Content:
The desire to receive more and give less is human nature. But it sometimes leads to the fact that the miser pays twice. This postulate can be attributed to incubators. The poultry farmer really needs it. Big, good and high quality is expensive. For example, the price of an incubator for 300 eggs is 29,000 rubles. A cheap one can last one season, and even spoil the hatching eggs. So it turns out that the economy does not lead to good.
But now for those who are “friends with technology” and have skillful hands, there is an opportunity to save money and get a reliable (there will be no one to blame) device that is very important for the poultry farmer. This is a homemade incubator. There are complete collection kits on sale, and the automation necessary for their improvement is also sold separately.
Requirements for homemade incubators
Before assembling an incubator, you need to know the technical conditions that it must provide.
- When incubating chicken eggs, the number of continuous days of its work is 21 days.
- Eggs in the incubator are laid out at a distance of at least 10 mm from each other
- The temperature in the incubator varies depending on the stage of development of the embryo in the egg.
- In automatic mode, eggs are turned over once every hour.
- Optimum humidity and ventilation are maintained. Air speed 5 m/s.
Ready kits
To facilitate work and increase the reliability of the future design, it makes sense to purchase a ready-made automation kit for a home-made incubator. For example, such as in the figure below.
It includes:
- Temperature controller providing automatic visual control of temperature and humidity.
- Sensors that scan the state of temperature and humidity inside the incubator.
- Transformer 220/12V.
- Universal tray with automatic rotation. You can put either quail or chicken eggs in it.
The price of this set is 5000 rubles. But on the other hand, you can be sure that the incubation process is proceeding correctly. The temperature and humidity correspond to the set parameters, and the eggs turn on time.
If you are only interested in automatic egg turning, then you can purchase a simpler kit.
This photo shows the overall dimensions of the device. They will tell you how to place it in the future incubator.
This kit consists of the following:
- Reversible motor - 14 W, 2.5 rpm;
- Asterisks - 1 meter;
- Limit switches - 2 pcs;
- Mounting bracket;
- Connecting wires.
The kit is sold already assembled and configured. You just need to connect it to the control thermostat. Price - 3990 rubles.
Connecting this device in a homemade incubator looks like it is shown in the diagram.
But motorized trays have to be in some kind of enclosure. And it matters to the incubator. After all, inside it is carried out thermoregulation of air exchange for the incubation of eggs. Therefore, the thermal insulation qualities of the material from which the incubator will be made are very important.
A great option for the case is an old refrigerator. Its body also has the properties of a thermostat, and the doors close comfortably and securely.
Re-equipment of the refrigerator under the incubator
Before proceeding with the assembly of the incubator from the old refrigerator, it is necessary to get rid of unnecessary parts in it and remove the freezer.
To ensure proper air exchange, it is necessary to establish a ventilation system.
Ventilation and humidity
To ensure ventilation in the refrigerator case, two holes with a diameter of 30 mm are made. One is at the bottom, the other is at the top. Tubes are inserted into these holes. By completely or partially closing these openings, you will regulate the air exchange inside the device.
At the bottom, install a fan on rubber cushions. You can use a computer fan. Place a container of water nearby. With the help of evaporation of this water, it will be possible to regulate the humidity in the future incubator. Attach heating elements. It can be ordinary incandescent lamps or heating elements.
Air exchange in this case occurs as follows.
- The air below is heated.
- Humidified with water vapor from a cuvette.
- The fan pushes the air up.
- Some of the heat is given off to hatching eggs;
- Part of the air cools and is blown out.
- After cooling, part of the air descends, and the other enters from the outside through the bottom hole.
Heating system
The simplest heating option is 25 W incandescent lamps. Four lamps are taken. Two are installed at the bottom, two at the top. Or you can use more powerful lamps (40 W), but take a smaller number of them (2 pieces). Heating elements can become an alternative to lamps.
Trays and their turning mechanism
You can buy a motorized tray made in China. They are also of high quality, but are cheaper than imported ones. Their kits include:
- a frame on which mini-trays with cells for eggs are installed;
- power unit;
- low-speed engine, excluding sharp jerks at the start of movement.
These are very handy trays. Their rotation is carried out by a built-in motor, which is enough to connect to the included power supply. The full cycle (90 degrees) of turning the trays takes two hours.
