Incubating temp question

[BHReptiles]

I have an identical setup. My probe is sitting on the light grate right in the middle of the cooler. Thermostat is set to 89 degrees. I use the exoterra thermometers. Make sure you can adjust the fan speed if it is running at full speed it can generate enough heat to over cook your eggs. Hope this helps.

For an incubator that small, I'd get rid of the fan and just run the thermostat probe directly into one of the tubs. Set it to 89 and you should be good. Just use a good IR temp gun to check both egg boxes to make sure the temps are good. Make sure you check the temps of the substrate as the eggs themselves will be 3-4 degrees warmer than the surrounding air and substate.

Fans are usually used in larger incubators to help keep a constant temp throughout the entire incubator. I don't think yours is big enough to matter.

I run a very similiar setup and seems to work great.

I have tried to wire the fan onto a dimmer as well as a power source that changes from 6V to 12V...neither of which work. The fan is either on or it's off. I was told to put a fan in this size of incubator because it's pretty large. I just worry about a temp gradient if I turn the fan off. However, all the egg boxes are on the same level, so I'll shut off the fan and see if I can stabilize temps. I'll also play around with the thermostat probe and see if I can't get temps to be the same across the board. I have a $50 temp gun so hopefully that works well enough! So far it's been pretty accurate when I test tub temps.

My biggest worry is that I'll cook my eggs! I just want healthy babies at the end of this! In the next year I'm going to be buying a Nature's Spirit or a Hot Box incubator. I'm not very good with DIY builds and this one is already stressing me out!

I know what you mean with the different thermometers. My first clutch should be coming soon as well so I've been testing temps with a zoo med, and an accurite. I set the herpstat to 89.7, placed the thermometers in the tub side by side. Zoo med reads 89.1-89.4, accurite reading 90-91.

Ugh. So frustrating! My first clutch is due on the 29th and the next hopefully the 2nd week of August. Both virgin girls. Hopefully I'll get this temp thing straightened out so I can incubate my little eggs without too much stress!