# diy incubator



## bcross (Jul 2, 2011)

I was thinking I will convert this wine cooler from big w into an incubator has anyone else done this.
I am going to use an old habistat dimming thermostat and heat cord. 
I have time so I will look around to see what I can retro fit I will post photos of finished product.
of course I will set its thermo to inactive but was thinking the inbuilt fan would be very useful
Buy Tempo 16-Bottle Wine Cooler | Read Reviews | BIG W Online Store Australia

ernie.awa.com.au/.../*Homemaker* *HMTW*-*16EQ* 40 *Bottle* *Wine* *Cooler* Operating Instructions...

going by the instructions if I disconnect the power to the compressor the digital temperature display will still work.
hey if it is not viable I will have somewhere for the wife to store her wine. I have also checked ebay and there are some on there for $40. 
It could well look very neat and tidy


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## mummabear (Jul 2, 2011)

View attachment 207735
I used the exact same one last year. Worked a treat. 100% hatch rate with all fertile eggs. I used 2 thermostats as i wanted it to heat and cool as i live in the tropics. 1 thermostat attached to the heat source and a cooling thermostat plugged into the wine fridge. Too hot and the fridge came on to cool it down. I put all the probes and wires out the door and used child locks to make sure it had a good seal and held tight.


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## Em1986 (Jul 2, 2011)

Hi guys just a quick question, how do you attatch the heat cord to the inside? I have seen people use tape and was wondering if it is ok to use tape with a heat cord?
I may be looking into making an incubator either for this year or next year (not sure yet) and was advised that this is an easier and cheaper way rather than me buying a Hova Bator, i was going to get one but was told they are really small and wouldn't meet my possible requirements.
I am on the hunt for a fridge but there are none cheapish enough that have a glass door so this sounds like a really good option.

Oh and thanks heaps for the link and everything, i hadn't even known they made such a thing as a 'wine cooler' as i don't drink or socialise much etc and don't drink wine lol.


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## bcross (Jul 2, 2011)

I like the idea of using a cooling thermostat it would save me the work of disconnecting the compressor. mummabear did you use heat cord?
I was thinking that is what I would use. And to answer your question EM1986 I was going to attach the cord with aluminium tape. As I have a fair bit left from my hatchy rack.
I was planning on taking out the existing shelves tapping the heat cord in. then using the white plastic grate that they use in aquarium sumps (I could probably also use a cut up bread crate)
a small container of water in the bottom for humidity that to would have a grate of sorts in it as well just so if anything fell in they would not drown.
I figure this setup would be easy to sterilise and provide a relatively clean environment at a fraction of the cost of buying a similiar setup. cheapest I have seen was 414. and it was quite small.


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## Em1986 (Jul 2, 2011)

Thanks heaps for that, i was thinking aluminium tape as well but i have seen some photos that look like they have used duct tape so wasn't sure.
Sounds like a really good plan, thanks heaps for the tips and i can't wait to see the final result


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## hugsta (Jul 2, 2011)

If you are not fussed on looks, keep an eye out on clean up days and get yourself a bar fridge. You can normally get non working ones for free. Rip the mechanics out of it and use the hole in the rear to plumb all your wiring through. Don't worry about the cooling side of things, just keep it in the coolest part of your house. Most eggs will survive a spike in temps anyway, as long as it is not continual. Use a heat cord of appropriate size, I used to use a 6m one in my bar fridge as I felt the 4.3 was a bit small, although it may have done the job. I now use a 15m one in my large incubator. I also found that a pulse proportionate thermostat gave better results than a dimming stat. You can use small screws into the metal in the fride to loop the heat cord around. A fan is not necessary to circulate air in a small incubator, but is good in a large one.


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## mummabear (Jul 3, 2011)

Hi bcross i used a heat mat sitting on a tile in mine because thats all it needed and no attaching necessary. I also use a pulse proportionate thermostat. I have a larger wine fridge that i will be using heat cord with though. I love the cooling function. I personally don't run an air-con very often so don't really have a cool part in my house in summer. Also i can go away and not worry about the temps being too hot.


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## bcross (Jul 3, 2011)

I was also thinking of a heat mat. In my little box of leftovers I also have a couple of small heat mats a home brewing heatpad and a couple of cords. One thing I don't have is a pulse proportional thermo.
I figure I have time on my side so I have time to tinker. I also have a couple of temp data loggers from jaycar. So I could run the proposed set up for say 48hrs and have a look. 
I do know I am over engineering a simple procedure.But I like to muck around with things like this. Geez I built a Koi pond 9 years ago and I am still tweaking it, my latest tweak a diy clarity protein skimmer and it seems to be working well.