If you do not want to use this very convenient solution, you can make trays yourself. For example, from metal, wood and mesh, or any other material at hand. The main thing is to install them without skew in the body of a homemade incubator. Fix the rotary axes for the trays with brass bushings or use special bearing supports.
A chain drive can be used as a mechanism for turning the trays. The diagram of its connection is shown in the figure above, and how it will look in the installed form in the photo below.
Conclusion
It’s worth making an incubator yourself only if you have locksmith skills and are “friends” with electrical engineering. Then you can significantly reduce your costs for the purchase of this product. It won’t be completely free, but you can purchase and install better and more reliable components.
All components of this device can be easily bought. This was written above. To control the entire mechanism, you will need to purchase a thermostat. And then apply your skills in plumbing.
As you can see, this option for equipping the overturning mechanism is more troublesome than purchasing a mechanized tray. And the price advantage is not so obvious.
, topical a question for both amateur poultry farmers and professional farmlands.
Industrial devices often have high price, and their application impractical in conditions small household farms.
For breeding poultry small quantities are fine home. And to construct it with desire will be able each.
Important points in the manufacture of the incubator
At independent manufacturing very important moment is the creation of comfortable, maximum close to natural conditions for breeding birds.
Primarily it is worth taking care of the constant maintenance of the necessary temperatures inside the incubator and arrangement in it ventilation.
When mother hen independently incubates eggs, natural temperature and humidity are formed for normal development of chicks.
AT artificial conditions, the temperature in the incubator must be constantly maintained at 37.5–38.6 degrees at the humidity level in 50–60% . For even distribution and circulation warm air is used forced ventilation.
Attention: violation of the temperature regime at any stage of the incubation period (overheating, underheating, excessive or insufficient humidity) can lead to a significant slowdown in the development of chicks.
In particular, excessive humidity in the incubator negatively affects embryonic development in the egg and can lead to the death of the chick before it is born.
Insufficient humidity air in the appliance makes the egg shell overdried and very durable unacceptable when hatching.
We make an incubator with our own hands
To create an automatic incubator do it yourself You will need to craft or purchase from the store the following equipment:
- Frame for the incubator itself;
- tray system;
- Heating element;
- Fan;
- Automatic turning mechanism.
Incubator housing
Corps for a homemade incubator, a washing machine knocked out of plywood can serve box and even unclaimed Bee hive.
To maintain inside the incubator comfortable microclimate(preservation of heat), walls the cases are sealed (most often with foam), and for entry inside fresh air small holes are made.
The size incubator and amount in it egg trays are selected based on needs owner.
tray system
As trays for eggs, you can use a strong metal mesh with cells of size 2.5 cm. The trays will be held on special pins, which in turn will automatic flip fixed trays.
L = (H-((N+15)*2))/15
Where L- the number of trays, H- refrigerator height, N– distance of trays from heating elements.
For example: Height incubator 1 meter. To calculate the maximum number of trays for an incubator, subtract from it distance to heating elements with a margin 6 cm(to avoid overheating), multiply on 2 and divide by height required for ventilation. We get:
L \u003d (100-((6 + 15) * 2)) / 15 \u003d 3.86
Maximum amount trays, which will be required to create an incubator is four.
Heating element
To maintain a constant temperature in a large incubator can be used heating iron spirals by connecting them in series.
For small structures, you can get by with several incandescent lamps medium power. You can place them both “above” and “under” the trays at a distance not less than 20 cm.
Note: when installing lamps, a thermometer must be placed in the incubator to accurately control the temperature and a bath of water is installed so that the air inside the device is humid. To control humidity, a psychrometer is used, which can be easily purchased at any pet store.
Fan
AT small a homemade incubator will be enough one fan, for example, from an old computer. Air circulation is very important in the arrangement of the incubator and plays key role in the brood of chicks.
In addition to uniform distribution of warm air, the fan pumps up inside required for eggs oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. For air to flow into the device in the upper and lower parts of the case, it is necessary to make multiple holes size 15-20 mm.
Automatic turning mechanism
Swivel pins, on which the trays will be fixed, must be perfect aligned to prevent distortion of the entire structure. BUT mechanism parts, connecting the trays and setting them in motion rigidly fixed between themselves.
