# incubator and working fridge?



## phoenixcookieball (Nov 17, 2010)

could you use a perfectly working fridge as an incubator when you want
and still use it as a fridge the rest of the time?
is this dangerous or would it be dangerous with the gas in the fridge and heating it up?

has anyone done this and how have they got on?

another one of my questionable thoughts lol

thanks
reece


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## tonkaz0 (Apr 25, 2008)

phoenixcookieball said:


> another one of my questionable thoughts lol


 

I think you answered your question yourself in that statement! :whistling2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

my huskey fridge i use for an incubator and its still got all the fridge gubbins in that are in full working order.
it hasnt exploded yet, is it supposed to? it only goes up to 26 degrees c


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## lee anderson (Oct 13, 2009)

a fridge does not put gases into it it sucks out the hot air hence why it has suction when you go to open the door so it shouldn't be a problem i yours a small fridge and it worked very well just don't tern it on or it will suck the air out


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## phoenixcookieball (Nov 17, 2010)

im buying a small larder fridge roughly 240 litre for ball pythons,
its got to be between 31-32c 88-90f 
ive been told fridges have gas in them? this is why the tanks
have to be specially removed.
also how would you go about making it into an incubator without damaging the cooling parts as obviously cables are going to have to be threaded inside.

thanks


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## reptiles-ink (Nov 4, 2006)

A fridge DOESN'T suck air out.
All it does is the pipes inside the fridge get cold making the inside of the fridge cold as a result.
Yes you can use it as an incubator without removing the cooling part.
The main problem is putting holes in it to pass the wires through for the thermostat probe and heater but sealing them properly so that it can later be used as a fridge again.


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## tonkaz0 (Apr 25, 2008)

phoenixcookieball said:


> im buying a small larder fridge roughly 240 litre for ball pythons,
> its got to be between 31-32c 88-90f
> ive been told fridges have gas in them? this is why the tanks
> have to be specially removed.
> ...


 
Yep they are gased up but you can safely remove the workings in the back and draw out the pipes that carry the gas! but do not bend or puncture them!
but you cant just put it in the bin you must take all the bits you take out to the council dump and put it with the other freezers and fridges that are there! because of the gas inside, 
you are going to have to make holes somewhere in it for the heater/heat mat and a probe off the the stat! so how were you going to get around that?
wouldnt it be just as well to go to the tip and gut out a small fridge there and give them a few quid for it? that be better than mucking up a good fridge!.


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## dave jenks (Dec 28, 2009)

check out any local pubs thrown there display half fridges out make ideal incs and glass front to see wots goin on


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## oakelm (Jan 14, 2009)

I have a perfectly working husky wine fridge being used as a gecko incubator currently. I have brought all the cables out the door as the seal has a certain amount of give to it. So if needed I can simply take out the mats and probe and have a fridge again. Not that I have but as I haven't damaged it in anyway I can if I want too. Just don't drill any holes.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i`ve lets mine intact like oakelm,
i`ve just taken the bung out that fills the gaps around where the wires go through from the back, and shoved my probe and heatmat cable through there.

it can be back to being a fridge in no time, i didnt want to strip it inacse i needed it in the future for hibernating torts or something..........


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## phoenixcookieball (Nov 17, 2010)

but even if you did drill holes in the side or wherever and filled them it wouldnt really effect the fridges operation would it?

only thing i was worried about is that because its goingt to have high temperatures inside that the compressed gas might explode?


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## oakelm (Jan 14, 2009)

phoenixcookieball said:


> but even if you did drill holes in the side or wherever and filled them it wouldnt really effect the fridges operation would it?
> 
> only thing i was worried about is that because its goingt to have high temperatures inside that the compressed gas might explode?


I guess it would depend where the hole was made, if it was in the door I doubt it would be an issue but personally wouldn't risk damaging the main unit.

As for the high temps, the hottest thing I incubate is royals, so about 31-32c, a human is warmer than that, i don't think me hugging a fridge for a long amount of time would cause it to explode, humans run at 37c and if you have ever felt the back of running fridge it gets very toastie. I have been running various fridges over the years as incubators, never gone to the trouble of taking any of the fridge part out and never personally had an issue yet. I keep the fridge intact as I used to cool various colubrids in them, that's why I tend to use wine fridges as they can be set a bit higher than a normal fridge so perfect for cooling the more difficult species. Duel use, so kept the current one like it just in case I want to cool anything in the future.


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