DIY cooler incubator

Materials needed:

1) Cooler setup:

Cooler (inside measured 1'1" W x 1' H x 1'8" L) - Outdoor shop - $4.00
3 ft. of 11" flexwatt (I used 4" in this one, but 11" keeps heat easier) - $18.00
4 large bottles filled with water - FREE
Egg Crate Light Pannel - Home Depot - $10.00
Lexan Polycarbonate .093 8"x10" - Home Depot - $3.13
GE silicon 2 Window and Door - Home Depot - $3.72
Great Stuff insulation spray - Home Depot - $5.60

2) Light setup:

LED light (275-0017) - RadioShack - $1.99 (2 pack)
Battery CR2032 (230-0162) - RadioShack - $4.99
Battery holder CR2032 (270-0009) - RadioShack - $.99
SPST .5A Momentary Switch (275-0646) - RadioShack - $2.99 (2 pack)
hookup wire (278-1225) - RadioShack - $5.99
Gatorade cap
Large cap for wire/battery housing (I used cap from Great stuff)
Electrical tape - Home Depot - $1.97
Silver solder - Radio Shack - $5.49

Total Cost = $ 68.86

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0657.jpg

Tools needed:
Sharp Exacto Knife
Regular Knife
Wire cutter/ stripper
Sharp Scissors
Pencil
Q- Tips
Soldering iron

You will also need:
Prepared egg box- http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71770
Thermometer/hygrometer with probe (Acu-Rite preferred)
Good Thermostat (Helix or Herpstat preferred)




Construction:

1. Create the window -
Cut out a square in the front center of the cooler measuring 9"x7". On the inside of the cooler cut a 1/2" wide by 1/2" deep frame
around the already cut square. Place the Lexan Polycarbonate
window into the frame on the inside of the cooler. Use the silicon
to seal the window in place, applying it on both sides of the window. I used a Q-Tip to smooth out the silicon bead, creating an airtight seal.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0659.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0666.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0667.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0669.jpg

2. Create the light -
I used 2 different colored wires for clarity when creating the circuit. Cut a piece of RED wire 3". Cut 2 pieces of BLACK wire, one 3" and the other 2". Strip both sides of each wire. Solder one end of the 2" BLACK wire to the + side of the battery holder and the other end to one of the metal tabs on the push button. Solder one end of the 3" BLACK wire to the remaining metal tab on the push button, and the other end to the smaller leg of the LED light. Lastly, solder one end of the 3" RED wire to the larger leg of the LED light, and the other leg to the - side of the battery holder. Wrap all connections with electrical tape so none of them come in contact with each other, ruining the circuit.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0658.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...tschematic.jpg

Poke a hole through the top center of the cooler lid. Run the LED light through, and leave the battery and switch on the top of the lid. Fill the hole with Great Stuff to seal it off. Use the a large cap to enclose the battery and wiring
(Optional) Poke a hole in the gatorade lid and push the light
through. Glue the gatorade lid to the bottom of the cooler lid.


3. Assemble the insides -
Cut a small slit for the flexwatt cord on the top side of the cooler.
Tape the flexwatt down on one side, across the bottom, and up the other side. Place the bottles filled with water on top of the flexwatt. Cut a piece of egg crate light pannel to fit inside the cooler, and place that on top of the bottles of water. This is where your prepared egg box will be.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0664.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0665.jpg
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http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0672.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0673.jpg



You are finished! Good job.:D
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_0670.jpg

**Note: You can use this to set up a plastic coleman type cooler as well. Just change the measurements to suit your needs, and maybe add a small fan for even heat distribution.**

This needs to be sticky.. Very informative and detailed.. Would be PERFECT for those who just have a clutch or 2

Great job and sticky worthy :gj:

The broken link for one of your picture has also been corrected ;)

Hey guys thanks for the feedback! Thanks Deborah for fixing the link:gj: as well as stickying it!

I love DIY and have used many of them so I am glad to contribute.

-Jordan

might i ask what the "great stuff" is for?

Fantastic design, here is ours minus heat tape.. that should be coming in the mail soon

A cooler?! I think NOT...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/...6faee04b13.jpg
Take a peek in the window...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/...a514462ae7.jpg
A look inside
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/...c206fc1e0b.jpg

Thank you so much for creating this thread, you were a life saver, literally! We did away with the light source and even saved a bit of money. Our entire design w/o bins & flexwatt was $27 and change!! Not bad if you ask me. Our cooler is slightly larger then the one posted so its going to take 4ft of flex watt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ADEE

Fantastic design, here is ours minus heat tape.. that should be coming in the mail soon

A cooler?! I think NOT...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/...6faee04b13.jpg
Take a peek in the window...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/...a514462ae7.jpg
A look inside
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/...c206fc1e0b.jpg

Thank you so much for creating this thread, you were a life saver, literally! We did away with the light source and even saved a bit of money. Our entire design w/o bins & flexwatt was $27 and change!! Not bad if you ask me. Our cooler is slightly larger then the one posted so its going to take 4ft of flex watt

---

Great! I am glad it helped you out! The Great Stuff is for sealing holes, like the hole I poked for the light wires.

Nice coo...incubator btw;)

-Jordan

Thanks Jordan :D One more thing i can return wooo hoo, drops the price even more. How does your incubator look all lit up?

Will the multiple water bottles serve the same purpose as the larger bottles?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ADEE

Thanks Jordan :D One more thing i can return wooo hoo, drops the price even more. How does your incubator look all lit up?

Will the multiple water bottles serve the same purpose as the larger bottles?

---

Either large or small water bottles will work.

I must say it's pretty cool with the light! I will post pictures of it all lit up when I can.

I would love to see it all lit up, my husband will not shut up about how he could do the light easily lol ((rolls eyes)) Im sure it makes it MUCH easier to see in lol. Do you use clear top bins then?

Can you fit two bins in there stacked on top of one another? I can easily fit two 6qt bins in there and was thinking about doing it if you thought it would work ok without complications. Would save me on heat tape ;)