Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know people use water bottles in cooler style incubators...but I was wondering if anyone has tried capping off pieces of PVC pipe, filling them with water, and using those for thermal mass?
I ask because it would be a space saver, and when working with limited space, like a foam meat cooler, extra room is always good.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

i'm sorry but i seem to not understand your question? you are curious to know about pvc pipe capped off filled with water to replace plastic water bottles filled with water?

.............why?

both take up space and pvc pipe is already heavier that a empty plastic water bottle. the objective is to have more mass that will be able obtain the same temperature that's inside the incubator so that when you open it and then close it the mass that's in the incubatore will help restore the internal temperature to the set degree.

if a person is running out of space or is in need of more space in the incubator....i think that would be a for sure sign that it's time to upgrade to something larger?

Pitoon

>>I know people use water bottles in cooler style incubators...but I was wondering if anyone has tried capping off pieces of PVC pipe, filling them with water, and using those for thermal mass?
>>I ask because it would be a space saver, and when working with limited space, like a foam meat cooler, extra room is always good.
>>-----
>>"What is man without the beasts?
>>If all the beasts were gone,
>>men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
>>For what happens to the beasts,
>>soon happens to men.
>>All things are connected."
>>
>>-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)
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I don't think the PVC pipes would work anywhere near as well as just plastic bottles. PVC pipes are thick, about 1/5th of an inch and not as good conducting heat. Plastic bottles are very thin...probably less than 1/64th of an inch thick.

Personally I don't use bottles at all in my incubator, I don't find much heat loss when opening the cooler...maybe 3-4 degrees if that. I don't leave the lid open very long, just long enough to take out the deli dish, then when I am done checking, putting the dish back in. My room temperature is only about 10 degrees less than the incubation temperature. (well, I haven't incubated ball python eggs, but i have incubated corn snake..and I keep them at about 83-85F). I do keep a long tray of water in the bottom of the incubator, to keep humidity up, so in part that does act to hold heat.
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

Hi,

I use six one quart water bottles on the bottom and no water tray. I put my water in the media with a closed egg box and two small 1/8" drilled holes (thank you Brian Gundy). I use the Herpstat ND so I can see what the temp and output does when I open the door. I lose about .3 to .6 degrees if I open and than close it just long enough to remove the egg box. I personally think you would be fine without water bottles. I use my water bottles for power outages and it has worked killer. The heat holds great.

Regards,
Bill Rubin
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Mine is a big foam meat cooler, 13x20x18ish deep...so I don't think it will take long to get back up to temps.

I also don't think I need a fan either...
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)