As drive low-power (up to 20 watt) reduction motors and star chain.
Note: for smooth turning of trays with eggs, it is necessary to use a chain with a minimum pitch (0.525 mm).
For complete automation process, the power circuit of the motor is added relay(switch) which will on one's own turn the motor on and off.
It's important to know: before loading eggs and starting incubation, you need to check and test the created system for 3-4 days. Stabilize the temperature and humidity, experimentally find a place for the fan and start the turning mechanism, stabilize the turning speed and the angle of the trays.
So, manufacture of automatic incubator at home without the cost of modern technology, the task is quite doable. The main thing- compliance sequences the actions described above and the utmost care for work.
For construction, you can use improvised means: frame old refrigerator, washing machine, plywood or chipboard box, for wall insulation- Styrofoam or an old blanket will do, a computer fan will provide an even distribution warm air throughout the structure.
Following video talks in detail about the incubator for hatching eggs with your own hands:
Birds such as quail, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys. Such diversity became possible thanks to microcontroller automation.
Housing Materials:
- a sheet of chipboard or old furniture panels (like mine)
- laminate floor board
- perforated aluminum sheet
- two furniture awnings
- self-tapping screws
Tools:
- A circular saw
- Drill, drills, furniture drill (for awnings)
- screwdriver
Materials for automation:
- circuit board, soldering iron, radio components
- transformer for 220->12v
- DAN2N electric drive
- two 40W incandescent lamps
- 12v computer fan, medium size
Point 1. Manufacturing of the case.
Using a circular saw, we cut blanks from a chipboard sheet in accordance with the dimensions in Fig. one.
In the obtained blanks, in accordance with Fig. 2, drill holes D = 4 mm. for self-tapping screws, they are marked with red circles, green circles indicate the place of attachment of the cover canopies. We assemble the case in accordance with the scheme. We install the cover on two furniture hinges.
We drill rows of ventilation holes D = 5 mm. front and back, top and bottom.
As a result, a completely finished case for the incubator turned out, it does not need to be additionally insulated, the electronics do an excellent job of heating the box with just two light bulbs.
Item 2. Tray for eggs.
The main part of the tray is the base, an aluminum sheet with frequent holes for unhindered circulation of heated air. If there is no similar material, then you can make the bottom of any sheet material of sufficient rigidity and drill many holes in it D = 10 mm.
I made the sidewalls from a laminate, in which cuts are made to the middle in increments of 50 mm, a net for holding eggs is woven into them from garden twine, and at the end of the twine in the cuts it is glued with Titanium glue. It turns out a cell of 50x50 mm, the size of large duck eggs, so as not to make many different trays for different birds, so chicken eggs in some places have to be burst a little with foam bars. The capacity of this tray is 50 eggs. Goose eggs are laid in a checkerboard pattern, a twine mesh compresses the bookmark well.
For quails, a separate tray similar to this is made, but with a cell pitch of 30x30 mm, with a capacity of 150 eggs.
The capacity of the incubator does not end there, because there is also a second tier, a second tray, which, if necessary, is installed on top of the first tray.
In the photo: Attachment (V) for the top tray and metal bracket for attaching to the axis of the tilt mechanism.
This (V) shaped mount is located at both ends of the tray and is only needed if a second tray is planned. At the upper additional tray, the same fastening is only directed downwards and enters like a wedge into the "dovetail" of the lower tray.
Also in the photo you can see a metal eye for attaching the tray to the flag of the rotary mechanism.
In the photo: The flag of the rotary mechanism.
In the photo: The opposite side of the tray.
Here you can see (V) the fastening and hole of the support axis of the tray.
Point 3. Device for tilting the tray with eggs.
To rotate the axis with a flag, which in turn tilts the egg tray 45 degrees to one side and the other, I used the DAN2N electric drive used for ventilation pipes.
Pictured: A typical DAN2N application, opening and closing a pipe valve.
He is perfect for this job.
This drive performs a slow rotation of the axis by 90 degrees from one extreme point to another, and when it rests against the limiter of the angle of rotation, it goes into stop mode when the current in the motor is exceeded, until the control contact changes its state to the opposite.
