My new home built incubator!

[Billy305]

If you have any questions about anything I did or comments please reply below.

I started with a true brand single door cooler with a glass front. I picked it up off Craigslist not working for 80 bucks.

This is when I got it


The first thing I did above was to add a home made dolly with 4 caster wheels to make it easier to move.

I decided to add a led strip all the way around, a pc fan and heat tape up one wall. I wanted the controls and thermostat ( herpstat intro) to not be hanging on the side so I modified the lower vent with some mdf to mount the controls on. These in include the thermostat, light switch, and fan speed control. This leaves no wires on the side and a clean look. I wanted to add the lights to easily see what's going on without opening the door.

I tested it and set the thermostat to 89 and all 4 accurites in different places all read exactly 90 degrees. The shelves were in even as it was heating up but after an hour or so they all evened out.

The lights were ordered on amazon. All the wiring goes under the frige where the compressor was and goes to a surge protector giving me a single plug going to the wall.


Control panel


Tape fan and lights on


Lights off and on close up




Full shot of lights off, on, and on in the dark




Wires on the back. Not pretty but you don't see them. I either want to put a co design on the sides or put like fake bamboo to give it a nature feel.

[FoxReptiles]

Wish I could find a large fridge like this locally. I got a free wine cooler, but it's really small. Could maybe hold two clutches. Good job on the project!

[Slitherous]

Wish I could find a large fridge like this locally.

Nice job Billy305. I recently purchased a small BP collection, and with it came a frig of the same type, (same brand too, all the same graphics), that was converted and used as an incubator, but it is about half the size of yours, (I think it was a counter-top version). I have used Hovabator incubators over the years, and even made a couple of incubators using old ice chests and submersible aquarium heaters back in the day, but it seems like a lot of folks on this forum use these "ex" refrigerators. Personally I wasn't going to use the one that I have because my Hovabator fits nicely on top of my Vision rack, and making room for a small refrigerator in a one-bedroom apartment is problematic, (plus I live on the second story, and carrying that pig-of-a-frig up my staircase isn't an attractive option).

Are these old frigs that superior to other "home made" incubators? I've hatched hundreds of lizard eggs using my old Hovabator, (geckos and chameleons), and don't see why it won't work for python eggs. I guess if I outgrow the Hovabator I could expand and set up the old "One Hour Energy" frig, but I kinda doubt I'll use it..............I'll take 50 bucks for it FoxReptiles, but you gotta come to Ca to get it!!

[sho220]

Nice work! Now you just have to fill it up!

[sho220]

Nice job Billy305. I recently purchased a small BP collection, and with it came a frig of the same type, (same brand too, all the same graphics), that was converted and used as an incubator, but it is about half the size of yours, (I think it was a counter-top version). I have used Hovabator incubators over the years, and even made a couple of incubators using old ice chests and submersible aquarium heaters back in the day, but it seems like a lot of folks on this forum use these "ex" refrigerators. Personally I wasn't going to use the one that I have because my Hovabator fits nicely on top of my Vision rack, and making room for a small refrigerator in a one-bedroom apartment is problematic, (plus I live on the second story, and carrying that pig-of-a-frig up my staircase isn't an attractive option).

Are these old frigs that superior to other "home made" incubators? I've hatched hundreds of lizard eggs using my old Hovabator, (geckos and chameleons), and don't see why it won't work for python eggs. I guess if I outgrow the Hovabator I could expand and set up the old "One Hour Energy" frig, but I kinda doubt I'll use it..............I'll take 50 bucks for it FoxReptiles, but you gotta come to Ca to get it!!

If you only hatch enough eggs to fit in a hovabator, you don't need a fridge incubator. Most people move up to those because they're hatching out large numbers of eggs...

[Billy305]

I think people uses fridges because they are readily available and they do exactly what you need well, holding a temperature, being cold or warm. I have a hovabator also but I am expecting 4 + clutches this year and 2-3 times that next season so i wanted something tested out and ready to go. I was set on having the glass door so I could see everything without opening the door. Every time you open it the temps can fluctuate.

With how I have it set up , the temps are rock solid. They are the same throughout the entire thing every time/ day I look at it.

[mr.spooky]

that bator liiks great! I have one kinkd like it and the only problem I have came across is that its almost too good at holding temps. I have mine in my snake room where the room temp is at a prety much constant 83*. The stat hardly ever comes on (once its reached temp) and with the room temp being as warm as it is, it raises the temp in the bator higher than desired temps. Ill be moving my bator somewhere else in the house where temps are at 73/74*. Has anyone else had this problem?

spooky

[snakesRkewl]

Looks good, the only thing I would have done is place the heat tape on the back instead of one side, but otherwise nice job

[Billy305]

I put the tape on the side because it was a nice flat surface. I've been testing in the garage where it gets 80+ and it stays where I set it (90) but come incubation time it's going in the house where it's cooler

[mr.spooky]

alot of it might of had to do with the origional fan that I was using. I had read that the original fans added some heat. Im gonna be changing my fan to something like you have. BTW, my bator got up to 94* and the stat wasent even coming on.. No ill effects on the eggs,,,100% hatch rate. How did you do the LED strips?

spooky