Would you use an on/off thermostat for a BP egg incubator?

Going to build my first incubator soon, and I have an extra Ranco t-stat lying around. I'm trying to decide whether I can use it, or whether I really need to order a proportional thermostat (e.g. Herpstat) - what do you guys think? This will probably be made out of an old mini-fridge or cooler, using Flexwatt, computer fans, and possibly water bottles to maintain temperature.

No, I would definitely go with a proportional thermostat. I use a Herpstat Pro.

Edit - BTW, I have a large converted freezer, and do not use a fan or water bottles. I never have any issues hatching eggs.

I know quite a few people who use digital on/off thermostats for their incubators, me being one of them. I've always had good luck with the Johnson Controls. It keeps very stable temperatures, no fluctuations and the hatch rate is just the same as other keepers(100% unless egg doomed from start). I've actually had better luck with them than with proportionals, it's weird. I used a Herpstat once on a minifridge incubator and the temperatures fluctuated like nobody's business. All settings were where they were supposed to be and everything wired up normally.

I switched it out with the JC unit and fluctuations stopped. Hatched out three clutches that first year with 100% survival rate.

I think an on/off can work if certain conditions exist.

1) If you are available to check temps at least two or three times daily.

2) If the incubator is placed in a room that in itself keeps extremely stable temps and humidity.

3) If you are not constantly opening the incubator causing fluctuations.

4) If you have a very good digital device monitoring those temps/humidity.

I used an on/off myself last year and had a 100% hatchrate on three clutches (an admittedly small sampling). It worked, but personally I didn't enjoy the experience and wouldn't choose to repeat it. It caused me more worry and stress than I needed during the incubation process.

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Originally Posted by icygirl

This will probably be made out of an old mini-fridge or cooler, using Flexwatt, computer fans, and possibly water bottles to maintain temperature.

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I have no problems using the on/off variety from either Johnson or Ranco - I will however caution about using old mini-fridges that have metallic insides (as opposed to fiberglass or plastic). I had a strip of flexwatt short out inside a metal incubator due to the high humidity, shooting the temperature up to 115, and killing two clutches in the process (on day 58 no less).

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I think an on/off can work if certain conditions exist.

1) If you are available to check temps at least two or three times daily.

2) If the incubator is placed in a room that in itself keeps extremely stable temps and humidity.

3) If you are not constantly opening the incubator causing fluctuations.

4) If you have a very good digital device monitoring those temps/humidity.

I used an on/off myself last year and had a 100% hatchrate on three clutches (an admittedly small sampling). It worked, but personally I didn't enjoy the experience and wouldn't choose to repeat it. It caused me more worry and stress than I needed during the incubation process.

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LoL Jo, I was constantly opening the incubator. The JC and Ranco thermostats are still digital, they're not analog. When the probe is placed properly, they work just fine. I know that VPI uses dimmers on their incubators. I personally use small liquid thermometers to measure the temps. They don't fail in the high humidity like the digital ones do and I make sure they're all calibrated against each other before using.

Depends on the incubator too :) I like to build my own and have a 6ft tall glass front cooler. It has 6ft of 11" flexwatt in it and will hold probably 10-15 clutches(haven't filled it yet). I run the Tstat probe up through the drain hole in the bottom and zip tie it to a shelf in the center of the incubator. It holds temperatures to a T.

Still sorry you lost those clutches Jeff. That's awful.. If you ever want me to get ya'll another cooler, I can pop right over there. It might help to silicone the connections if you haven't already so it won't happen again. The incubator I have is metal inside too, just powder coated. Don't know if that makes a difference or not..

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Still sorry you lost those clutches Jeff. That's awful.. ... It might help to silicone the connections if you haven't already so it won't happen again.

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Yeah, I went through and re-cut and sealed the flex watt on the 'bator, eliminating the sheet that ran across the floor (and was thus susceptible to moisture pooling beneath it). It's back and operational, but I thought it was worth mentioning just in case anyone else had the same condition I went over three months without realizing the risk.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

The incubator I have is metal inside too, just powder coated. Don't know if that makes a difference or not..

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I doubt the powder coating would make much difference, unless it's latex based and thick enough to be an effective insulator. The important part is to make sure you've got the bottom end of the flexwatt completely sealed (just the very end of the metal strip that peeks out of a cut strip), and not in a location where any amount of moisture can accumulate beneath it.

My first year, I actually had 3 clutches put up in two Hova-bators, using the wafer thermostats on them. Had absolutely no problems at all. So, simple analog thermostats can get the job done.

