New cooler incubator question w/pics

[Chicagocrestedgeckos]

This was a wine cooler that I converted. It is approximately 3 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. It has 2 feet of 3" flexwatt wired to a spyder robotics herpstat. I have 2 gallon milk jugs filled with water for thermal mass. This is located in my basement where the temp is currently 60 degrees.

question?
It has been set up for a few days.
It appears that the highest temp I can get is approximately 79.

Should I place a different size heat tape into it?

 

[Sunrise Reptile]

It is approximately 3 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. It has 2 feet of 3" flexwatt...

Something's not adding up. You say the incubator is two feet wide, and that you have two feet of flexwatt in it, yet it's running up each side? Seems to me that it's probably more like three feet long. :main_huh:

But anyhow, assuming the thermostat is set correctly, I'd check the connections to the heat tape. You should be able to acheive more than 79 degrees in there.

 

[Chicagocrestedgeckos]

I said (APPROXIMATE), but thank you very much for the reply!

Any opinions on the outer temp of the room that the incubator is in(60 degrees)???

I guess that I could move it to a warmer area, but I want to keep it in the basement.

Thanks

 

[brian547]

i dunno if it helps but a lot of people use 11 inch rather than 3 or 4...

 

[Chicagocrestedgeckos]

Ok I ordered 11" flexwatt from RBI and pan to run it up from the bottom to the top in the back of the incubator.

I've also installed a computer fan at the top, but have another question.

Do people with similar incubators leave the fan on direct or do they plug it through their thermostat?

Thanks

 

[Gregg M]

i dunno if it helps but a lot of people use 11 inch rather than 3 or 4...

Yep, thats the issue right there... You need 11 inch flexwatt... My incubator is larger than that... I have a couple of feet of 11 in heat tape and it heats up the incubator with no problem... It is set at 86... Also, there really is not much need for the water jugs or a fan...

 

[Chicagocrestedgeckos]

I thought so Greg and Brian, Thanks for your reply. Your replies I have read are usually very helpful. Now that I am introducing the males into the tanks, I am gonna need the incubator functional in a month.

 

[brian547]

If you use a fan, keep an eye on your eggs. too much airflow even with a pc fan might dry them out, i had that problem.In my cooler incubator I still use water bottles...but my thermostat is a johnson controls one that isnt proportional. I use heat rope, and am currently adding some 11 inch heat tape. i was trying to get three different heat zones because i incubate rhac eggs and leo eggs. the mini fridge is a little big and i dont put out the numbers that bigger breeders do for eggs, so having it at 90 for males or 82 for females isnt feasible. good luck with your project!

 

[Chicagocrestedgeckos]

I installed the 11" and it works like a dream. I had wired the fan, but before I plugged it in, I let the incubator run for a day and put and digital thermometer on the bottom shelf and one on the fifth(top) shellf as the probe was on the thrid shelf. When the probe read 80, it was also 80 on the bottom shelf and 81 on the fifth (top) shelf. I will probably do without the fan.

Thanks for all the input.