To control the change of position on the control contact, any timer is suitable that will close and open the contact after a specified period of time. For this purpose, I found a French timer with adjustment from a fraction of a second to several days. But all these functions are already in our microcontroller control unit, therefore, to rotate the tray, it is enough for us to use any small motor with a gearbox, and the CU will take control of it.
Item 4. Control unit.
The control unit or the heart of the incubator, which determines whether you get chickens or not.
With the release of the popular Atmel microcontroller, many interesting projects began to appear, including simple and very reliable thermostats. So the March project from Radio magazine 2010 grew into a full-fledged complete incubator control module with all possible functionality. And these are: adjustment range 35.0С - 44.5С., indication and alarm in case of an emergency, temperature adjustment by a complex algorithm with a self-learning effect, automatic tray rotation, humidity control.
When the heating element is heated (in our case, incandescent lamps), the algorithm selects the heating power, due to which the temperature comes into balance and can be constant with an accuracy of 0.1g.
The emergency mode will help out if the output triacs are damaged, the control switches to an analog relay and, until the breakdown is eliminated, it will maintain the temperature in the acceptable range.
To control the rotation of the trays, the controller provides a range of adjustments up to ten hours, supports the presence of tilt limit switches, and without them, by setting the time to turn on the motor to cover the desired distance.
Automatic humidity control is controlled by a second electronic wet thermometer, psychrometric calculation method and when necessary, the load will turn on - atomizer or ultrasonic fogger with fan.
All manipulations of adjustments are made by three buttons.
The circuit uses temperature sensors DS18B20, the error of which can be set from the CU menu with an accuracy of 0.1 degrees.
Scheme of the incubator control unit on MK Atmega 8.
Depending on the used output power switches, you can use different options for output circuits with different connection points and firmware options.
* If pulse transformers MIT-4, 12 with a connection point (A) are used to control thyristors / triacs, then this scheme is used.
*Management of MOS optocouplers.
Firmware - Pulse-phase, connection at point (A), MOC3021, MOC3022, MOC3023 are used (without Zero-Cross)
Firmware - Low-Frequency PWM, Point-to-Point (V), MOC3041, MOC3042, MOC3043, MOC3061, MOC3062, MOC3063 (with Zero-Cross)
For independent hatching of chickens, you can purchase an industrial device for incubation. But it is also possible to assemble an incubator with your own hands at home. A home-made apparatus will cost much less and it will be possible to choose its size for the number of eggs. In such a device, you can automate temperature changes and set up regular turning of eggs in trays.
This article will tell you how to make an incubator with your own hands and what materials you will need for this.
Basic rules for creating a homemade incubator
Housing is the main element of the home incubator. It keeps the heat inside and prevents sudden changes in the temperature of the eggs. Temperature fluctuations can adversely affect the health of future chickens. The following materials are suitable as a case for an incubator:
- Styrofoam;
- body of an old refrigerator.
To place the eggs, trays made of plastic or wood are used, having a mesh or slatted bottom. Automatic trays equipped with motors can independently turn eggs at the time set by the timer. Moving the eggs to the side prevents uneven heating of their surface.
With incandescent lamps, in the home incubator, the temperature necessary for the development of the cubs is created. The choice of lamp power is influenced by the size of the incubator body, it can vary between 25-1000 watts. Tue A thermometer or an electronic type thermostat with a sensor helps to monitor the temperature level in the device.
The air in the incubator must constantly circulate, which is provided by forced or natural ventilation. For small devices, holes at the base and on the surface of the cover will suffice. Large structures made from the body of the refrigerator require special fans located at the top and bottom. Ventilation will allow the air not to stagnate, and the heat to be evenly distributed in the device.
For a continuous incubation process, it is necessary make the optimal number of trays. The gap between the trays, as well as the distance to the incandescent lamp, should be at least 15 cm. A gap of 4-5 cm should be left from the walls to the trays. The diameter of the ventilation holes can be 12-20 mm.
Before placing eggs in the incubator, it is necessary to check the operation of the fans and the uniformity of heating of the device. After optimal warming up, the temperature in the corners of the apparatus should not differ by more than 0.5 degrees. The air flow from the fans should be directed towards the lamps and not towards the egg trays themselves.
