A good Homemade incubator thermostat?

[Sportsman]

I am building a homemade incubator and looking for a good thermostat. The insulation will be 4 inch styrofoam, except for the window area. After ready many posts I have decided not to use a water heater thermostat and would like to use something more stable. Is there someone in this forum who has had many hatches with a homemade incubator? Is there a thermostat that you are using that has produced good results for you? I have been looking at some that are used for reptiles. Thanks!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I have hatched eggs using all kinds of thermostats in many homemade incubators. They all work an hatch eggs.

This may help. http://cmfarm.us/PickingAThermostat.html

 

[jettgirl24]

I vote for the Reptitemp. I am using one in my homemade incubator right now and love it. It's super easy - just plug it into the wall and plug your heat source into it. Mine has held temps within .1 degrees for my entire first hatch using it according to my thermometer. I'm VERY happy with it. I would say it's only downside is the dial temp adjuster with no temp readout on the thermostat itself. You do have to spend some time adjusting against your thermometer when you first plug the bator in and you need to make sure your thermometer is accurate. Once you find your sweet spot it keeps it right on the button though.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
X2

I have 2 Reptitemps thermostats, they are reliable, accurate, easy to use, no wiring wharsoever if you are not comfortible with electricity, and for the quality of temperature control they are CHEAP.

Can't beat them. Repti 500R thermostat beats the pants of most "electronic" thermostats in it's price range and higher.

Unfortunately for poultry enthusiasts on this board junky thermostats were promoted on this board like water heater thermostat swinging 5 or more degrees, lots of frustration and dissapointment for inexperienced first time bator builders.

If water heater thermostat would be suitable for an incubator don't you think commercial bator makers would jump on the wagon????

It would surely improved their bottom line.

I,ve been using my ReptiTemps for several years now.

I have one of them in my small cabinet style homemade bator and this bator is just as good as my Brinsea ECO 20.

 

[ziggy1964]

hi why wouldnt a dimmer switch be fine as the link suggest if the room fluctuates , if the incy is suitably insulated?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

You have to have fresh air coming in all the time. If the room gets colder that fresh air gets colder an so does the incubator. If that air gets warmer so does the incubator.

 

[Robert Boyd]

Quote:
You wont believe this, but im testing to build an incubator right now, and I stumbled on an oldwaterbed heater, Maximum temp on 101, Ive set mine in a cooler with 2 pc fans and for the last hour it has registered between 99.8 and 100.2 I couldnt believe this:^}

good luck with your project....

 

[Sportsman]

Thanks so much for all your suggestions!