Many farmers are experimenting with DIY incubators. The Internet is literally replete with drawings and descriptions - from the simplest techniques to high-tech schemes. Today the topic will be somewhat highly specialized, concerning only one component of the incubator - the egg tray. DIY incubator trays can be made different ways, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider the most common and effective ways.

Why turn eggs in an incubator?

People of the older generation probably remember N. Nosov's kind and intelligent children's story about a family of chickens. So, observant young naturalists, having built an incubator with their own hands, tried to solve the problem of exactly how and how often the eggs should be turned (just like a brood hen does it).

Why turn over material placed in an incubator? There are several reasons for this:

1. When turning, the embryos are uniformly heated, since the heat source in the device is fixed motionless on only one side.
2. Uniform flow of eggs fresh air... This problem is relevant both when hatching chicks and when using a brood hen.
3. Periodic inversion prevents the embryo from adhering to the shell membrane. If this is neglected, the percentage of hatching of chicks is significantly reduced as the embryos die.

The process of formation and closure of the embryonic membrane can be monitored using an ovoscope. The complete closure of the allantois is evidenced by an increase in the air chamber at the blunt end. At the sharp end, the eggs turn dark.

Choosing a mechanism for turning eggs in an incubator:

• The minimum frequency of a coup is twice a day.
• For horizontal laying of the incubation material, a half-turn is made.
• Some farmers practice turns up to 6 times a day.

Turning eggs by hand is very difficult, especially if there are many of them. It is much more convenient to use a mechanical or automated inverter.

There are 2 types of mechanical inverters:

• Framework.
• Inclined.

Let's consider both mechanisms in more detail.

Framework

The principle of operation of the frame mechanism is based on the rolling of eggs by a frame, they scroll around an axis.

Important! This mechanism is effective only for horizontal laying of the incubation material. The frame can simply move or rotate around an axis.

Pros of frame rotation:

• Low energy consumption. In the event of a power outage, you can use backup source energy.
• Functionality, ease of maintenance of the mechanism.
• Compactness, small size.

Cons of the frame mechanism:

• For effective work mechanism, the shell must be perfectly clean. Even slight contamination will impair the turning efficiency.
• The relationship between turning efficiency and egg size - this problem is completely eliminated in the device with rotating frames.
• Risk of damaging eggs when turning - this is due to improperly adjusted equipment.

Inclined

The tilt mechanism works like a swing. It is used for vertical loading vehicles.

Advantages:

• Guaranteed rotation of eggs at a given degree, regardless of diameter. This is a versatile technique that works for all types of poultry.
• Safety, the risk of damage to the incubation material is small, since the amplitude of movement of the eggs is small, the eggs do not touch each other so much.

• Complexity of service.
• Relatively high cost.
• The technique is large.

Important! The choice of a specific model of an incubator, in addition to the overturning mechanism, depends on many other factors: energy consumption, size, capacity of trays, cost of the device, as well as individual preferences of the poultry farmer.

Specificity of the setter tray

The frame flip mechanism is quite convenient and inexpensive at the same time. When choosing trays with a frame mechanism, consider the following:

• Loading volume. This is the most important indicator... It is necessary to choose one or another characteristic based on the number of poultry houses. If you are not going to increase the population, then buying equipment with a significant stock is pointless.
• The cheapest models are made in the form of thin frames. At the same time, their reliability is minimal. The frames are easily bent, which can damage the mechanism.

Important! The best option is models in which the cells are completely isolated and the sides are made high.

• The size of the cell should correspond to the diameter of the egg. For example, quail eggs should not be placed in the turkey egg compartment. The effectiveness of the mechanism depends on this.

Important! If you want to purchase a universal device that is suitable for different types of eggs, then your option is a device with removable partitions in trays. Eggs of different sizes can be laid in such an incubator at the same time.

