Incubator Temperatures with pics, Need some advice

[caughdl]

I have a large soda cooler I was able to get and have converted it into a incubator for ball python eggs. I am using a Helix DBS-1000 for the thermostat and have two 92mm fans that blow 31cfm, one at the top right side and one at the bottom left side. I have a few digital thermometers measuring temps constantly. I have noticed that the temps are stable between 87.3 and 90.4. However yesterday I noticed the high temperature in one of the test tubs I have got up to 91.7. Is this a problem? I keep the incubator in my snake room so it gets a little warmer in there but never above 85 degrees ambient probably. If I add two more fans will that keep the temps more stable or are they stable enough as is? Is a spike to 91.7 acceptable if its not constant just during the hottest part of the day on a really hot day? Thanks in advance for any advice!

I also added dry erase board to the sides of the incubator so I can write on it info I may need. Cheap to do $10 a sheet at Lowes!

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[joebad976]

Personally, if that were my cooler I would run the 2 strips of 11in heat tape down the back and remove the 3in heat tape all together. Then I would position a fan dead center on the heat tape blowing down (on each strip of heat tape). Then I would tweak from there depending on tub temps.

[caughdl]

I considered doing that but the 11" would not fit flush against the back because of that channel back there. So hence it is on the sides. I added the 4" tape after the temps were not stable. Now the temps seem stable except for the recent spike.

[joebad976]

I see what you are talking about. It does not look like a large amount of the heat tape would be impacted by the channel maybe an inch or so. I think the spike to 91.7 is a bit high. Do you know how long the spike lasted for?

[caughdl]

Maybe a couple hours at most.

[don15681]

I have a glass door coke cooler, you can remove that channel. and the tubing thats behind it. I removed mine. I ran my heat tape in a u shape. 11 inch tape that is half way up the side across the bottom and half way up the other side. heat raises and having the heat tape all the way up the sides gave me to much heat at the top. Im running the top fan that came with it. my temps are stable and this is the 2nd year using this incubator. my other incubator is a small upright freezer and the heat tape is low on it too. I used that one for a few years before the glass door one and still use it when I only have a few clutches to incubate. both works great. you have to run it and see whats going on and think what you have to do to get the results you are looking for. I ran my first one over a month before I tried different ways or cutting the heat tape to what was needed. you have to test run and make adjustments and test run again until you get what you want. don't settle for less.

[caughdl]

Running the built in fan made my temps too high (>95) with the heat it puts off. Like I said my temps seem stable for the past week. 87.4-89.7, but yesterday I had a spike to 91.7 for a couple hours. I have been told 87-90 is perfect but never over 91.

[snakesRkewl]

Water bottles, as many as you can fit into the inc without blocking too much air flow
Your temps will be WAY more stable if you get some water bottles into the inc.

Also, imo there's not enough air flow, we use one 110 cfm bathroom ceiling fan in the bottom of our true coolers...

[Action Reptiles]

I have the same sized coke fridge. I only used one strip of 11" heat tape on the left side(I too still have the channel in the middle). With one fan top left blowing air down the heat strip, and the other fan on the bottom right blowing air up circulating the air counter clockwise. I used water bottles lined against back of each level and my temps stay with in 0.5 degrees. I have used this incubator for the last few years with out any issues or adjustments. At the least I would add some water bottles as it will help steady your temps especially when you open the door.

[JohnNJ]

If I'm reading this correctly, you are running 4" and 11" flexwatt on the same thermostat. I recall reading that you shouldn't mix size / watts but I leave it to someone else to confirm.

I also think your fans are too small and not placed well.

I would run 11" on the bottom, get rid of the 4" and place both fans at the top, centered over the 11" flexwatt and blowing down. I would add a bigger DC fan on the top, dead center at the back and then check temps. You might need another fan at the bottom front but I'd test first.