DIY foam incubator
The advantages of expanded polystyrene are its affordable price, high-quality thermal insulation, light weight. Because of this, it is often used for the manufacture of incubators. You will need the following components to work:
Assembly steps
Before you make an incubator at home, you need to prepare drawings with accurate measurements. Assembly includes the following steps:
- To prepare the side walls, the foam sheet must be divided into four equal squares.
- The surface of the second sheet is divided in half. One of the parts obtained must be cut into rectangles with parameters of 50x40 cm and 50 * 60 cm. The smaller part will be the bottom of the incubator, and the larger part will be the lid.
- A viewing window with parameters of 13x13 cm is cut out on the lid. It will be covered with transparent plastic or glass and provide ventilation in the device.
- First, the frame from the side walls is assembled and glued together. After the glue dries, the bottom is attached. To do this, smear the edges of the sheet with glue and insert it into the frame.
- To increase the rigidity of the structure, it must be pasted over with adhesive tape. The first strips of the tape are superimposed on the bottom with a slight approach to the surface of the walls. Then the walls are glued tightly.
- Uniform distribution of heat and circulation of air masses are provided with the help of two bars located under the bottom of the tray. They are also made of foam, with a height of 6 cm and a width of 4 cm. The bars are glued along the walls of the bottom, with a length of 50 cm.
- 1 cm above the bottom, on short walls, 3 holes are made for ventilation, with equal intervals and a diameter of about 12 cm. The holes will be difficult to cut with a knife, so it is better to use a soldering iron.
- For a snug fit of the lid to the body, along its edge, you need to attach bars of expanded polystyrene, with parameters of 2x2 cm. There should be a gap of 5 cm from the edge of the sheet to the surface of the bar. This arrangement will allow the lid to go into the inside of the incubator and dock tightly with the walls.
- In the upper part of the box there is a grid with lamp holders attached to it.
- A thermostat is mounted on the surface of the lid, and its sensor is lowered inside the incubator, at a distance of up to 1 cm from the eggs. The hole for the sensor can be pierced with a sharp awl.
- A tray is installed at the bottom, at a distance of 4-5 cm from the walls. This arrangement is necessary for ventilation of the device.
- Fans are not a necessary element if the incubator has small dimensions. If they are installed, the air flow must be directed to the lamps, and not to the egg tray.
For better heat retention, you can paste over the inner surface of the incubator with heat-insulating foil.
Do-it-yourself incubator from the refrigerator case
The principle of operation of the incubator in many ways similar to the operation of a refrigerator. Thanks to this, you can assemble a convenient and high-quality home-made device from the body of the refrigeration appliance. The material of the walls of the refrigerator retains heat well, holds a large number of eggs, trays with which can be conveniently placed on the shelves.
The required level of humidity will be maintained by a special system located at the bottom of the device. Before modifying the case, it is necessary to remove the built-in equipment and the freezer from it.
To make an egg incubator with your own hands from an old refrigerator, you will need the following components:
- refrigerator body;
- thermostat;
- metal rod or chain with an asterisk;
- light bulbs, power 220 W;
- fan;
- egg turning drive.
Requirements for a homemade incubator
Chick hatching period usually lasts about 20 days. Humidity inside the incubator at this time should be kept within 40-60%. After the chicks emerge from the eggs, it should be increased to 80%. At the stage of selection of young animals, the humidity is lowered to the initial value.
The temperature regime is also important for the proper development of eggs. Temperature requirements may vary for certain types of eggs. Table 1 shows the necessary conditions.
Table 1. Temperature conditions for different types of eggs.
Installation of the ventilation system
Ventilation regulates the ratio of temperature and humidity in the incubator. Its speed should be average 5 m/s. In the refrigerator case, you need to drill one hole at the bottom and top, with a diameter of 30 mm. Metal or plastic tubes of the appropriate size are inserted into them. The use of tubes avoids the interaction of air with the glass wool located under the wall cladding. The level of ventilation is regulated by complete or partial closing of the openings.
Six days after the start of incubation, the embryos require air from outside. By the third week, the egg absorbs up to 2 liters of air per day. Before leaving the egg, the chick consumes about 8 liters of air masses.
There are two types of ventilation systems:
- constant, providing continuous air circulation, exchange and distribution of heat;
- periodic, activated once a day to replace the air in the incubator.
