Pre-Season Checks for your Incubator

If you’ve recently taken your incubator out of storage, whether from last season or from a few weeks ago, there are a few important preseason checks you need to perform before setting eggs. We recommend rereading your user manual and getting reacquainted with the different parts of the incubator. If you have hatched recently this may not be necessary, but you’d be surprised what can be forgotten in one season! Feel free to contact Brinsea, the Incubation Specialists by phone at (888) 667-7009 or on Facebook or Instagram for more information.

Even if you cleaned your incubator before storing it, it is important to thoroughly clean your incubator again after pulling it out of storage. Bacteria can always find a way to grow, especially in moist areas. Incubators are warm and wet, and if they are not properly cleaned after hatching they can become a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty things.

Keep electrical parts from getting wet, but soak all other plastic pieces in a disinfectant solution that is alcohol-free. After soaking for an hour you can scrub them clean, and use a soft brush to clean the electrical parts. If any plugs or wires come loose during cleaning make sure to plug them all the way back in.

At this point, you can leave the parts separate to dry completely. Replace any tubing if necessary as well as evaporating papers or blocks. If dirty, these can easily harbor bacteria and they may not evaporate water as intended.

If you stored your incubator in a garage, shed, or a barn, it may have attracted vermin. Cables and electrical wires should be checked carefully for damage. If any damage is detected, please contact us to get information on how to replace the wire or send your incubator back for repairs.

If your incubator has a glass thermometer (TLC-30 Eco, Mini II Eco, and Maxi II Eco), you should check for air bubbles or splits in the liquid. This will cause an inaccurate temperature reading. We can help with tips on how to repair the thermometer, or you can purchase another one from our website.

If any other spare parts are damaged or missing, you can find replacements for most parts in our Spare Parts section of the site. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please give us a call. We carry a lot of parts in stock that aren’t listed on the website. We also still carry parts for some incubators that we no longer sell, so even if you have an older incubator you can still check to see if we stock parts.

When you plug your incubator in, monitor the temperature and humidity (if EX) for at least an hour. We recommend waiting 24 hours before setting eggs, but at least one hour of stable is necessary. Humidity may take longer to stabilize. If water does not flow through the pump check that the tubing hasn’t become stuck together. You can roll the tubing through your fingers to loosen it up if necessary.

Check that all of the settings are ideal for the eggs you are hatching, including turning. Observe that the turner is working, which you can do by waiting for it to turn, or by pressing the ‘OK’ and minus buttons at the same time to force a turn.

If you notice anything strange about your incubator or if you aren’t sure that the temperature or humidity is accurate, give us a call! Our service department can help troubleshoot any issues you may be having, and you can always send your unit in to be calibrated if necessary. You can reach us by phone at (888) 667-7009, or on Facebook or Instagram. Happy hatching!