DIY incubator tray with frame swivel mechanism

For self-made automated swivel mechanism you need to extract from the backyard of memory knowledge of mechanics and electrical engineering. The choice of electric motors is quite large, so it is not difficult to choose materials. In this case, it is important to observe the following principles:

• Converting the circular motion of the rotor part of the electric motor into a reciprocating movement of the frame in the horizontal plane. This can be achieved by the connecting rod mechanism, when the rod, fixed at one of the points of the circle, converts one type of movement into another.
• Since the rotor of the electric motor makes big number revolutions, to convert frequent rotations into rare movements, a system of gears with different gear ratios is used. In this case, the turning time of the last gear should correspond to the frequency of turning the eggs (4 hours).
• The amount of back-and-forth movement of the frame in one direction is equal to the full diameter of the egg.

A do-it-yourself rotary tray for an incubator with an electric drive is troublesome, but necessary. So, the principle of operation automated system that is.

For self-hatching of chickens, you can purchase industrial device for incubation. But it is also possible to assemble an incubator with your own hands at home. Homemade apparatus will cost significantly less and you can choose its size for the number of eggs. In such a device, you can automate the change in temperature 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

The body is the main element of a home incubator. It retains heat inside itself and prevents sudden changes in egg temperature. Temperature changes can negatively affect the health of future chicks. The following materials are suitable as a housing for an incubator:

• Styrofoam;
• the body of the old refrigerator.

To place eggs, plastic or wood trays with a mesh or rack bottom are used. Automatic trays equipped with motors can independently turn eggs, at a time set by a timer. Offsetting the eggs to the side prevents uneven heating of their surface.

With incandescent lamps, v home incubator the temperature necessary for the development of pups is created. The choice of lamp power is influenced by the size of the incubator body; it can vary between 25-1000 W. Tue A thermometer or electronic-type thermostat with a sensor helps to monitor the temperature level in the device.

The air in the incubator must be constantly circulated, which is ensured by forced or natural ventilation... For small devices, the holes at the base and on the surface of the lid will suffice. Large structures made from refrigerator enclosures require special fans located at the top and bottom. Ventilation will allow the air to not stagnate, and the heat will 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. Diameter ventilation holes can be 12-20 mm.

Before placing eggs in the incubator, check that the fans are working and that the unit warms up evenly. After optimal warming up, the temperature in the corners of the apparatus should not differ by more than 0.5 degrees. The airflow from the fans should be directed towards the lamps and not towards the egg trays themselves.

DIY Styrofoam Incubator

The advantages of expanded polystyrene are its affordable price, high-quality thermal insulation, low weight. Because of this, it is often used for the manufacture of incubators. To work, you need the following components:

Assembly stages

Before making an incubator at home, it is necessary to prepare drawings with accurate measurements. The assembly includes the following steps:

1. To prepare the side walls, the foam sheet must be divided into four equal squares.
2. The surface of the second sheet is split in half. One of the parts obtained must be cut into rectangles with parameters 50x40 cm and 50 * 60 cm. The smaller part will be the bottom of the incubator, and the larger one will be the lid.
3. A viewing window with parameters 13x13 cm is cut out on the lid. It will be covered with transparent plastic or glass and will provide ventilation in the device.
4. First, the frame from the side walls is assembled and glued. After the glue dries, the bottom is attached. To do this, you need to spread the edges of the sheet with glue and insert it into the frame.
5. To increase the rigidity of the structure, it must be pasted over with tape. The first strips of tape are applied to the bottom with a slight approach to the surface of the walls. Then the walls are tightly pasted over.
6. An even distribution of heat and circulation of air masses is ensured by means of two bars located under the bottom of the tray. They are also made of polystyrene, with a height of 6 cm and a width of 4 cm.The bars are glued along the bottom walls, with a length of 50 cm.
7. 1 cm above the bottom, on short walls, 3 holes are made for ventilation, at equal intervals and with 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.
8. For a snug fit of the lid to the body, along its edge you need to attach bars of expanded polystyrene, with parameters 2x2 cm.A gap of 5 cm should remain from the edge of the sheet to the surface of the bar.This arrangement will allow the lid to go into interior incubator and dock tightly with the walls.
9. In the upper part of the box there is a grid with lamp holders fixed on it.
10. A thermostat is mounted on the surface of the lid, and its sensor is lowered into the incubator, at a distance of up to 1 cm from the eggs. The sensor hole can be pierced with a sharp awl.
11. 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.
12. Fans are not necessary if the incubator is small. If installed, the air flow must be directed towards the lamps and not towards the egg tray.

