Incubator up and running but where to put the thermostat sensor?

[rufretic]

So I have it setup and temps and humidity are steady. My issue is, I have my herpstat set at 89 with the probe in the cooler, then I have a wireless sensor for a weather station in the actual egg container. The temps are not matching up so which should I go with? In the egg container I'm getting 92 degrees. I read on here to have the thermostat sensor in the incubator, not in the egg container. Do I have this setup correctly? And if so, do I need to adjust the herpstat lower? Or should I just assume the weather station is off a few degrees?

[PitOnTheProwl]

Do you have a fan to circulate the air?

[rufretic]

No, that's the first I've heard of that. It's just a small cooler, the egg container just fits in it on top of a row of water bottles. Then it's heated with 11" heat tape under the water bottles. Not a whole lot of air to circulate.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Then I would adjust the thermostat to get 89 degrees in the box and keep a close eye on it.
Cooking a little cooler isn't a problem, just takes longer but too hot can cause problems.

[rufretic]

That sounds like a good plan. I'm just having a hard time understanding why or how the temp in the egg box could be different than the temp in the cooler. I could double check by putting an additional thermometer in the egg box but it seems like all the little cheapy thermometers I have fluctuate a couple degrees so that wouldn't be 100% accept either ☹️

[Albert Clark]

I would think the temperature in the egg tub would be a couple to a few degrees different. The space in the tub proper is a lot smaller than the incubator thus that would be a possibility for the difference. I would also consider using a temp gun for more accurate interpretation of temps going forward. Areas of heat tape may have subtle differences in heat generation from one section to another. 3 degrees is not a very big difference at all. Temp gun for the consideration. Grats. Consider placing the thermostat probe sensor onto your heat tape.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I have my probe in a dummy egg container, setup like an egg box minus the eggs (as egg temps will rise up toward the end of incubation which would affect the probe), the dummy box is in the middle of the incubator. I have used the same setup from small cooler, to 120 quarts cooler to fridge.

Differential is 2 degrees between top tubs to bottom tubs in the fridge cooler.

I have not used a fan in over 2 years and I have not seen any heat spike. Never did in coolers and stopped doing so with my fridge incubator too.

[rufretic]

That's a good method Deborah. So in my case, with no space for a dummy box, would I be best placing the probe right in my egg box?

i do have a temp gun but I would think it would be difficult taking accurate readings with it because by the time I open the cooler and then the egg box and then zap it, I'm sure I would of already had heat loss.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

would I be best placing the probe right in my egg box?

I don't recommend it as the egg temperature will fluctuate as you getting closer to them pipping (temps will rise)

i do have a temp gun but I would think it would be difficult taking accurate readings with it because by the time I open the cooler and then the egg box and then zap it, I'm sure I would of already had heat loss.

There will be a difference but it will be minimal (unless you leave the incubator open for a long time before taking a reading)

This is why I like having some thermometer in the egg tub but I also have one in the incubator itself with the display outside the incubator, it's not as accurate but it give me a range and then once a week I take a quick reading with my temp gun.

So long you are within 86 to 90 degrees you will be fine, eggs are more resilient then people think your worst enemy is high heat I like to incubate at 88.5 it still give me room if you incubate to close to 92 it give you very little room if something happens.

[rufretic]

Ok, so I'm going to leave it setup how it is and just adjust the herpstat down until the weather station sensor in the egg box reads 89.

Thank you all for the help.