Okay, I am not handy at all, but this was super easy!
Supplies:
100Qt Cooler, I got it at Lowe's $69.99
Incubator Fan, I got it at Reptile Basics $29.99
12" heat tape, 3' length that had to be cut down a bit to size $13.99 pre-wired at Reptile Basics
Egg crate 24" x 48" sheet at Lowe's $14.99
A case of bottled water
Foil tape
Your choice of thermometer
Your choice of thermostat
Silicone caulk
Tools:
A drill
Drill Bit
Phillips head bit
2 channel locks
Dikes
Infrared thermometer
Step 1. Remove the drain plug. The cap will simply screw off, leaving you with the threaded part. Grip one end of the threaded part with a channel lock, use the other channel lock to twist the other end until the pieces separate. You can remove the pieces and discard them.
Step 2. Heat tape. Lay the heat tape on the bottom of the cooler with the cord facing the drain hole. The plug is just slightly too large to fit through the hole. Use the dikes to trim the edges up enough to fit the plug through the hole.
Use the foil tape to tape down the edges of your heat tape.
Step 3. The Fan. Use the drill with the philips bit to mount the fan to the side of the cooler over top of the drain plug. You do not need to pre-drill the holes. Run the cord from the fan control dial through the drain hole to connect it to the fan. Use a piece of foil tape to secure the wire to the side of the cooler.
Step 4. The Thermostat Probe. Use the drill with the drill bit to make a hole through the back of the cooler for the thermostat probe. Insert the probe through the back. Use foil tape to secure the probe to the middle of the heat tape.
Step 5. The Caulk. This step is optional, I have never seen anyone else mention it. I wanted to seal the drain hole so that heat doesn't escape through it, the probe hole is so small and insulated that I'm not concerned about it. Place something flat on one side of the hole, and caulk the other end.
Step 6. The Water Bottles. The water helps distribute and stabilize the heat. That way when you open the cooler the temperature doesn't fluctuate extremely. Layer the bottom of the cooler with it. I opted not to put bottles over the probe.
Step 7. The Egg Crate. *Tip* When I went to Lowe's I looked in the lighting area because I have also seen it referred to as a light diffuser. It's actually in the drop ceiling tile section!
Use the dikes to cut a section to fit on the bottom of the cooler. This acts as a shelf over the bottles to put your egg tubs on.
Step 8. Temperature Adjusting. Plug the probe into your t-stat. Decide what temperature you want your incubator at (88-91). My goal is 88.5 so that if there is a temp spike I have a nice buffer.Your infrared thermometer is very important. It's more accurate than the probe or your display thermometer. My thermometer reads 92, but the temp is 88-89. My probe reads 92.7, but the tape is 90.5. Also, keep in mind that the higher powered the fan the more heat it generates. I have the fan set on 3 and the cooler has a range of less than 1 degree.
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