That having been said, I also prefer a proportional thermostat for finer control and more consistent temps.

not to say i would do it again, but last year i scrambled and came up with a make-shift incubator using an old coleman cooler, vermiculite, a jar of water, and an old aquarium heater. what i did was fill up the jar with water, place the aquarium heater inside, and then plug the heater in. i then placed the jar into the cooler, with the damp vermiculite. it worked very well for humidity and heat, though i know the temps fluctuated. however, they never fluctuated to drastically, AND we had a 100% hatch and survival rate! so it can be done, but for peace of mind, i would much rather use a Herpstat/Helix/whatever type of proportional thermostat you can get your hands on.

I think either will usually do the job. Just pay attention to the eggs every day. Make sure the conditions are optimal.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

I use a proportional (BAH Herp Power) but I would use an on/off if I had to.

I use a ranco and have had no problems.

I would never use a non-proportional for any type of eggs.

Yeah I would have to agree with one of the posters before me. You could probably be fine with using an on/off thermostat as long as you have about 4 or 5 times during the day that you can check it. My house has weird power surges at night sometimes, so I have to slightly adjust mine before I lay down.

Good luck with whatever choice you make

Use 3 Ranco's on my incubator. 1st is primary control set at 89 degrees F.

2nd is under temp back up. (if temps drop 2 degrees below primary ones set point it turns on secondary heating element)

3rd is an over temp shut down of unit. (If temps exceed primary control by 2 degrees it shuts down all heating elements and fan.)

Have had a 100% hatch rate to date. (knock on wood.)
Granted the 2nd one has only ever kicked on when the door was open in the incubator and the 3rd has never activated.

i have an old woodgrain looking cube fridge and in it:

11" heat tape on the bottom
tub with water on top the heat tape
a bigger tub in the middle rack holding 13 eggs

outside:
i have a repti therm 500r, but i have a dimmer that you would use for like in your wall at the house, i took my time (about a month befor eggs) and set the dimmer up to where i wanted it and then set up the 500r to turn off the tape if it got to hot....so far my temps have been between 87.5 and 88.5....cant beat it

but i will be buying a herpstat or helix for my bigger bator because it basicly does all that i did but all you gotta do is hit a arrow and get that temp.:gj:

We used the GQF 1250R incubator for the first 2 years. It has 2 wafer temp controllers one set at the optimal temp 87.5 the other set 2 degrees higher and we attatched a ranco to set at 91 to shut the whole thing down incase of an emergency. The only year we had an issue and the ranco actually turned the incubator off was when we lost power due to a hurricane. We where out for a week. We moved the incubator to a friends house with power and some how the ranco errored and would keep shutting everything off. So we took it off and the eggs did there thing with just wafers for the last 2 weeks. Everyone hatched and did well.

Rancos are pretty great for what they are and they can handle WAY more wattatge than the proportionals. I have a Ranco set up on my coral tank. If the temps spike over 84 it shuts down the lighting system to save the corals from over heating. I have yet to find a proportional that will handle the 1100watts of light I have over that tank!

I would, and have. I've used Alife's with great, perfect success and plan to use them again this year. Some fluctuation helps in making the neonates stronger IMO (not just making that up, either... There is some science to it!). As long as the t-stat is capable of keeping the temperatures in the range of proper incubation temps you'll be fine.

Here is my "how-to" with a wine cooler, Flexwatt, and a Herpstat II:
http://www.strictlyballs.ca/incubator.htm
I explain in the text that if you decide you want to back up your incubator with some sort of power back-up in case of a power failure, you cannot use proportional mode on your thermostat as the sine wave is broken. If you decide to use a power back up unit, you have to use on/off mode.

I live in Colorado so in the early morning the outside temperature can be as low as 55 degrees, and raise to 95+ by noon. This causes extreme temperature fluctuation when using an on/off temperature control. My first build up was with a Johnson's. The temperature fluctuated from 85 to 95 degrees while set at 89 degrees. Needless to say this wasn't going to work, and I'm going to have at least 5 clutches hit the ground this month ( all had their pre-lay shed ). So I had to pony up the cash for a proportional. I wanted to just go with the Herpstat ND, but nobody had one locally. Luckily a semi-local ( about 175 miles ) breeder friend of mine had an extra Herpstat II on hand. This was more than I was wanting to spend on one, but like they say: "you get what you pay for".

So anyway I've had this hooked up for 1 week, and as my breeder friend promised the temperatures haven't fluctuated more than 2 tenths of a degree. I'm more than happy to pay $230 something for stable temperatures specially when I got the freezer for free ( factory defect ( I'm an appliance tech :banana: ).