Questions about my incubator

[jsmorphs2]

Using the probe inside the egg tub method, if something were to happen, such as opening the lid, of the control egg tub, the t-stat would have to significantly over compensate to get the egg tub temps back to normal once it is closed. As a result, the ambient air temps are going to be higher than normal which may cause other tubs which were not opened to become warmer than you may desire.

Opening the tub lid is equivalent to opening your incubator and since the probe is never removed from the bator with the tub, the temps don't change (apart from having opened the incubator). When I monitor my temps they are the same next to the tub as inside it. Thats why keeping the probe on the shelf next to the tub works the same as keeping the probe in the tub (basically just inches away). Either way works imo.

[Twisted Reptiles]

Opening the tub lid is equivalent to opening your incubator and since the probe is never removed from the bator with the tub, the temps don't change (apart from having opened the incubator). When I monitor my temps they are the same next to the tub as inside it. Thats why keeping the probe on the shelf next to the tub works the same as keeping the probe in the tub (basically just inches away). Either way works imo.

Agreed, I think the difference is nominal. Just a difference in preference.

[Annarose15]

Using the probe inside the egg tub method, if something were to happen, such as opening the lid, of the control egg tub, the t-stat would have to significantly over compensate to get the egg tub temps back to normal once it is closed. As a result, the ambient air temps are going to be higher than normal which may cause other tubs which were not opened to become warmer than you may desire.

I noticed this effect when I was testing my incubator before putting eggs in, which was why I chose not to put the probe in the egg tub. Of course, the "test tub" had substrate that was mixed with tap water, so perhaps the swings wouldn't have happened for me if the tub was already acclimated to the incubator temps.

[SlitherinSisters]

I have my probe in the egg box as well. I want the thermostat to adjust for egg box temps, not flexwatt temps. To me it makes sense to have it in the egg box. And if you want to check that box, put the probe in another box while you check the one it was in. Seems simple enough.

[icsparks]

A few things come to mind on placement of the probe.


when the temp probe is close to or mounted on the flexwatt the temp will recover slower because when the heater turns on it will heat up the probe area to quickly and not give the true air temp or tub temp. If the probe is at the tub area the flexwatt will have to stay on longer for the heat to reach the probe and therefor give a true temp at that location.

It's like putting your thermostat in your house right on the heater. The heater will come on and run for a min then turn off but you will still have a cold house for a very long time.

[Annarose15]

I just realized something. Maybe I've set my incubator up wrong! A few people commented that they do not experience as much of a temp difference in their incubators as I do. For example, the temp in my egg box (using an Accurite thermometer with the probe in the egg box) is sitting at 88.3. But I have to set my thermostat (Helix DBS1000) at about 98 to achieve such a temperature. I'm using about 3 foot of 11 inch flexwatt. The Helix's probe is on the flexwatt.

Just a thought, but how big is your incubator, and how well does it seal? I wonder if there is a chance you just don't have enough flexwatt, which means the section you have has to heat up even more to maintain the temp of a large incubator. If it isn't too big (I have 4 feet of 11" in my upright freezer, so that might be a stretch), then you may have air leaks in the inc that are allowing the heat to escape, again making the flexwatt work harder to keep ambient temps up. Make sure you don't have any holes or gaps in your inc, including where the cords run out to the outside, and the door seal. I've had Play-Doh suggested to me for filling in the cord exit hole - It dries hard, so it isn't messy and can be broken out easily if you need to make changes.