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## ericrs (Jul 3, 2011)

hey mate i just completed a incubator on a wine fridge almost identical to this.
pulled almost everything out used dobs of silicone to zig zag a 25w heat cord along the bottom that went to a micro climate pulse proportional i got of ebay for 100 bucks new. 
The wine cooler i got had a small fan in the back so i got an old phone charger an reused it. i know its not necessary but it was already in there and only uses 3w of power.
only thing is to make sure the glass in the door is double glazed. most of them are so it shouldnt be a problem but if it is not the fluctuations of outside temps could have a bigger impact on inside incubator temps.
I built mine for under 200 bucks not including the egg containers and it looks really neat and tidy.


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## Em1986 (Jul 3, 2011)

This has to be my favourite thread on here right now because there has been no nasty comments or me being treated like i'm stupid or anything for asking questions 

Anyways, what wattage or length heat cord would be reccomended for the 16 bottle wine cooler or a similar size? 
Also i have been looking at thermostats but am confused as to what brand to use and have seen them say 100W, 300W etc so would i just need a 100W if say the heat cord was only a 50-80W?

Out here bar fridges etc are hard to find even on junk days (once or twice a year we have them) because i think most people take them to the scrappies or they want to sell them or make them into dog kennels etc. I have seen one used as a mailbox on a farm around here lol.
I would prefer a glass fronted one to minimise the temps fluctuating when checking/looking at the eggs but on the other hand as mentioned glass doesn't hold heat very well so outside temps can affect the incubator temps.
Would i have issues with this given where i live? Summer does get quite hot but at night it cools down a fair bit and this year we had snow in january i think it was.

Thanks heaps for sharing so much guys and sorry for asking so many questions.


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## hugsta (Jul 3, 2011)

Em1986 said:


> This has to be my favourite thread on here right now because there has been no nasty comments or me being treated like i'm stupid or anything for asking questions
> 
> Anyways, what wattage or length heat cord would be reccomended for the 16 bottle wine cooler or a similar size? I would go with a 4.3m heat cord, it should be enough, although if you ever look at upgrading, then look into a larger heat cord like a 6 metre one.
> Also i have been looking at thermostats but am confused as to what brand to use and have seen them say 100W, 300W etc so would i just need a 100W if say the heat cord was only a 50-80W? The wattage of the thermostat is pretty much irrelevant as you will not be running that much wattage in an incubator. What you need to look for is the type of thermostat, in this case, a pulse proportionate one will maintain the best temps when paired up to a heat cord. Most good quality ones will do around 600 watts anyway.
> ...



Hope that helps.


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## bcross (Jul 3, 2011)

Em don't ever be afraid to ask questions. there is a ton of people on this site with a wealth of knowledge willing contribute and help us all . 
I would definately be taking hugsta's advice. on where to get your kit from. 
Ericrs what did you use for egg containers?

Hey Ericrs and mummabear do you have any photos? I am very interested in seeing what you have done.


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## Em1986 (Jul 3, 2011)

bcross said:


> Em don't ever be afraid to ask questions. there is a ton of people on this site with a wealth of knowledge willing contribute and help us all .
> QUOTE]
> 
> My first reply on here ever was met with a comment virtually asking if i was stupid and if i could read etc so i have been extremely hessitant ever since
> ...


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## mummabear (Jul 3, 2011)

View attachment 207735
Just click on the word attachment and it should come up.


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## damian83 (Jul 3, 2011)

there are so many ways to set up incubators, from esky's and foam boxes, to fridges, ovens etc, if they all work the same in keeping the at a steady temp. then they are all good incubators i guess....
im making mine in an esky with sand and water almost to the top of the sand and putting a controlled fish tank heater in the sand to keep it warm.... ill post pics when its up and running


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## bcross (Jul 3, 2011)

Em I think you have come across a few members in this thread who are willing to help. If you ever want to ask a Q you can always PM me I would be only to happy to help if I can.


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## mummabear (Jul 3, 2011)

Hopefully this works bcross


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## bcross (Jul 3, 2011)

Awsome I like it


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## Em1986 (Jul 3, 2011)

mummabear said:


> Hopefully this works bcross



So will a heat mat work just the same as a heat cord at keeping temps stable and even throughout the incubator? I would be worried that the temp wouldn't be the same from top to bottom.

