My first home made Incubator!

So I've been wondering what I'm going to use this year other then the hoverbator I used for my single clutch last year. I found a free wine cooler on in craigslist near the house. So I picked it up and been messing with it on and off for a while now. Finished it today!!!

Here are the pics. Tell me what you think!
http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...Incubator1.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...Incubator2.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...Incubator3.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...Incubator4.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...Incubator5.jpg

Looks pretty nice, how's it work at holding temp and humidity?

It's only for 2 clutches but it is a start and now since I have the thermistat and the know how I can build a bigger one in a year or too! Was a fun project. Have a fan that circulates only when the heat is on. The fan is 12v and I ran it on a 6v converter that I got off some old computer speakers. 3 inch heat tape run down one the back and top, prob on opposite side of tape. 2 6 qt tubs fit percect. Johnson controls A419 for the thermistat.

70$ total for everything!

Does that sound all right?

Running up the temp now. has taken about 45 min so far to get from 72 to 82 degrees. Still need to get it up to 90 to see how good it holds. The humidity is done in the tubs. and since it is a COMPLETLY closed off and insolated on all sides it should be abo hold fine.

If it holds the temp then 70 bucks sounds real good.

Hour now and at 87.

1 hour 20 min and at 90. lets see what happens!

nice good luck where did u get the wine cooler thing?

On craislist. the circuit board was burnt out and was free.. :)

nice good find

Is there anyway you could post the measurements? I actually just found a broken wine cooler on craigslist as well that Im think about getting. Would love to hear how this goes. Nice find!

You mean width and length of the cooler it self? And insides? sure.. give me a few to find a measuring tape.. lol

Nicely done, and what's your ambience temp?

Thing is set to 89. But keeps going from 89-91. Takes about 20 min to cycle once it gets up to temp. House is in the low 70's right now.

ok did a few test runs.. takes about 1 hour 20 min to heat from 72 f to 90. cuts out at 90 and takes 50 min to drop down to 87 and then 15 min to heat back up to 90.

Is that ok?? I have the thing set at 88 and a 1 degree difference but can't seem to keep it at that point. Any one use the johnson thermistat? or is that about a normal thing for it to work like that?

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but I am having this issue to, and would like to know how to solve it. I have it set at 88 and 1 degree dif, but it drops to 86 before it turns back on, then cuts off right as it hits 88. is this a problem?

One way to solve your fluctuation issue is to upgrade to a proportional thermostat, other then that not sure what to tell ya. But with your slight fluctuation I wouldn't worry about it.

That is way the On / off T-stats are designed to work you might try to place the heat tape against something very heavy and use it as a thermal mass like a stone tile or something of that sort that will heat slowly and cool slowly so it will even off the temps and prevent the temp spikes or a proportional T-stat.

or set you temp to 89

one thing you have got to do is add another 3inch heat in there... the faster it can heat up the better..... because when u oepen the door to look at them it takes time to get it back up to temp..... if it takes 15 min to heat back up to 90 from 87 thats a lot of temp fluc. and when u open the door its only gonna add more time to heat back up...... i would say more heat.... the thermo should be fine but as always a better thermo is better..... and in a incubator the more heat the better.... u want your temps back up and steady as fast as possable.....

^^^^ agree... I have a reptibator and it takes 5-6 minutes to get the temp inside the shoe box tub back up to temp. That's what you gotta lookout for. Make sure you have a therm/hygro in with the eggs to keep even more accurate temps. That's just what I do. Might help

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