The presence of ventilation of any type does not eliminate the need for an egg turning device. The use of automatic flipping avoids sticking of the embryo and the shell.
Permanent ventilation system, is placed in the inside of the incubator and expels air through the holes. At the outlet, air flows are mixed and passed through the heaters. Then the air masses descend and are saturated with moisture from water containers. The incubator contributes to an increase in air temperature, which is subsequently transferred to the eggs. Having given off heat, the air tends to the fan.
Constant type ventilation is more complex than variable model. But her work allows Simultaneously perform ventilation, heating and humidification inside the incubator.
Periodic ventilation system works on a different principle. First, the heating is turned off, then the fan turns on. It renews the heated air and cools the egg trays. After 30 minutes of operation, the fan turns off and the heating device comes into action.
The number of eggs in the incubator determines the power of the fan. For a medium machine for 100-200 eggs, You will need a fan with the following specifications:
- blade diameter 10-45 cm;
- powered by a network of 220 W;
- with a capacity of 35-200 cubic meters. m/hour.
A filter must be provided for the fan, which will protect the blades from dust, fluff and dirt.
Installation of heating elements
To raise the temperature in the incubator you will need four incandescent lamps with a power of 25 watts (you can replace them with two lamps with a power of 40 watts). The lamps are evenly fixed over the area of \u200b\u200bthe refrigerator, between the bottom and the lid. At the bottom there should be a place for a container with water, which will provide humidification.
Selection of a thermostat
A high-quality thermostat is able to provide the optimum temperature in the incubator. There are several types of such devices:
- a bimetallic plate that closes the circuit when the heating has reached the desired value;
- electric contactor - a mercury thermometer equipped with an electrode that turns off the heating when the required temperature is reached;
- a barometric sensor that closes the circuit when the pressure is too high.
The automatic temperature controller ensures the convenience of working with the incubator and significantly saves time for its maintenance.
Assembling a mechanism for automatic egg flipping
The standard egg-turning frequency set for mechanisms is twice a day. According to some experts, turning over should be done twice as often.
There are two types of egg flipping:
- inclined;
- framework.
Inclined type device periodically tilts the egg tray at a certain angle. As a result of this movement, the embryos in the eggs change their position in relation to the shell and heating elements.
frame device for a flip, it collides the eggs with the help of a frame and ensures their rotation around its axis.
Automatic device The egg turner is a motor that drives a rod that acts on the egg trays. Making an elementary mechanism for flipping eggs in the refrigerator case is quite simple. To do this, you need to install the gearbox in the lower, inner part of the refrigerator. The trays are mounted on a wooden frame, with the possibility of tilting at an angle of 60 degrees towards the door and towards the wall. The fixation of the gearbox must be strong. The rod is attached at one end to the engine, and the other to the opposite side of the tray. The motor activates the rod, which brings the tray into an inclined state.
To synchronize chick hatching you need to select eggs of the same size and maintain a uniform level of heating of the entire space of the incubator. Making a homemade incubator requires certain skills and abilities. If it is not possible to make an incubator at home or this process seems too complicated, then you can always purchase a ready-made model of the device or its components, for example, an egg turning mechanism, trays, and a ventilation system.
Homemade incubators use several types of automatic egg turning trays, which are divided into two types. The device can turn eggs one at a time or in tiers. The first type proved to be ineffective and is used only in small incubators for 5-20 eggs. Trays of the second type have proven themselves both in industrial and home-made devices.
In order for the embryos to develop and warm up evenly, the eggs must be turned every 2-4 hours. In small incubators, manual turning is very often used, and in machines designed for 50 or more eggs, it is optimal to use an automatic turning system. It is divided into two types: frame and inclined.
Each tray type has its pros and cons. The frame turn consumes less energy, and the rotation mechanism is very easy to operate. Another advantage: it can be used in small incubators. The disadvantages include the influence of the shear step on the egg turning radius. At low frames, the eggs can beat against each other. Eggs can also suffer with sudden movements of the frames.
The inclined tray provides a guaranteed turn to a given angle, regardless of the size of the eggs.
