incubator problems

hi, im not sure if this is the right place to put this question, but here it goes..
i have a incubator that is a stand up drink cooler. i have my herpstat proportional thermo hooked up to it set at 88*f. my problem is, the temp in the incubator is 96*f. i unpluged the stat, and the temp went down to 91*or so. i think my incubator is too efficient. i slid the incubator over the AC vent in the floor to hope to cool the whole incubator down but after thinking about it,, this IS NOT the right thing to do. the ambient temp in the snake room is about 85*f. i need the incubator to cool down, so i can regulate the heat.. any opinions are welcome because im at a loss,, and i have a het pied thats blue right now getting ready for post ov shed.
i caan atach pics or vids of incubator if that will help.
thanks
spooky

Lower the ambient temp to 79-80* in the room, make sure the t-stat is taped properly to the flexwatt.

I would keep lowering the temp setting on your t stat until it reads the desired tem on the inside of the incubator.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

Lower the ambient temp to 79-80* in the room, make sure the t-stat is taped properly to the flexwatt.

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i have the probe taped directaly to the flexwatt. is that right??
i am gonna lower the temp in the room.
thanks
spooky

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Originally Posted by iCandiBallPythons

I would keep lowering the temp setting on your t stat until it reads the desired tem on the inside of the incubator.

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thats the problem,,, i dont even have the stat on and the temp is in the 90*'s.
spooky

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr.spooky

i have the probe taped directaly to the flexwatt. is that right??
i am gonna lower the temp in the room.
thanks
spooky

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I don't have any knowledge about incubation requirements, I'm giving you my advice as an engineer. I would put the probe on or in the incubator tub, for more an accurate reading. Here's why... Temperature gradients are going to be different throughout the incubator. It takes longer for the temperature to change in the incubator tubs once the temp has increased or decreased on the flexwatt. If the incubator tubs need to be at a specific temp then put the probe in it, make sure top seal the hole up, or on it.

If I'm wrong, please correct me. Good luck my friend.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cmz1234

I don't have any knowledge about incubation requirements, I'm giving you my advice as an engineer. I would put the probe on or in the incubator tub, for more an accurate reading. Here's why... Temperature gradients are going to be different throughout the incubator. It takes longer for the temperature to change in the incubator tubs once the temp has increased or decreased on the flexwatt. If the incubator tubs need to be at a specific temp then put the probe in it, make sure top seal the hole up, or on it.

If I'm wrong, please correct me. Good luck my friend.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk

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im not sure if your wrong or right,,, but what you said would make the most sence. prior to this, i had the probe hanging in the dead center of the incubator, dut someone on a different forum sugested that it be taped TO the flexwatt..... im still confused. LOL
spooky

Yeah, having the T-stat probe on the heat tape is the problem. You want the probe to dangle in the middle of the incubator. Heat tape is very efficient.
That will probably cause a 2 degree gradient, but that is fine. 86-90 are fine temps, so if it's 90 up top and 88 towards the bottom, you are fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr.spooky

thats the problem,,, i dont even have the stat on and the temp is in the 90*'s.
spooky

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If the temp in your bator is higher than the room temp with the stat off, then something else is heating it up.

If you are running a circulation fan it might be raising the temps. Some fans motors get really hot and cause the temps inside the bator to spike even thought the t-stat is off. If this is the issue you need to get a cooler running fan.

I use a full size fridge with a proportional herpstat. The ambient temp in the room is around 85 and the herpstat keeps the temp inside the fridge at a perfect 90 using only 10% power. You can't get more efficient than an insulated fridge, so I don't think an incubator can be too efficient when being run by a proportional stat. I would also move your probe close to the eggs as was previously suggested.

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Originally Posted by TheReptileEnthusiast

If the temp in your bator is higher than the room temp with the stat off, then something else is heating it up.

If you are running a circulation fan it might be raising the temps. Some fans motors get really hot and cause the temps inside the bator to spike even thought the t-stat is off. If this is the issue you need to get a cooler running fan.

I use a full size fridge with a proportional herpstat. The ambient temp in the room is around 85 and the herpstat keeps the temp inside the fridge at a perfect 90 using only 10% power. You can't get more efficient than an insulated fridge, so I don't think an incubator can be too efficient when being run by a proportional stat. I would also move your probe close to the eggs as was previously suggested.

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the fan is the origional one that was in the cooler,,, i never thought of that.http://[IMG]http://i703.photobucket....y/DSCF3618.jpg[/IMG] iv jot a few different ideas now so ill see what hapens.
thanks to everyone that replied!!!!!!!!
spooky

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...y/DSCF3618.jpg
crap,, cant get pics to post.....

Try setting up your incubator like if you were gonna use it.

Put some egg boxes (preferably all of them) in the incubator put the t-stat prob in one of the box (preferably the one located in the middle of the incubator, and place a thermometer at the top, and one at the bottom (put the probes inside the egg boxes)

Just remember those thermometer are not that accurate, I have found that they are about 2 degrees off, however it gives you an idea on your temps.

Here is how my incubator was setup for the first test run ;) (no eggs just egg boxes)

http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Incubator.png

Hope this helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr.spooky

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...y/DSCF3618.jpg
crap,, cant get pics to post.....

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thanks for the pic help! ill need to figure that out later.
spooky

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Try setting up your incubator like if you were gonna use it.

Put some egg boxes (preferably all of them) in the incubator put the t-stat prob in one of the box (preferably the one located in the middle of the incubator, and place a thermometer at the top, and one at the bottom (put the probes inside the egg boxes)

Just remember those thermometer are not that accurate, I have found that they are about 2 degrees off, however it gives you an idea on your temps.

Here is how my incubator was setup for the first test run ;) (no eggs just egg boxes)

http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Incubator.png

Hope this helps.

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thanks for the reply,, a pic says a thousand words. though i wont need anywhere near that many boxes:O.
i see we share the same state. im in the south end though (tifton)
spooky

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr.spooky

thanks for the reply,, a pic says a thousand words. though i wont need anywhere near that many boxes:O.
i see we share the same state. im in the south end though (tifton)
spooky

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Well I don't need that many either (yet ;)), I am using the third of that right now, but withing the next 2 years it will likely be full.