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Incubator fan problem..

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  • 03-20-2012, 11:37 PM
    zach_24_90
    Incubator fan problem..
    Ok so I originally had my fan set to come on with my heat tape and the Incubator stayed a good 89ish and then after reading everybody says it needs to stay on 24/7 but when I do this it jacks the temp up to 93... Obviously that won't work.. Any ideas? Does it have to run 24/7 I was getting good temps when it wasn't
  • 03-20-2012, 11:40 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    I would just keep it the way you were doing it. proper temps are more important I would think and some people don't even use a fan so it running some is better than nothing.

    What would you say the ratio of fan on to fan off is?
  • 03-20-2012, 11:48 PM
    zach_24_90
    I mean the way I had it it clicks on when the tstat does so probably a few minutes every 30-45 min
  • 03-20-2012, 11:59 PM
    The Serpent Merchant
    All it needs to do is circulate the air some to keep the temperature constant throughout the incubator. I doubt that you will have issues.
  • 03-21-2012, 12:22 AM
    BallsUnlimited
    from my personal experience with my incubator when i dont run the fan i will get temps from 87-91. with the fan on 24\7 i see temps in all egg tubs 88.0-88.4.
  • 03-21-2012, 12:24 AM
    crbballs
    Re: Incubator fan problem..
    ok so the only concern that i have when you turn on the fan 24/7 your temp spikes. Well this makes me think that maybe you have temp variation and when you turn on the fan it is evenly dispersing the heat. And also i would recommend getting a thermostat like a herp stat that is not a on off type so when you set it to 89 it holds it at that temp. Thats just me personally. I mean you are taking all this time to raise and breed for these eggs. Why risk anything going wrong while your incubating. Replacing your thermostat like a herp stat should help you. Having the fan is key to circulating the air. If it turns on every 40 min then since heat rises then in that 40 min that the fans no on all the warm air is staying at the top of your incubator. Hope this helps a little
  • 03-21-2012, 12:41 AM
    zach_24_90
    No that's not it. I left the fan on last night and after a couple hours the fan was burning hot. And before when it was synced with the tstat I hit every part of the incubator with the temp gun and it was 89*. And I do have a good thermostat on it lol I'm running a ranco (I forget which model exactly)
  • 03-21-2012, 01:07 AM
    The Serpent Merchant
    Rancos aren't proportional thermostats which means that they are just as inaccurate at cheap thermostats like hydrofarms.

    Where is the probe? You might need to move it around.

    So your saying that the fan is getting really hot and you think that the fan is what is bumping up the temp? (just making sure I'm understanding you correctly)

    If so then as I said before moving the thermostat probe might help.

    Are you sure that you are supplying the fan with the proper electricity? (you most likely are just trying to cover all of the bases)

    Also temp guns only measure surface temperatures, not air temperatures. Something to keep in mind.
  • 03-21-2012, 01:11 AM
    zach_24_90
    I think I'm gonna go grab a fan controller tomorrow and wire it in that way I don't have to keep the fan spun up on full speed. I think that's what was causing it to overheat. I just need a little airflow cause it's just a mini fridge
  • 03-21-2012, 01:15 AM
    zach_24_90
    Re: Incubator fan problem..
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant View Post
    Rancos aren't proportional thermostats which means that they are just as inaccurate at cheap thermostats like hydrofarms.

    Where is the probe? You might need to move it around.

    So your saying that the fan is getting really hot and you think that the fan is what is bumping up the temp? (just making sure I'm understanding you correctly)

    If so then as I said before moving the thermostat probe might help.

    Are you sure that you are supplying the fan with the proper electricity? (you most likely are just trying to cover all of the bases)

    Also temp guns only measure surface temperatures, not air temperatures. Something to keep in mind.

    Probe is hanging dead center in the incubator
    And yeah I know that about the temp gun I was just saying. I've got the probe, another digital thermometer set up inside a imitation egg box, and a third digital thermometer hanging in the middle haha
  • 03-22-2012, 09:42 PM
    SlitherinSisters
    I don't see why running your fan 24/7 would make your temps go up, that makes me think there is something going on with your heating since your thermostat isn't making up for the difference. You had to have had hot spots since you weren't seeing that till your fan was turned on all the time, fans even out the temps, not raise them. My guess is all that heat was sitting at the top of your incubator since there was no fan to keep it moving. What kind of thermostat are you using? It must be an on/off thermostat which is not a good idea for an incubator, you don't want your temps to fluctuate and that's exactly what you get with an on/off thermostat.

