Incubator temperature spikes

andy nelson · **Joined:** Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:43 am **Posts:** 6

Thanks doggo I will look into this looks like what I need

GomaM · **Joined:** Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:44 am **Posts:** 1

The last 4 days my incubator has gone over 104 I hope the eggs will be ok? What do you think

doggo · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:30 am

It's hard to say because it depends more on the duration of the over temperature episodes. The core temperature of incubating eggs goes up and down a lot slower than the air temperature in the incubator.
With any luck you will still get a good hatch.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

doggo wrote:

Just a warning to anyone running their incubator over the the warmer months.
I have tried to explain this elsewhere before but people still can't seem to accept why incubator temperatures spike so high on hot days.
A fan in an incubator is a heating device. Almost all the electricity it uses ends up as heat in the incubator. The science of this is simple and well accepted. Electric motors are inefficient and generate a lot of heat to begin with and even the friction of the moving air eventually creates heat. If the fan in a smallish incubator draws say 40 watts you can be sure that it would have the heating equivalent of an electric element of at least 35 watts. Add to this the considerable amount of heat created by developing embryos in later stages of incubation and it is no wonder temperatures climb to the mid forties.
On a hot day it is best to turn off the fan and open the incubator lid.

just bringing this onto the 2nd page in its entirety as it needs to be repeated

well said doggo,

there are a few out there that have no idea of the importance the fan plays in regards to the heat in an incubator
again = well said :-D

doggo · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:28 pm

Thanks Soozorps.
This idea has now been picked up and claimed elsewhere which is fine by me. As long as people are no longer frying their hatching eggs and wondering what is going on then I am happy.

Finny's · **Joined:** Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:31 pm **Posts:** 2

I has though a fan was important but good to read it is. I will try to fit a small computer fan in mine before next use. Thank you

C.K · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:44 pm

I agree with turning them off for a bit too even tho I don't myself except for the odd power failure as it takes awhile for the core temp of the egg to change.
you see hens quite often get off the eggs during a warm day. But I beleive that the humidity is a factor heat is more bearable when dry than humid.
and I think that is the same in incubators I have succesfully hatched good healthy chicks in a king suro with the water disconected and the sponge taken out for the whole incubation period.

Finny's · **Joined:** Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:31 pm **Posts:** 2

Thats interesting because its always been the case that humidity plays a vital part in hatching but not in your example

C.K · **Posted:** Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:51 am

as soon as the eggs started piping the humidity rises it went from40% to 60% and soon as they hatched it rose again up in th 90's% humidity.
there is a lot of moisture already in the eggs.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

^ well pointed out C.K.

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Incubator temperature spikes

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