Also if/when i make one it will be for bearded dragon eggs and someone said that the 3 females i am getting can be expected to lay 200-300 eggs in a season so i am worried about space. At the moment it is not an urgent thing as i doubt i will breed this year. Any idea of how big a bar fridge/wine cooler i would need if i was to mate all 3 females?


Thanks so much and i really hope you don't mind me butting in bcross


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## bcross (Jul 4, 2011)

not at all.
200 300 eggs not sure though that is alot. Can someone else offer an idea I am not sure on lizards.

the heat mat would most definately work as mumma bear has proved. His set up is exactly what I had in mind he just confirmed it . 
I was also thinking I will try some feritlie chicken eggs first and also those dataloggers as well just to sus out what happens and how stable the temps are. I will use two top and bottom. but then if you didn't have access to one of these some thermometers record high and low temps. which is primarily what we are interested in . if they are stable and no major spikes or drops all good.
ericrs set up used heat cord and worked a treat as well .what you would have to do would be turn the incubator on for a couple days before they lay just so the heat builds up in there and stabilizes and is ready for your clutch.


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## hugsta (Jul 4, 2011)

Em1986 said:


> So will a heat mat work just the same as a heat cord at keeping temps stable and even throughout the incubator? I would be worried that the temp wouldn't be the same from top to bottom.
> 
> Also if/when i make one it will be for bearded dragon eggs and someone said that the 3 females i am getting can be expected to lay 200-300 eggs in a season so i am worried about space. At the moment it is not an urgent thing as i doubt i will breed this year. Any idea of how big a bar fridge/wine cooler i would need if i was to mate all 3 females?
> 
> ...



It is possible if you know what you are doing, each female can have up to 3 clutches and average around 25 eggs per clutch, but they need to be well fed with loads of calcium to have this many. But this is easily solved by seperating the male, or just freezing a clutch or two of eggs. That many babies will cost you far more than what you will get selling them. Their appetites are ferocious and they need to be fed 3 times a day and misted as well. So unless you breed your own crickets, you better find a good supplier as you will need them.


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## Em1986 (Jul 5, 2011)

Ok so one last 'stoopid' question, i have a repta pet thermostat here that is a spare i picked up (2nd hand in a package of some other accessories) it is not a dimming one and doesn't have a digital display etc. I was wondering if it would work in an incubator or if i am better off getting something digital and 'fancy'?

I have found a wine cooler fridge on e-bay that seems quite good and may be able to get a heat cord/mat etc off the same people i am getting my beardies off because they have some spare accessories.

Also how long will it take for the temps to get up before you can put eggs in it? If i make it soonish and then run it for a few days to check temps etc i don't want to leave it on until she/they lay egss (if i even breed them).

They won't be bred to make a proffit but more for the experience and to give me the opportunity to keep some of the babies if i want to 
I know that it will cost a lot to raise them and i won't make anything from selling them but i think it will be a really good experience for me and give me something to do (stay at home mum that spends way too much time on the net lol). It will also be good for my 2 1/2 yr old daughter to learn about it all and she loves animals.

I have come accross 2-3 good suppliers of live food so that won't be too much of an issue 

Thanks so much again guys for all your help  please post any updates and pics of your incubators as you make them and especially when you test the temps etc bcross, i think it will be interesting to find out the results


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## hugsta (Jul 5, 2011)

Em1986 said:


> Ok so one last 'stoopid' question, i have a repta pet thermostat here that is a spare i picked up (2nd hand in a package of some other accessories) it is not a dimming one and doesn't have a digital display etc. I was wondering if it would work in an incubator or if i am better off getting something digital and 'fancy'?
> 
> I have found a wine cooler fridge on e-bay that seems quite good and may be able to get a heat cord/mat etc off the same people i am getting my beardies off because they have some spare accessories.
> 
> ...



No need for fancy, just quality, remember, all your efforts that go into breeding and eventual egg laying can be destroyed because of a cheap thermostat. I personally use a Microclimate DL1.

Temps will be up in a day, even less for a smaller incubator. Although, I normally have mine running for a couple of weeks before egg deposition is due from any of my females.

Sorry, wasn't trying to deter you from breeding, more just letting you know the costs involved if you happened to produce over 200 baby beardies, although this would be unlikely.

Here is a couple of pics of my incubator. I tried some new stick in clips for my heat cord, but the fell off, so will be making a more permanent mounting for them this coming season. Sorry for the mess on it and in it, but CBF moving everything.