For better heat retention, you can paste over inner surface incubator with thermal insulation foil.

DIY incubator from the refrigerator case

The principle of operation of the incubator is 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, accommodates a large number of eggs, trays with which you can conveniently arrange on the shelves.

The required humidity level 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 from it and freezer.

To make a DIY egg incubator 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

Breeding period for chicks usually lasts about 20 days. The humidity inside the incubator at this time should be kept within 40-60%. After the chicks come out of the eggs, it should be increased to 80%. At the stage of selection of young animals, the moisture content is lowered to the initial value.

For correct development eggs are also important temperature regime... Temperature requirements may differ for certain types of eggs. Table 1 shows the prerequisites.

Table 1. Temperature conditions for different kind eggs.

Ventilation system installation

Ventilation controls 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 from the bottom and from the top, with a diameter of 30 mm. They are filled with metal or plastic tubes of the appropriate size. The use of tubes avoids the interaction of air with glass wool located under the wall cladding. The ventilation level is regulated by full or partial closing of the openings.

Six days after the start of incubation, the embryos need air from the outside. By the third week, the egg absorbs up to 2 liters of air per day. Before leaving the egg, the chicken consumes about 8 liters of air.

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.

Ventilation of any kind does not obviate the need to install an egg turning device. Usage automatic coup allows you to avoid sticking of the embryo and shell.

Constant ventilation system , is placed in the interior of the incubator and expels air through the holes. At the outlet, the air flows mix and pass through the heaters. Then the air masses descend and are saturated with moisture from the containers with water. The incubator increases the air temperature, which is then transferred to the eggs. Having given off heat, the air tends to the fan.

Constant ventilation is more complex than variable ventilation. But her job allows simultaneously ventilate, heat and humidify inside the incubator.

The 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 starts up.

The number of eggs in the incubator determines the fan power. For a medium machine for 100-200 eggs, a fan with the following characteristics is required:

• the diameter of the blades is 10-45 cm;
• powered by 220 W;
• with a productivity of 35-200 cubic meters. m / hour.

A filter must be provided for the fan to protect the blades from dust, lint and dirt.

Installation of heating elements

To increase 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 ​​the refrigerator, between the bottom and the lid. In the lower part, there should be a place for a container with water, which will provide air humidification.

Selection of a thermostat

A high-quality thermostat is able to provide an optimal temperature regime in the incubator. There are several types of such devices:

• bimetallic plate that closes the circuit when heating has reached desired value;
• electrical contactor - mercury thermometer equipped with an electrode that turns off the heating when reaching required temperature;
• a barometric sensor that closes the circuit when the pressure exceeds the norm.

The automatic type thermostat ensures the convenience of working with the incubator and significantly saves time on its maintenance.

Collecting mechanism for automatic turning of eggs

The standard egg-turning frequency for mechanisms is twice a day. According to some experts, turning should be done twice as often.

There are two types of egg flipping:

• inclined;
• frame.

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 to flip, pushes eggs with the help of a frame and ensures their rotation around its axis.

Automatic device for turning eggs is a motor that starts the rod, acting on the trays of eggs. It is quite simple to make an elementary mechanism for turning eggs in a refrigerator case. To do this, you need to install a reducer in the lower, inner part of the refrigerator. The trays are fixed on wooden frame, with the ability to tilt at an angle of 60 degrees towards the door and towards the wall. The gearbox must be firmly fixed. The stem is attached at one end to the motor and at the other to the opposite side of the chute. The motor drives a rod that tilts the chute.

To synchronize chick hatching you need to select eggs of the same size and maintain a uniform level of heating throughout the incubator space. Manufacturing 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, a mechanism for turning eggs, trays, 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 layers. 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 well both in industrial and home-made devices.

In order for the embryos to develop and warm up evenly, the eggs must be turned over every 2-4 hours. In small incubators, it is very often used manual way overturn, and in machines designed for 50 or more eggs, it is optimal to use automatic system coup. It is divided into two types: frame and inclined.

Each type of tray has its own pros and cons. The frame pivot consumes less energy and the pivot mechanism is very easy to operate. Another advantage: it can be used in small incubators. The disadvantages include the effect of the shear step on the turning radius of the egg. At low limits, the eggs can beat against each other. Eggs can also suffer with sharp movements of the frames.