The horizontal movement of the trays along the guides reduces the level of damage to eggs by 75-85%. The disadvantages include more complex maintenance and high energy consumption. The design is heavier, which is not always convenient for use in small incubation machines.
frame turning system
The incubator tray is suitable for those who use lightweight foam or plywood models. To make an apparatus for 200 eggs, you will need:
- gearmotor,
- Profile galvanized,
- fruit or vegetable crates,
- Corner of steel and rods,
- Clamps with bearings,
- chain sprocket,
- Mounting materials.
How to make a tray: the base is welded first from the corner. Its dimensions are selected individually, depending on the number of trays and the dimensions of the home incubator. The overturning device is assembled from a pair of axles to which the first and last trays are attached. The rest are hung on the traction themselves. From the cut corners, a platform is made for landing bearings, which is welded on both sides of the axle.
The frame itself is made of aluminum corner - it is lighter. If vegetable boxes are used as trays, then the size of the frame will be 30.5 * 40.5 cm. If the trays are homemade, then the size is adjusted to them + 0.5 cm for free entry. Pluses of vegetable boxes: availability and durability. Cons: poor ventilation. Homemade trays can be made from a metal mesh with a rod thickness of 1.5 mm and a cross section equal to the size of an egg. The finished frame is placed on an axis in which several holes are drilled for fastening. To prevent rust, the structure is recommended to be painted.
The axis is welded to the frame through a bearing, which is tightened with a clamp for strength. The mount for the gearbox is mounted to the left of the base. The first and last frames are connected by rods, the rest are hung between them every 15 cm. To make the fastening reliable, it is recommended to lock the nuts.
Trays are set in motion either by chain transmission or by means of a hairpin.
Which method to choose depends on the gearmotor used, but usually a chain drive is used in home-made devices.
On a piece of plastic in the lower part of the bed, switches are installed that stop the gearmotor when the trays are tilted at an angle of 45 °. More detailed diagrams and drawings can be found on thematic forums - this will help you understand the features of fastening and connecting nodes.
A conventional relay can be used instead of a control unit. It will have to be slightly modified: three wires are brought out, and the paths leading to the contacts are cut. The block is programmed to turn on every 2.5-3.5 hours. Two toggle switches are connected to the relay: without fixation and with fixation. The first is used to manually move the frames to a horizontal position, and the second is to transfer to automatic mode.
The power source of the flip mechanism is a pair of power supplies from a personal computer.
Depending on the size of the incubator and the number of trays, additional heating elements are installed on one or more frames. In a large space, this will provide additional control over temperature and humidity. A small fan is also attached to the frame, which will provide ventilation. Lack of ventilation can lead to the death of up to 50% of the brood, as favorable conditions are formed for the development of pathogenic bacteria.
Tilt swivel system
It is possible to automate the rotation of trays in a home incubator using the built-in electromechanical drive, which is triggered after a predetermined period of time. Usually the timer is set for 2.5 - 3 hours. The timing relay is responsible for accuracy. You can buy it, or you can make it from a mechanical or electronic watch.
The rotation mechanism to the incubator can be made from a clock with an electromechanical relay. There is usually a socket on the case where the consumer can be connected. Set time intervals on the dial. The motor will transmit torque through the gearbox.
The egg trays in the incubator turn along the guides, which are the walls of the chamber. The design can be improved by attaching to the axis a longer metal bar than the grate. The axis itself is inserted into the grooves cut on the sides of each tray.
In order for the grate to move, a working unit is assembled from a rod, a gearbox, a crank element and an engine. For this model, a motor from car wipers or a microwave oven is quite suitable. As a battery, you can use the power supply from the computer or connect the cord to connect to the outlet.
The device works like this: the electrical circuit is closed by a relay after a specified period of time.
The mechanism comes into action and turns the eggs in the tray until it touches the end position stops. The frame is fixed until the cycle is repeated.
Inclined tray for 50 eggs
The main detail is the aluminum base, with holes drilled in it for better air circulation. The maximum diameter is 1 cm. The sides are made of laminate. To the middle, a cut is made in increments of 5 cm, through which a twine mesh is intertwined to hold the eggs.
For smaller eggs, you can make a grid with a step of 2.5 or 3 cm. The DAN2N electric drive is used to rotate the axis. It is usually used for ventilation in pipes. The drive power is enough to slowly tilt the tray 45°. The position change is controlled by a timer that opens and closes the contacts every 2.5-3 hours.
Loading...