    Also, the fan should not create heat, if it does it should be negligible. Computers need the fans to cool them, using a fan that gets hot would fry any computer. Get a nice computer fan, a nice one only costs about $10, and wire it with an old cell phone charger, that will help insure that a smaller amount of energy will be transferred to the fan. And I would never run an incubator without a fan, that is a very bad idea.
  • 03-22-2012, 09:48 PM
    SlitherinSisters
    Re: Incubator fan problem..
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zach_24_90 View Post
    I think I'm gonna go grab a fan controller tomorrow and wire it in that way I don't have to keep the fan spun up on full speed. I think that's what was causing it to overheat. I just need a little airflow cause it's just a mini fridge

    You don't need a fan controller, just a decent computer fan and an old cell phone charger.
  • 03-22-2012, 09:54 PM
    RichsBallPythons
    Certain Fans have different ways of operating, Some operate hotter than others. Lower the CFM is on the fan and being Bering operated itll have less heat output.

    But no matter waht fan you get they all give off heat, which is why its recommend to keep them on at all times and adjust thermostat accordingly to get your temps you like. The fans help keep the rising circulating to keep it even.

    Temps at the top of my incubator are 90-91 but on the shelf on top is only 89.


    What type of Fan are you using.

    These are the ones i use and the bearings only reach 96F. Their ran off a computer powersupply i had laying around jumped. I have only 2 running
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835150007
  • 03-22-2012, 09:57 PM
    Adam Chandler
    I had the same problem. My fan (which is a little larger than the average comp fan) was running hot and was heating up the inside of the incubator so I ran the power cord through a dimmer switch and set it to a little over 50% and now it's perfect.
  • 03-22-2012, 09:59 PM
    snake lab
    First off what kind of incubator are you using? Second what kind of fan? Third a proportional versus non proportional stat does make a difference in temp spikes. I have a walk in incubator which is 6ft wide by 5 ft deep by 7 ft tall give or take. I only jave one small computer fan running constant. Now the way i have it set up is the fan is at the top blowing down at the space heater. Im using a johnsons non proportional stat and my temps stay at 88 to 89 degrees. If your fan is at the bottom it may be causing your spikes depending on size of incubator. Another thing could be the fan motor irself could be generating heat. But i doubt it. Still a possibillity. Alittle more info on your incubator would be helpful.
  • 03-22-2012, 10:11 PM
    crbballs
    Re: Incubator fan problem..
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters View Post
    I don't see why running your fan 24/7 would make your temps go up, that makes me think there is something going on with your heating since your thermostat isn't making up for the difference. You had to have had hot spots since you weren't seeing that till your fan was turned on all the time, fans even out the temps, not raise them. My guess is all that heat was sitting at the top of your incubator since there was no fan to keep it moving. What kind of thermostat are you using? It must be an on/off thermostat which is not a good idea for an incubator, you don't want your temps to fluctuate and that's exactly what you get with an on/off thermostat.

    Also, the fan should not create heat, if it does it should be negligible. Computers need the fans to cool them, using a fan that gets hot would fry any computer. Get a nice computer fan, a nice one only costs about $10, and wire it with an old cell phone charger, that will help insure that a smaller amount of energy will be transferred to the fan. And I would never run an incubator without a fan, that is a very bad idea.

    I second this. This is how i have my incubator set up, and my temps hold almost exactly at 89. I would look into making some upgrades to it. Just to make sure that you don't have any of these worries any more.
  • 03-22-2012, 11:30 PM
    zach_24_90
    my incubator is a typical DIY minifridge setup. 2ft of 11in flexwatt taped down the back. all spare room is filled with water bottles and hot/cold gel packs.. fan mounted on the front door pointed at the back wall helps to create a circular air motion... idk haha i opened the door put my hand on the fan and it was burning hot therefore acting like a heat source in the closed incubator.. maybe a bad fan? idk

    this is the fan http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2102825

    on a side note... i decided to leave it setup the way it has been running for months and months now and its doing just fine. temps inside the egg box are holding 87.8-88.2
  • 03-22-2012, 11:43 PM
    Adam Chandler
    Re: Incubator fan problem..
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zach_24_90 View Post
    dk haha i opened the door put my hand on the fan and it was burning hot therefore acting like a heat source in the closed incubator.. maybe a bad fan? idk

    this is the fan http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2102825

    120V AC fans run hot. I'm betting many of the people in this thread saying their fans do not get hot are using 10-12V DC computer fans.

    Like I said I ran the power cord for my 120vac fan through a dimmer switch and fine tuned the output so it wouldn't heat up the inside of the incubator past what the thermostat was set for.
  • 03-23-2012, 12:12 AM
    zach_24_90
    Well that's that then haha I will get that fixed and try that out.
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