The inclined tray provides a guaranteed rotation at a given angle, regardless of the size of the eggs.

The horizontal movement of the trays along the guides reduces the level of egg damage by 75-85%. The disadvantages include more complex maintenance and higher energy consumption. The design is heavier, which is not always convenient for use in small incubators.

Frame turning system

The incubator tray is suitable for those who use lightweight styrofoam or plywood models. To make an apparatus for 200 eggs, you will need:

• Gearmotor,
• Galvanized profile,
• Fruit or vegetable boxes,
• Corner made of steel and rods,
• Clamps with bearings,
• Sprocket with chain
• Fastening 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 flipping device is assembled from a pair of axles to which the first and last tray are attached. The rest are hung on the rods themselves. From the cutoffs of the corner, a platform for landing bearings is made, which is welded on both sides on the axis.

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 for them + 0.5 cm for free entry. pros vegetable boxes: availability and durability. Cons: poor airflow. Homemade trays can be made from metal mesh with a rod thickness of 1.5 mm, and a section equal to the size of an egg. The finished frame is placed on an axle, in which several holes are drilled for fastening. It is recommended to paint the structure to prevent the appearance of rust.

The axle is welded to the frame through a bearing, which is tightened with a clamp for strength. The mount for the gearbox is mounted on the left to the base. The first and the last frame are connected by rods, the rest are hung between them every 15 cm. To secure the fastening, it is recommended to lock the nuts.

The trays are driven either by a chain drive or by means of a pin.

Which method to choose depends on the gear motor used, but usually in homemade devices use a chain transmission.

On a cut of plastic in the lower part of the bed, switches are installed that stop the gear motor 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 together with a control unit. It will have to be slightly modified: three wires are brought out, and the tracks 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: momentary and latching. The first is used to manually transfer the frames to a horizontal position, and the second - to transfer to automatic mode.

The power source for the overturn 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 installed on one or more frames. In a large space, this will provide additional control for temperature and humidity. A small fan is also attached to the bed, which will provide ventilation. Lack of ventilation can lead to the death of up to 50% of the brood, since favorable conditions 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 specified period of time. Usually the timer is set for 2.5 - 3 hours. The time relay is responsible for the accuracy. You can buy it, or you can make it from a mechanical or electronic watch.

The mechanism of rotation to the incubator can be made from a clock with an electromechanical relay. There is usually a socket on the case where you can connect a consumer. Arrange time intervals on the dial. The motor will transmit torque through the gearbox.

The egg trays in the incubator rotate along the guides, which are the walls of the chamber. The design can be improved by attaching a metal strip that is longer than the lattice to the axis. The axis itself is inserted into the grooves cut on the sides of each tray.

In order for the lattice 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 microwave oven... As a battery, you can use a power supply from a computer or connect a cord to connect to an outlet.

The device works as follows: the electrical circuit is closed using a relay after a specified period of time.

The mechanism comes into action and turns the eggs in the tray until they come into contact with the end position stops. The frame is fixed before repeating the working cycle.

Inclined tray for 50 eggs

The main part is an aluminum base with drilled holes for better air circulation. The maximum diameter is 1 cm. The sides are made of laminate. To the middle, a cut is made with a step of 5 cm, through which a net of twine 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 is powerful enough to tilt the tray slowly by 45 °. The position change is controlled by a timer that opens and closes the contacts every 2.5-3 hours.

Content:

The desire to receive more and give less is human. But it sometimes leads to the miser pays twice. This postulate can be applied to incubators as well. 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. And the cheap one can last one season, and even spoil the hatching eggs. So it turns out that savings do 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, which is very important for the poultry farmer. This is a homemade incubator. On sale there is complete sets for collection, and also sold separately the automation necessary for their improvement.

Requirements for homemade incubators

Before assembling an incubator, you need to know technical conditions that he must provide.

• During incubation chicken eggs the number of continuous days of its work is 21 days.
• Eggs are laid out in the incubator at least 10 mm apart
• The incubator temperature changes depending on the stage of development of the embryo in the egg.
• In automatic mode, the eggs are turned once every hour.
• Optimal humidity and ventilation are maintained. Air speed 5 m / s.

