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Setting the temp in an incubator

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fritzmama

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Okay, so I have a non-working wine fridge that has been gutted of all mechanical parts. Put 12' flex watt up the back about 2/3 of the way. Wanted to do it side to side but bought flex watt that was to wide. Duh. Measure twice, cut once.
Placed the temp probe from the VE200 between the bottom 2 shelves and twist tied to the shelf making sure it does not touch either the metal shelf or the heat tape. Then place two experimental tubs with wet vermiculite in the incubator - one on the top shelf and one on the bottom and have been testing my temps with the temp gun with the laser about 6" from the vermiculite. With the thermostat set at 91 I have temps of 89.7 on the top and 89.1 on the bottom.
Do i need a fan to circulate the air?
Is this an accurate way of determining what temps the eggs will be at at both the top and bottom?
I plan on putting some water bottle in the bottom to hold the heat in better for when the door opens and closes. What else?
 
It sounds like you don't need a fan, but that stems debates. I've always used one because I figure if there is a long time period when the heat is cycled off, the heat could rise and the cold would settle. Same reason I don't run the fan on the output for the thermostat. Most wine coolers have a built in fan that can be wired to a low output voltage (ie 5-6v) cell phone charger and give just a wee-bit of air movement.

I calibrate my incubators pretty much the same way. I check multiple times every day long before eggs get into it. I leave wireless probes in and on the tubs, open and zap various spots with the laser gun, and track the time between cycles. Make sure to test it with as many tubs as you will be using because you could change the airflow.

It sounds like you have most of the stuff down. Keep the probe away from metal and tape, water bottles and pre-warm the substrate. Oh, be careful of any extra lighting for long periods of time as it could increase heat in that location or disturb emerging hatchlings.

And after all that work, I know you have pics :)
 
Thanks. Just trying to get in incubator set up right now. We have had 2 BPs lay . One was all slugs and the other was 8 eggs, but all but one molded horribly. The last remaining egg is on day 50. Honestly think the others weren't fertile but didnt candle them and they molded very early. We have done Cal King eggs before but not BP's and with the king eggs it was easy peasy- but perhaps that was because the temps are lower - 82ish. Found the 3.5 ft tall cooler on CL for $20 and couldn't turn it down. So cooler, flexwatt and Thermostat totalled about $175. At least this time I will know I did everything I could. Got one definitely gravid BP now and two possibles. Also a Cal King, but those can just go in the snake room since it's already 82 in there.
 
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