# Mobile cell incubator kit?



## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Does anyone have any experience with this unit in a mobile cell incubator?

http://incubatorwarehouse.com/48-watt-incukit-dc.html

I saw this and it caught my eye for building a small portable incubator for cells. Their video states it is preset for poultry (99.5F), but programmable for honey bees. Just thought it does not get much more simple than this...


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

No experience with it, but if I were in the market for one, this device looks like the one I'd grab. Lots of features, coupled with low voltage, and the option to plug into 12v dc. Can't get much better than that. I may get one to make a home incubator.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Co-worker is working on something that may fit this need in a very good way. I'll keep everyone updated. It won't be super cheap, but it will have total humidity and temperature control to a tenth of a degree.


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

That looks like a nice product, I'm thinking of making an incubator.


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## Allen Martens (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks for posting this. I have been meaning to make one using an Arduino but this is much simpler and cheaper.

Reviews seem favorable.


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## NY_BLUES (May 14, 2009)

No expierence with it, but I have a reptipro 6000 that has an option for 12v dc with a car 12v power cord. I believe that I paid around 200 for it 2 years ago. Works well at home and the car, but no auto humidity control, that takes some playing with to get the right level. Any incubator, home made or commercially available is worth a lot more with a 12v dc power capability, imo.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Never use this before.
Any idea how big a bee incubator you can build with this unit?
I mean how mini is this mini kit you can go?


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Yes, I really like the 12V option! Beepro, I am not sure how small the incubator can be. A small cooler should work great. I think it said the unit was 48 watts. I have built small chicken egg incubators for schools and such and generally use two 40 watt bulbs. I like two bulbs, just in case one burns out... It said it is a proportional thermostat, so I am thinking a small cooler would be just about right. As far as how big, that would depend on the insulation value of the incubator and the outside temperature. It said to test your incubator size by placing a 40 watt bulb in it to see if it heats the space enough. They also sell larger units.


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## sjvbee (Dec 27, 2006)

I'm using a 12 volt incubator from GQF mfg. Plugs to 110 or you can use the car adaptor does a nice job


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

JSL said:


> It said it is a proportional thermostat, so I am thinking a small cooler would be just about right.


Joe,

Perhaps you know this, but the proportional thermostat means that the commanded output is a function of the difference between the actual temperature and the setpoint temp, i.e., error. The larger this "error" the more energy is added, of course within limits of your heater device. This is different than most thermostats that operate in a on/off mode. The advantage of a proportional (P) control over on/off is that there's less overshoot of your setpoint, and in this case they claim 0.2 F, which is better than most on/off incubator controllers. Of course there's even more sophisticated logic that can be implemented than P control (PD, PID are examples), but 0.2F is certainly sufficient for queen cells. However, I strongly suspect that the actual setpoint performance will be heavily influenced by the components you chose for your system, but all else equal still better than on/off control.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Most of the incubators are low wattage you can easily run them with the plug in inverter. Something like this. http://www.batteryjunction.com/wa75wasmin21.html?gclid=COy4ofzDycQCFUpp7AodrXIAZA


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## stevethebeeman (Mar 27, 2013)

my incubator nothing fancy they know best


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

JSL said:


> ... A small cooler should work great. ...


I wouldn't use a vibrating cooler/ventilator in a small incubator. 
Are you building a rotating mass shaker for bee larvae?


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks Astro and Johng!

Steve, I use a lot of banks too, but sometimes cells need to go a little distance from home. A portable incubator just seems a little more simple than picking up a bank. There is that little peace of mind seeing the temp and knowing the cells are sitting beside me rather than on the back of the truck.

sjj, I am not sure what you mean. Normally cells are moved just before emergence, during the final moments of the pupal stage. Commercially cells are placed in an incubator shortly after they are sealed but they are more delicate during this time frame and tend not to be moved very far.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

http://s470.photobucket.com/user/jimlyon/media/2013 Texas/1364696614_zps8507567e.jpg.html
My trusty back seat companion. A foam lined hive body heated with the guts of a cheap incubator mounted on a metal lined drip pan. Works really well and can hold over 500 cells.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

I have a incubator made with the 12v system. Doesnt get much use but for long trips it works alright. A few bottles of hot water in a cooler work just as well.


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Nice setup Jim and it holds plenty of cells!

RAK, I use water bottles and a cooler too. Perhaps that is still the simplest way to go, but the little incubator unit looked interesting.


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