Ready-made kits

To facilitate the work and increase the reliability of the future design, it makes sense to purchase ready-made kit automation in a homemade incubator. For example, such as in the picture below.

It includes:

• Thermostat providing automatic visual control of temperature and humidity.
• Sensors that scan the temperature and humidity conditions inside the incubator.
• Transformer 220/12 V.
• Multi-purpose tray with automatic rotation. Either quail or chicken eggs can be placed in it.

The price of this kit is 5,000 rubles. But on the other hand, you can be sure that the incubation process is proceeding correctly. The temperature and humidity correspond to the specified parameters, and the eggs turn on time.

If you are only interested in automatic rotation eggs, you can purchase a simpler kit.

This photo shows dimensions devices. They will tell you how to place it in your future incubator.

This kit consists of the following:

• Reversible motor - 14 W, 2.5 rpm;
• Sprockets - 1 meter;
• Limit switches - 2 pcs;
• Mounting bracket;
• Connecting wires.

The kit is sold already assembled and configured. It just needs to be connected to the control thermostat. Price - 3990 rubles.

Connecting this device in a homemade incubator looks like it is shown in the diagram.

But the motorized trays must be in some kind of enclosure. And it matters for the incubator. After all, inside it, thermoregulation of air exchange is carried out for the incubation of eggs. Therefore, the insulating qualities of the material from which the incubator will be made are very important.

A great option for a case is old refrigerator... Its body also has the properties of a thermostat, and the doors close conveniently and securely.

Conversion of the refrigerator into an incubator

Before you start assembling the incubator from the old refrigerator, you need to get rid of unnecessary parts in it and remove the freezer.

To ensure proper air exchange, you need to establish a ventilation system.

Ventilation and humidity

To ensure ventilation, two holes with a diameter of 30 mm are made in the refrigerator case. One is below, the other is above. Tubes are inserted into these holes. By completely or partially covering these openings, you will regulate the air exchange inside the device.

Install the fan on the rubber cushions below. You can use a computer fan. Place a cuvette of water nearby. With the help of the vapors of this water, it will be possible to regulate the humidity in the future incubator. Fasten the heating elements. These can be ordinary incandescent lamps or heating elements.

Air exchange in this case is as follows.

• Below the air heats up.
• Moistened with water vapor from a cuvette.
• The fan drives the air flow upward.
• Part of the heat is given off to the hatching eggs;
• Part of the air is cooled and blown out.
• After cooling, part of the air goes down, while the other enters from the outside through the lower hole.

Heating system

The simplest option heating - these are incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W. 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 be 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 egg cells are installed;
• power unit;
• low-speed engine, eliminating sudden jerks when starting to move.

These are very handy trays. Their rotation is carried out by a built-in motor, which can be simply connected to the supplied power supply. The full cycle (90 degrees) of rotation of 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 available material. The main thing is to install them without skewing in the body of a homemade incubator. Fix the pivot shafts for trays with brass bushings or use special bearing supports.

A chain drive can be used as a mechanism for turning the trays. Its connection diagram is shown in the figure above, and how it will look in established form in the photo below.

Conclusion

It is worth making an incubator yourself only if you have the skills of plumbing and are “friends” with electrical engineering. Then you will be able to significantly reduce your expenses for the purchase of this product. It won't work at all for free, but you can purchase and install better and more reliable components.

All component parts of this device can be easily purchased. It was written about it above. To control the entire mechanism, you will need to purchase a thermostat. Then apply your skills to plumbing.

As you can see, this type of equipment for the coup is more troublesome than purchasing a mechanized tray. And the price gain is not so obvious.

All experienced poultry farmers are well aware that one of the main conditions for the successful incubation of eggs, in addition to the correct temperature and humidity, is their periodic turning.

Moreover, this must be done according to a strictly defined technology. All existing incubators are divided into three groups - automatic, mechanical and manual, with the last two varieties suggesting that the process of turning eggs will be carried out not by a machine, but by a person.

A timer will help to simplify this task, which, having a certain amount of time and experience, can be made with your own hands. Several methods of making such a device are described below.