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## Em1986 (Jul 5, 2011)

hugsta said:


> No need for fancy, just quality, remember, all your efforts that go into breeding and eventual egg laying can be destroyed because of a cheap thermostat. I personally use a Microclimate DL1.
> 
> Temps will be up in a day, even less for a smaller incubator. Although, I normally have mine running for a couple of weeks before egg deposition is due from any of my females.
> 
> ...



Wow, it looks like it's a good size and well set up 
That's what i pretty much needed/wanted to know - what model and brand of thermostat because i have no idea how they all work 

You didn't deter me from breeding  I'm just very unsure about everything involved with it and stressing lol. They will be my first reptiles and first babies (if i do breed them) so i would hate for everything to be done wrong 
I highly doubt i would end up with that many hatchlings either as it would be the first time any of them have bred and also taking into account any infertile eggs etc. I do/would however have the space for tubs etc for them 

I know not to try stick on clips then :lol: at least you are trying new things and ways of doing it and have given feedback, thanks


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## Em1986 (Jul 20, 2011)

Ok, got a wine fridge today 
It looks like Mummabear's but the shelves are flat.
I am in no hurry converting it as it will be an ongoing project for me i think (i doubt i will breed this season unless i get a pair of pythons that are ready to breed now or mess with the beardies etc).

It is approx 2ft cubed outside dimentions so what wattage heat cord would i need in it? I don't want to buy a heat cord that is not strong enough to get the temps up and then have to buy another one then again i don't want a huge heat cord that i will have too much length leftover with nowhere to mount it inside.
What model Microclimate would be best suited to this project taking into consideration the small size and assuming the heat cord will be a low(?) wattage? Once it is put together i won't be using the parts for anything else in the future so the thermostat and heat cord (or mat) will be specifically for this project.

How do you go about running the cords through the seal around the door? I'm not sure if the door would still seal if i ran the cords straight out it so i was thinking i could cut the seal in the top corner of the door just enough to run the cords through and silicone any small gaps that may be there to try to make the seal as tight as possible.

I know i have asked these same questions already but i thought it would be easier to answer now having the approximate size of the fridge to convert. 

Thanks so much for everything guys


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## Choco (Jul 20, 2011)

Those with still working wine coolers/fridges. Do you just run the cords out the front and just shut them in the door?


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## Em1986 (Jul 20, 2011)

That's pretty much what i was wondering too Choco as the one i have is still working as far as i know.


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## mummabear (Jul 20, 2011)

Choco said:


> Those with still working wine coolers/fridges. Do you just run the cords out the front and just shut them in the door?



Yes. I just put on a simple child lock to hold the door tight.


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## Em1986 (Aug 2, 2011)

Ok, going shopping on thursday for bits and pieces  I want to set it up and test my labeller for labelling the tubs, just a little experiment to see how they hold up to heat and humidity etc.
Will an 80W heat cord be enough? The outside dimensions of the fridge are approx 2ftx2ftx2ft. Also will a microclimate 100w thermostat be enough if the heat cord is only 80w and the only thing attatched to it?
Thanks guys


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## killimike (Sep 23, 2011)

After linking to this thread in the one about levi incubation temps, I wondered how your incubator was going Em?

And also, what kind of thermostat you used for the cooling in your incubator mummabear?


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## mummabear (Sep 23, 2011)

I use a habistat cool control from the herp shop.


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## killimike (Sep 23, 2011)

mummabear said:


> I use a habistat cool control from the herp shop.



Cool 

It does seem like a good idea to reduce the risk of overheating.


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## mummabear (Sep 23, 2011)

It worked perfectly last year throughout our hot summer and you can choose the size incubator (wine fridge) that you need for the job.


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## Em1986 (Sep 23, 2011)

killimike said:


> After linking to this thread in the one about levi incubation temps, I wondered how your incubator was going Em?
> 
> And also, what kind of thermostat you used for the cooling in your incubator mummabear?



It's going good  I have a 4m heat cord in it and running on a microclimate ministat thermostat. I also have it set up with a dual probe thermometer. The temps tend to sway a bit on the lower side overnight though  During the day it has been sitting at 31 or so. There's still fiddling around to be done with the way i have it set up but hopefully it will be all good.
Thanks for remembering and asking 

ps i actually got a pair of darwin hets from bcross a week ago, i think it's funny lol.

I hijacked his thread and then bought snakes from him


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