even distributed.

2- egg boxes dont interfere with circulation

3- fans runs down heat strip circulating air everywhere so no hotspots(or cool spots) form.

IMO you want to try to keep the bator temps as even as possible. When you have temp variations it causes condensation. If the bottom is warmer then the top then condensation will build up on top of egg box and drip on eggs. Thats why you want to have the bator running with egg boxes for several days prior to adding the eggs so temps inside and outside the eggbox and all around the bator are even thus no condensation.

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Your right, and it will give me more room inside for tubs, if the heat is attatched on the back. Thanks for the advice!:gj:

Has anyone else out there made there own incubator? Also what do you all think about wet bators verses dry?

You also might want to think about using a helix or herpstat thermostat which are proportional thermostats rather then a johnson which is just an on/off type of thermostat. It would help maintain a steadier temperature in the incubator. It probably wouldn't make that big of a difference with ball python eggs which are more forgiving then the eggs of other species, but with a non-proportional thermostat you will have wider temperature flucuations.

Fluctuations in the incubator with an on/off t-stat will depend on the rooms ambient temperature swings.

I placed mine in the closet where the temperatures are fairly stable, and with an on/off t-stat my temps stayed within 1 degree.

I agree with Mark S, if you can get a proportional definitely do.

These are great! Does anyone know where I can find a tutorial on how to convert a mini fridge or drink cooler, or maybe even a full sized fridge into an incubator?

Heres how i set my incubator up.

This is a full 6ft tall freezer. Used 11ft of 11" flexwatt and takes about 9 hours to stabalize with temps of 89.9 top shelf and 88.5 bottom shelf

The computer fans are wired to a computer power supply that is jumped to run just the fans at all times.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...or/Toys010.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...r/100_2663.jpg
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I got one of those cok machines in th ereptile room I have yet ot wire it up since i don't have the extra room to open it with this person that mom helpnig here since she a nght owl and up all night ( screwing withthe rodent sleep cycle all the time.) soI using the hobuvator again for this year once I get eggs. I was thinking of setting up the fidge with a strip of 4 inch that goes all the way down one sid and up the other side to controp lthe heat if i had to since I got a older model t stat to use for control. and iwth the big glass door it easy to look at the eggswith out opening all the time.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

You also might want to think about using a or herpstat thermostat which are proportional thermostats rather then a johnson which is just an on/off type of thermostat. It would help maintain a steadier temperature in the incubator. It probably wouldn't make that big of a difference with ball python eggs which are more forgiving then the eggs of other species, but with a non-proportional thermostat you will have wider temperature flucuations.

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OK, I will try to get a proportional thermostat. They are just so expensive, do you know if there are less expensive models then a herpstat or helix out there?

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Originally Posted by Drew87

Very cool, I used a ice chest last year but its to small for my plans this year. Should work no problem :gj:

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Can you post plans?

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Originally Posted by Vlervatron

OK, I will try to get a proportional thermostat. They are just so expensive, do you know if there are less expensive models then a herpstat or helix out there?

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Yeah they are expensive, unfortunately I don't know where you can find any like that that are cheaper. Sorry.