What is it needed for

The egg turnover timer in an incubator is a device that opens and closes an electrical circuit after the same period of time, that is, in simple terms, a primitive relay. Our task is to turn off and then turn on again the main units of the incubator, thus automating the system as much as possible and minimizing possible mistakes caused by human factors.

The timer, in addition to the implementation of the overturn of eggs, also provides the implementation of the following functions:

• temperature control;
• provision of forced air exchange;
• start and stop lighting.

The microcircuit on the basis of which such a device is made must meet two main conditions: low current switching with a high resistance of the key element itself.

The best option in this case, the technology of constructing electronic circuits CMOS, which has both n- and p-channel field-effect transistors, which provides a higher switching speed and, moreover, is energy-saving.

The easiest way is to use the K176IE5 or KR512PS10 timing microcircuits sold in any electronics store at home. On their basis, the timer will work for a long time and, what is especially important, without interruption.
The principle of operation of the device, based on the K176IE5 microcircuit, involves the sequential execution of six actions:

1. The system starts up (short circuit).
2. Pause.
3. An impulse voltage is applied to the LED (thirty-two cycles).
4. The resistor turns off.
5. The node is charged.
6. The system is turned off (open circuit).

Important! If necessary, the response time can be extended to 48–72 hours, but this would require upgrading the circuit with higher power transistors.

Timer, made on the KR512PS10 microcircuit, in general, is also quite simple, but there are additional functionality due to the initial presence in the circuit of inputs with a variable division ratio. Thus, to ensure the operation of the timer (the exact time of the response delay), you need to correctly select R1, C1 and set the right amount jumpers.
Three options are possible here:

• 0.1 seconds – 1 minute;
• 1 minute – 1 hour;
• 1 hour – 24 hours.

If the K176IE5 microcircuit assumes the only possible cycle of actions, then on the KR512PS10 the timer operates in two different modes: variable or constant.

In the first case, the system is turned on and off automatically, at regular intervals (the mode is configured using the S1 jumper), in the second, the system is turned on with a programmed delay once and then works until it is forced off.

To implement a creative task, in addition to the timing microcircuits themselves, we need the following materials:

• resistors of various powers;
• several additional LEDs (3-4 pieces);
• tin and rosin.

The set of tools is quite standard:

• a sharp knife with a narrow blade (to short-circuit the resistors);
• good soldering iron for microcircuits (with a thin tip);
• stopwatch or watch with a second hand;
• pliers;
• tester screwdriver with voltage indicator.

Homemade incubator timer with your own hands on the K176IE5 microcircuit

Majority electronic devices, such as the considered incubator timer, have been known since Soviet times. An example of the implementation of a two-interval timer for incubating eggs with detailed instructions was published in the magazine "Radio", popular among radio amateurs (No. 1, 1988). But, as you know, everything new is well forgotten old.

If you are lucky enough to find a ready-made radio designer based on the K176IE5 microcircuit with an already etched printed circuit board, then assembling and setting up the finished device will turn out to be a simple formality (the ability to hold a soldering iron in your hands, of course, is highly desirable).

Let's consider the stage of setting time intervals in more detail. The two-interval timer in question provides an alternation of the “work” mode (the control relay is on, the mechanism for turning the incubator tray is working) with the “pause” mode (the control relay is off, the mechanism for turning the incubator tray is stopped).

The "work" mode is short-term and lasts within 30-60 seconds (the time required to rotate the tray at a certain angle depends on the type of specific incubator).

Important! At the stage of assembling the device, you should strictly follow the instructions, do not overheat in the soldering points of electronic semiconductor components (mainly the main microcircuit and transistors).

The "pause" mode is long and can last up to 5, 6 hours (depends on the size of the eggs and the heating capacity of the incubator.)

For ease of adjustment, the circuit has an LED that will flash at a certain frequency during the time intervals setting. The power of the LED is matched to the circuit using a resistor R6.

The duration of these modes is adjusted by timing resistors R3 and R4. It should be noted that the duration of the "pause" mode depends on the value of both resistors, while the duration of the operating mode is set exclusively by the resistance R3.
For fine tuning, it is recommended to use 3–5 kΩ variable resistors for R3 and 500–1500 kΩ for R4 as R3 and R4, respectively.

