User Notes for Avey Incubators
This page contains some tips and observations from my own experience with the Rept-100 Avey Incubator. These comments are not necessarily endorsed by Avey incubator, and are strictly my own. Any modifications to Avey products are the sole responsibility of the owner, who must take responsibility for the effects of such modifications.
I am finding the Avey Rept-100 to be a very precise piece of equipment that responds to very small changes and adjustments. This is a positive thing in my opinion, because I like knowing exactly what my temps and humidity are, but the Avey units do require some getting used to in order to obtain excellent results. Like all incubators, Avey units have their own personality and will need to be adjusted according to the climate and conditions of each user. The notes below will help you through the learning curve. They are based mostly on my own experience using the Rept-100, but also reflect conversations I have had with designer Jim Avey as well as those with other users.
Ambient Conditions
Avey incubators function best in a relatively cool environment. Avey recommends an ambient temperature of 65-70 degrees F. Using the incubator in a warmer environment (75 degrees and up) will require venting some the excess heat generated by the electronics. This is accomplished by partially opening the vent in the outer lid, but doing so will affect the relative humidity of the incubator interior. This in turn affects the humidity inside the egg box. My comments are based on using the incubator in a controlled environment of 68 degrees with the top vent closed.
Setup and Modifications
I obtained my incubator as a show display model, so it was already assembled and ready to use. For those assembling a new unit, make sure to install the two air hoses completely in the openings in the bottom platform to ensure proper operation.
Once I plugged it in and allowed it to acclimate overnight, I found that the incubator held a very consistent temperature inside the egg box. When using any kind of incubator for chondro eggs, it is important to monitor the actual surface temperature of the eggs. This means that probes must be inserted into the incubator interior and into the egg box. I used the adjustable vent in the outer lid as the access point for my probes, holding the vent closed against the inserted probes with masking tape. The probes were then routed inside one end of the incubator, through the notch in the end of one of the clear inner lid halves, and into small holes I drilled in the egg box. I plan on finding a good place to drill small holes in the incubator cabinet for the insertion of the probes, which will allow the lid to be raised without interfering with probe placement. It may also be possible to insert probes into the bottom drain opening, provided it is plugged to prevent air exchange. I like to use two probes per egg box when incubating eggs.
I found that excess condensation formed on the lid of my egg box underneath the finger holes in the clear inner lid halves. I assume that this was caused by cooler air entering through the holes and contacting the egg box lid. I covered the finger holes in the incubator's clear inner lids with masking tape to solve this. I plan on obtaining some rubber stoppers to fit the holes. These can be easily removed and replaced as needed when opening the clear lids.
Other than probe installation and covering the finger holes, the only other modification I made was to set a small (6") bowl of water on the egg box shelf next to my egg box. This increased the relative humidity (RH) readout from 45% to about 68% once the system acclimated to this change. Avey indicates that a RH of about 60% is best, and warns that RH in excess of 80% may harm the electronics. This is interior humidity, not egg box humidity!
One thing I may consider doing on my units is sealing around the thin plastic plate that holds the outer lid vent, using white silicone. This will prevent air exchange and humidity loss if there is any warpage at the corners of this plate. I have not seen this on my incubator, but another user told me he did. Sealing the edges of the plate would be an easy, quick thing to do and would ensure that no problems arise.
Egg Boxes
Most users of the Avey incubators will be using either the "no substrate" incubation method, or vermiculite. The use of a properly functioning egg box is as important as the incubator when using these effective methods of egg incubation. Avey Incubator manufactures an egg box with four top adjustable vents, that fit in the Avey incubators like a glove.
I did find one more important change that needed to be made to the box, at least in the conditions of my setup. This was to replace the plastic tray that holds the egg cups above the water. I found that the tiny holes in the tray did not allow sufficient transfer of air and humidity to the upper part of the box. The underside of the divider was heavy with condensation, while the upper side (and the eggs) were not humid enough. I quickly and easily remedied this by replacing the tray with plastic egg crate, obtained from a do-it-yourself store. The improvement was immediate and effective. Avey is now fitting egg boxes with a new tray having larger holes. Hatching eggs should be set up in a hatch tub without standing water.
I drilled several 1/8" holes in the side of my boxes to admit probes. I also installed small knobs in the clear egg box tops to make it easier to lift them off.
Setting and Adjusting the Incubator Controls During Use
The Avey Rept-100 is a very accurate and precise incubator that responds to even small changes in setup and adjustment. The following comments are based on how the unit operates for me, in the winter in central Ohio, in a controlled environment of 68 degrees ambient temperature and approximately 45% ambient RH.
It is important to monitor the egg surface temps and adjust the incubator accordingly. It is not adequate (or even possible most of the time) to merely set the incubator to the desired temperature. The eggs and the incubator air will usually register slightly different temperatures.
Chondro eggs need high humidity to develop correctly, and the egg box should have near 100% saturation of the air. This will cause condensation to form on the lid in most setups. The amount will vary according to several variables, but regardless, it is important to avoid letting accumulated moisture drip onto your eggs. This can be accomplished by wiping the lid dry when the drops get too big, or by covering the eggs with a paper towel or piece of cardboard, or a sloping piece of acrylic. Do not attempt to bleed off excess condensation by opening the lid vents or you will risk lowering the air saturation in the egg box, causing egg desiccation. The lid vents are intended to be used in the final days of incubation when the eggs are emitting much moisture.
There is an adjustment period and a learning curve with any new equipment, and the more precise the equipment, the more it will need to be acclimated to each user's own conditions. The vermiculite method is more tolerant of humidity variables than is the no substrate method, and may be easier for some breeders, especially those with limited egg care experience.
I am currently working with Jim Avey to develop a User Manual for his reptile incubators. This will be a detailed guide with photographs, and hopefully will be available sometime in 2004.
