Purpose of fan in incubator?

[jbowyer01]

I finished building my incubator (thanks to miss_prissys' plans). I ran it for 48 hours and was able to keep a pretty consistent temp of 99.7 to 101.00 degrees and the humidity at 52% (I used the learning pages on BYC for that info

) but my DH called and said the the temp had been reading 102 for about an hour so he shut the fan off (he believes it was causing the thermostat to cool off and to continuely run) , he said the temp had dropped back to 99.7 and was holding. My incubator is small, since this was my very first attempt I didnt want to try more than 5 or six eggs. My first question is
1. Is the fan a necessity?
2.Will the slight fluctuation in temp that I had cause problems?
and last
3. Should I turn the fan back on?

 

[speckledhen]

The fan circulates air to eliminate the extreme hot spots in the bator. Most have far better luck with circ air bators than still air bators, which tend to spike high temps alot more. Slight fluctuations that dont last are not a problem.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

It might be more of a problem with where all the elements are in relation to each other...
I moved my thermostat to 4" above the lamp on the wire mesh, the fan blowing over top of it...now it holds better

you can look on my page if you are more visual

I've made 2 like this now an incubator and hatcher and got 3 baby ducks yesterday! It's working!

I'd be really nervous not to use a fan, the air gets hot right by the lamp and at the top, but then who knows what the difference is between there, the thermostat and where each egg is...to me it makes sense that the more expensive incubators sold all have fans

 

[ladrifter]

try blocking the air from blowing on thermostat