Hovabator Temperature Swings

[killimike]

I just set up a standard hovabator for my gecko eggs, hooked up to a pulse proportional thermostat, with a thermometer to measure the temp.

The thing is completely unusable, the element gets so hot that the temperature overshoots by an enormous margin. The thermostat is set at 28, but after it clicks off, the temp in the incubator just keeps rising. It got to 37 the first time and hadn't stopped, so I opened it up and let it get down to just above 28, and put it back together. When it hit 31 degrees the next time, I shut it off.

Maybe I just got a faulty one, but I'm not sure how, since the problem seems to be heat production in the element, not regulation of any kind.

 

[AUSGECKO]

When you first set up a pulse proportional thermostat it will overshoot and fall under the set temp for the first few hours but once it stabilises it should be very consistent.

 

[killimike]

I probably have overreacted

I might give it another go, but the issue just seemed to me to be that the element continued to emit heat at an alarming rate for minutes after the thermostat turned off.

 

[vampstorso]

^ that's the reason I hate electric ovens/stoves

perhaps set the thermo so it's lower so as to allow for the continuing heat once it cuts outs?

 

[killimike]

I am still having trouble with this hovabator. Judging by the min/max function on the thermometer, the temp swings from 25 to 32 when the thermostat is set on about 26.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Now looking for an old bar fridge, if anyone has one of those going cheap

 

[Chris1]

not that bad and not a hovabator, but my foam box/meat mat setup which was totally stable last year is killing me this year, ive tried 4 different pulse proportional thermostats on it, i've tried a brand new heat cord in a different foam box (didnt wanna mess with the one containing eggs), ive run things frlo 48+ hours and still been having 3c temp swings.

i re attached teh mat stat i was running last year, and the temps are fairly stable now, they jumped by 1.2C yesterday, but it seems to be staying within a half degree range,...still not ideal, but im hoping to have a bar fridge set up and running before the next eggs come.

check out Ebay, ive been bidding on fridges between 120 and 140L, they seem to go for about $40 or less if youre lucky, some poeple have a buy now for around $80-100.

(and dont bid against me,...!!!)

wish i knew what i did different last year cos im getting the poops!!

 

[killimike]

That would be hella frustrating Chris. I hope the temp stabilises for you.. four thermostats is alot to go through! Interesting that the mat stat is more stable :S What are you incubating?

I was thinking of trying to score a non-working bar fridge off the footpath, but those are ok prices for a decent size one. I'll have a look, and I promise not to snipe you

 

[GeckoJosh]

Keep an eye out for medical incubators going cheap, I just picked up a 30lt for $100, holds temps perfectly, real test will be how it goes through summer though

 

[slide]

Try your local tip/recycling centre for fridges. Should be able to find one and will cost you zip

 

[Chris1]

lol, frustrating is one way to put it,..!!!
just the first pair of amyae eggs in there so far, theyre early this year, last year i didnt get eggs till november,...!!

goldmember, where do you get a medical incubator, 30litre sounds kinda small, how many eggs can u fit in that???

and great idea on teh tip/reycling centre slide, ive also been checking out kerbsides but for probably the first time in history theres no bar fridges, just tonnes of other crap, haha.

 

[Smithers]

I used an Exo Terra incubator last yr it only had one clutch of Thicktail eggs in it and 2 days after the first one hatched the unit packed in luckily (or not) the other egg was infertile. I have a replacement unit up and running now with a temp swing of around 2-3c as these units do. They are a heating/cooling incubator. My question to the breeders is,

Is the swing of 2-3c over the incubating period on gecko eggs other than thicktails going to be ok? Sorry to hyjack

 

[adalimbi]

I just set up a standard hovabator for my gecko eggs, hooked up to a pulse proportional thermostat, with a thermometer to measure the temp.

The thing is completely unusable, the element gets so hot that the temperature overshoots by an enormous margin. The thermostat is set at 28, but after it clicks off, the temp in the incubator just keeps rising. It got to 37 the first time and hadn't stopped, so I opened it up and let it get down to just above 28, and put it back together. When it hit 31 degrees the next time, I shut it off.

Maybe I just got a faulty one, but I'm not sure how, since the problem seems to be heat production in the element, not regulation of any kind.

Why have you used a different thermostat? The wafer thermo works well. I think the problem you are having is due to the element being a higher wattage than you need. The one that comes with it is calculated for running at around 38 deg C with less than 1 deg C diff. I'm not sure how to best explain it to you. OK...I built a small hospital box and used a 75w globe and the temp was all over the place so I then used a 60w, better but still not good enough, so I then tried a 40w and BINGO!! 2 deg C fluctuation. Heat slowly = less temp fluctuation. Does this make sense????

I have 2 Hovabators and I NEVER turn mine off. They can take a while to stablise. Did you move it too a different room? have you left the door open / closed? if the foam is thinner then they can be affected by ambient temps.

 

[killimike]

Hi Adalimbi!

Thanks for your input. The wafer thermostat wasn't working properly for me, and are not always heaps precise anyway, so I used a separate thermostat. I have used foam hovabators before for chicken eggs and had mixed results with temps too.

I understand what you are trying to say, it's what I was saying, the element puts out too much heat. I thought I may have been hasty, so I went back and set up the incubator for another few days, but the same thing kept happening. Why this one puts out too much heat in these circumstances is another question, but a moot one. Given that the hovabators are annoying to access too (IMHO), I moved onto something else

 

[Red-Ink]

Wine fride/barfridge and a heat cord with a pulse is the way to go if your still having trouble... Last summer even during the heat wave weeks here in vic where the temps did'nt drop below 35C, my fluctuations were no more than .8C and over night on an avg day the fluctuations are .3C

 

[killimike]

Thanks RI! That is will be my next step up

I have been cheaping out and looking for a fridge on the side of the road, but with no luck so far, I will probably buy one when I have time and fit it up.

Those are some stable temps tho! I hope I get results as good