I "pimped" my incubator! DUW!!!

Check it out! Got an early clutch today so I had to quickly perform some maintenance on my incubater. My old fans were too small, placed badly, and way too noisy.

I spent 20 bucks at radio shack for bigger, more powerful, quiet, blue LED computer fans. The result looks SO COOL in person. I love the blue lights! They stay lit all the time and it looks really neat. The fans and LED lights are only a total of just under 4 watts so it is nothing energy wise. With a life expectancy off 30,000 hours, I will have to replace them in about 6 years.

You would not believe how cool this looks in person.. And the fans are nice and quiet and provide WAY more air flow then the old ones. They are hot glued with risors so it is actually blowing towards the top of the cooler prividing excellent circulation without blowing directly on the egg tubs.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...a/IMG_1476.jpg
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Now all I need is for my son to do some artwork on the outside with a black marker... I will get him working on that and post some pics when it is done... And I will post a pic with some eggs as soon as it gets up to temperature (takes several hours to get up to temp because bottom is covered in full water bottles to help stabalize the temps)

Very cool. It looks great.....

Wow looks cool. I'd love an update when you start putting eggs in there. I wonder if the color temperature of the lights would effect the eggs in any way.

Your incubator is lit blue, my incubator is blue. Our incubators should be friends lol.

Looks cool! I like it.

Nice! Looks great. :gj:

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

Wow looks cool. I'd love an update when you start putting eggs in there. I wonder if the color temperature of the lights would effect the eggs in any way.

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There have been studies that show red light may slow grow in tadpoles (also increase melanin), however I think wavelength plays into this. Maybe blue won't be an issue.

I like the idea. Let us know if the lights cause any strange effect.

Wow this is really cool! What are you using to heat it and are the temps pretty stable? I was thinking of building another incubator out of a mini fridge but now you've got me thinking about a cooler! :gj:

It is heated with 11 inch flexwatt taped to the bottom controled by a proportional thermostat. The whole bottom is covered with water bottles, then the light difuser sits on top of the botles. It holds 8 egg tubs at once. And yes, with the combination of the proportional thermostat, constant air movement, and water bottles for temperature stability it holds the temperatures EXACTLY where I want them. Temperature is identical in all tubs regardless of location. This is my third year using this incubator.

Just got done putting the eggs in it. :)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...a/IMG_1491.jpg

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Congrats! Looks like a great clutch. Are the waterbottles directly on top of the heat tape? No melting issues? I'm so making one of these. Thanks for the inspiration!

This looks great and is absolutely brilliant! :gj::gj:

I know exactly what I'm doing this summer...Where did you get the light diffusers? Are you by chance a ME (mech. eng.)?!

The water bottles for temperature stabilization is ingenious.

Did the cooler come with the windows in it or did you add them yourself?

Mike I am trying something similar and was wondering if you could show pictures on how you ran the cord from the heat tape out of cooler?

It doesnt look like you have any substrate in with the eggs, do you leave them like that? Also where did you get the fan and what is the voltage?

Which model fan is this from radioshack? And what did you purchase to do the hookup in order to plug into wall outlet?

Thanks
Javier

It's almost scary, like instead of snake eggs, some sci-fi alien eggs are going to pop out. :rofl:

Looks even better w/ the eggs inside :gj:

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Originally Posted by MiamiRoyalPythons

Congrats! Looks like a great clutch. Are the waterbottles directly on top of the heat tape? No melting issues?

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Nope, this is my third year using the same cheap paper thin platic bottles.

[QUOTE=Ch^10;1526610]Where did you get the light diffusers? Are you by chance a ME (mech. eng.)?!
QUOTE]

Home Depot. Nope, jax, Fl.

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Originally Posted by MiamiRoyalPythons

Did the cooler come with the windows in it or did you add them yourself?

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I cut the window holes myself. I bought a kit from a guy that used to frequent the forums that gave specifc directions. Haven't seen him around in a long time though... I believe his screen name was pythonwallace

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Originally Posted by Denial

Mike I am trying something similar and was wondering if you could show pictures on how you ran the cord from the heat tape out of cooler?

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That was easy. I just drilled a hole in the side of the cooler to run the wires, then filled the hole back up with with hot glue.

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Originally Posted by WildCreations

It doesnt look like you have any substrate in with the eggs, do you leave them like that? Also where did you get the fan and what is the voltage?

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Yes, I only use substrateless method. It has worked for me with 100% success rate and is obviously the easiest.

The fans are from radio shack. They are 12v dc.

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Originally Posted by NNJExotics

Which model fan is this from radioshack? And what did you purchase to do the hookup in order to plug into wall outlet?

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Sorry, don't know model number. I am running them both off of one plug. It is an old laptop power cord. It is rated for 15v dc at 5 amps. the fans only draw a total of 3.2 amps so the cord can more then handle it... shoot, it could handle a third if I wanted. :)

very cool. how do you wire the fans?? are they separate from the thermostat and running 24/7 ??

Might as well throw some house music in there! :banana:

How do you keep the eggs from desiccating with out moist incubation medium?