Homemade bators'- Hot water Heater VS Wafer Thermostat?? your exp's

[KYBOY]

Ive been looking over a lot of homemade bators on here..Ive noticed that a lot of folks use hot water heater thermostats and some use wafer thermostats? Which do you use and why? Ive heard that hot water heater thermostats tend to swing as much as 4*, is that true in your case?

 

[perrym1962]

I have 2 homemade bators' with the wafer thermostat and they will vary at most about a 1/2 of a degree. I have heard 3 or 4 degree variations won't hurt as long as your average is good. But personally I like a much lesser variation. I suppose it's just what your preference may be.

 

[Grampa with chickens]

I have a hot water heater thermostat. What I have found out is the air temp does swing. But as long as the inside temp of the egg stays constant, you won't have a problem. I've hatched 5 clutches so far and all has done well. I put a small jar of water in the bator and check the temp of the water. A water wiggler does the same thing, I just don't have one.

Just check and adjust the water temp to the correct setting and leave it alone. Once you put eggs in it, don't fiddle with the adjustment. You will only make it worse.

Good Luck

 

[turbo]

I agree with Perry...go with the wafer, a 3-4 degree swing could make the eggs hatch several days late at best...at worst cook them...

 

[conny63malies]

If you want to make a good homemade bator that is dependable you should get a a Ranco, Johnson or even a Helix thermostat ( this one is more expensive but super awesome so only for big bators). You can get all of those at http://www.reptilebasics.com/Thermostats-p-1-c-250.html or
http://www.beanfarm.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id=4274685.25587&product=Temperature_Control&xm=on. .
If you hatch lots of expensive eggs you should consider a proportional thermostat rather than a on/off type. A proportional will always be on but will allow more or less power to come through, kind of a fully automatic dimmer .It should keep you temps within .2F whereas a on off can differ around .7F. Reptile supply sites are great places to find heating and temperature supplies in general.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
What he said

Plus .... remember the way a standard thermostat works ..... there HAS to be a temp. swing, how else would the device know when to turn on and off. This will have little adverse effect on the eggs, if it did then 90% of the incubators out there wouldn't work.

On the other hand, no temp change means just one less thing to worry about.

You can see a Ranco thermostat in my sig.

 

[cgjsmith]

Is there a digital thermostat that would work well? Like a cheap one you put on the wall? Crystal

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
What he said

Plus .... remember the way a standard thermostat works ..... there HAS to be a temp. swing, how else would the device know when to turn on and off. This will have little adverse effect on the eggs, if it did then 90% of the incubators out there wouldn't work.

On the other hand, no temp change means just one less thing to worry about.

You can see a Ranco thermostat in my sig.

that would be what "She" said. For Crystal : beanfarm sells a Alife Reptile Electronic Temperature Controller for 30$, but you might be able to get something similar on ebay or a petstore. Its a on /off type of thermostat .It is usually used for fish or reptile tanks. THe cheapest Ranco or Johnson thermostat usually runs 60$

 

[KYBOY]

Ive been looking at a PID (In fact I was lined up to order one and start on a homemade cabinet bator this week coming but I owe on my tax's this year

)

...I was just wondering about the water heater thermo's because I see a lot of people like them fine and a lot of people cant stand them..Seems to be a lot of different opinions about them vs the wafers...
A good friend of mine has had two sportsmans for around 30 years. They have the double wafer thermostat and has hatched many thousands of chickens out in them..Only this year did he finally have to change them..It does seem kinda unusal that wafers would last that long dont it?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
If the wafer doesn't spring a leak, it can last for 20 years.

One thing is sure .... eventually, it WILL spring a leak and fail. There is no time limit on this.

They are cheap, and although they can last for years they should be changed every 2 years at least.