Important! The lower the resistance of the timing resistors, the faster the LED will flash and the shorter the cycle time will be.

Adjustment of the "work" mode:

• short-circuit the resistor R4 (reduce the resistance of R4 to zero);
• turn on the device;
• resistor R3 to adjust the LED blinking frequency. The duration of the "work" mode will correspond to thirty-two flashes.

Pause mode adjustment:

• use the resistor R4 (increase the resistance R4 to the nominal);
• turn on the device;
• measure the time between adjacent flashes of the LED using a stopwatch.

  The duration of the pause mode will be equal to the received time multiplied by 32.

For example, in order to set the duration of the "pause" mode to 4 hours, the time between flashes should be 7 minutes 30 seconds. After completing the setting of the modes (determining the required characteristics of the time-setting resistors), R3 and R4 can be replaced with fixed resistors of the corresponding ratings, and the LED can be turned off. This will increase the reliability of the timer and significantly extend its service life.

Instructions: how to make an incubator timer on a KR512PS10 microcircuit with your own hands

The KR512PS10 microcircuit made on the basis of the CMOS technical process is used in a wide variety of electronic timer devices with a variable division factor of the time cycle.

These devices can provide both a single turn-on (turning on the operating mode after a certain pause and holding it until it is forced to turn off), and cyclic turning on - turning off according to a given program.

Did you know? The chick in the egg breathes atmospheric air, which penetrates the shell through the smallest pores in it. By letting in oxygen, the shell simultaneously removes carbon dioxide exhaled by the chick from the egg, as well as excess moisture.

Creating a timer for an incubator based on one of these devices will not be difficult. Moreover, you don't even have to pick up a soldering iron, since the range of commercially produced boards based on KR512PS10 is extremely wide, their functionality is diverse, and the ability to adjust time intervals covers the range from tenths of a second to 24 hours.
Ready-made boards are equipped with the necessary automation, which provides quick and accurate adjustment of the "work" and "pause" modes. Thus, the manufacture of a timer for an incubator on a KR512PS10 microcircuit is reduced to the right choice boards for the specific characteristics of a particular incubator.

If you still need to change the operating time, then you can do this by short-circuiting the resistor R1.

For those who love and know how to solder, and also want to assemble such a device with their own hands, we will give one of possible schemes with a list of electronic components and tracing of the printed circuit board.
The described timers are applicable to control the inversion of the tray in operation with household incubators with periodic switching on of heating elements. In fact, they make it possible to synchronize the movement of the tray with turning on and off the heater with a cyclic repetition of the entire process.

Other options

In addition to the considered options for basic microcircuits, there are many electronic components on which you can build a reliable and durable device - a timer.

Among them are:

• MC14536BCP;
• CD4536B (with modifications CD43 ***, CD41 ***);
• NE555, etc.

Some of these microcircuits have now been discontinued and replaced by modern counterparts (the industry for the production of electronic components does not stand still).

All of them differ in secondary parameters, an extended range of supply voltages, thermal characteristics, etc., but at the same time they perform all the same tasks: turning on / off a controlled electrical circuit according to a given program.

The principle of setting the working intervals of the assembled board is the same:

• find and short-circuit the "pause" mode resistor;
• set the desired flashing frequency of the diode with the resistor of the "work" mode;
• unlock the pause resistor and measure exact time work;
• set divider parameters;
• place the board in a protective case.

When making a tray flip timer, you need to understand that this is primarily a timer - a universal device, the scope of which is not limited solely to the task of flipping the tray in an incubator.

Subsequently, having gained some experience, you will be able to equip heating elements, lighting and ventilation systems with similar devices, and in the future, after some modernization, use it as a basis for the automatic supply of feed and water to chickens.

Did you know? Many people believe that the yolk in the egg is the embryo of the future chick, and the protein is the nutrient medium necessary for its development. However, in reality this is not the case. The chick begins to develop from the embryonic disc, which looks like a small speck in the fertilized egg. light color in the yolk. The chick feeds mainly on the yolk, while the protein is a source of water for the embryo and useful minerals necessary for normal development.

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