DYI incubator

Okay, with the snake room being upstairs in my house, we had a few close calls with the eggs getting too warm in the herp room. I keep them on the shelf, but on some warm days the room temp was influenced by warm outside temps.

We decided the best thing to do would be to place an incubator down in the basement were temps never exceed 72-74.

With 50 breeders, we were in need of a pretty big incubator. I got lucky and was able to locate a beverage cooler with glass door I got it for 100 bucks. what is nice about it is I can switch the compressor off. and keep the circulating fan on. also the light operates on an independent switch.

With some simple modification I will add some heat tape a helix and it will be able to handle all my clutches.

Will post pics of conversion when I do so but here are a few now. it stands 5' and is 2 feet wide

That's a sweet pick up for 50 bucks. I have been looking for one to do the same thing. Can't wait to see the update on this!

Wayne

Not much to modify. I will install 2 dowels in the bottom, drill a hole in the back of the unit and install some heat tape. I have a small incubator set up the same way and it works great when used with a Helix db-1000. here is the small incubator ( shelves removed for pic) and the new one will simply be a bigger version

Ok, Just an update. I was talking to a friend who is a vendor from coke and told him of this recent project. He told me that just running the fan in the beverage cooler will heat the inside to over 80 degrees. the motor of the fan alone would build up heat inside. ( remember this is with out any air holes drilled into the box)

I really didn't think it would warm that much and pretty much doubted that would happen with the fridge in my basement which is currently about 62-65 degrees. However I tried it out. I turned on the fan and rechecked the temp in the box two hours later. I found the temp to be 81 degrees! I am going to let the fan continually run ( which will need to happen during egg incubation) and see where the temp levels off.

I plan to then drill some holes into the box ( which also will be needed for incubation) I will see how the temps level off then. I will open/close the vent holes to try and get an avg of 80 degrees.

So instead of going crazy running heat tape ect., I believe all I will need is a small uth heater place in the bottom of the box, of course hooking it up to a helix, for a back up.

Should the fan stop operating the heat mat will kick on ( regulated by the Helix) and take over keeping the eggs warm until I discover that the fan stopped.

Guess I really underestimated how well those refridges are insulated!

That is a monster Mel! (huge) Good luck with it. Looks like it can hold alot!

I use a micro fridge (found it in the trash) that I gutted. Works good for me. I can put about 10 clutches in it.

Congrats, they work really well for incubating.

Jeff Linkchorst said:

That is a monster Mel! (huge) Good luck with it. Looks like it can hold alot!

I use a micro fridge (found it in the trash) that I gutted. Works good for me. I can put about 10 clutches in it.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jeff, I really don't need it this up coming season, but in 2011 I will have 36 females breeding. I will however use it this upcoming season with some lower end morphs to test it out.
I plan to use the smaller incubator in the future for Ball Python eggs. Yep..... gonna expand a bit lol!!

Nice pick-up. I was hoping to do somthing similar. I hope it works well for you.

Scott

That is such a great idea. I am going to have to keep my eyes open for something just a bit smaller. Thanks for the idea.

Ruderacer said:

That is such a great idea. I am going to have to keep my eyes open for something just a bit smaller. Thanks for the idea.

Click to expand...

check your local graigslist. thats where ya find all kinds of neat stuff

Ok,
I finished the incubator. I used 2 Zoo Med UTH heaters and a heliflex thermostat. Ran it for a few days in my basement which is now at 60 degrees and the incubator held nicely at the 82 degrees I set it at on all shelve levels.
I will add a small fan once the eggs come, but other than that, I am very happy with it.
pay no mind to the temp on the thermometers, unit was off when I took pics!