Jeanine L. Albert was quick to respond to my inquiry about the delivery of our harvest right freeze dryer. I hope companies will have more “Albert” in their team for the satisfaction of their customers! Thank you so much Trimleaf for helping us purchase this great product! Team Albert here!
5 Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) Gypsyman: Proof again that "great minds think alike". In my initial pondering, I thought using an oil filter base would be a logical approach -- but I didn't have one handy and figured my car might miss it. Besides, one of my goals was to keep this affordable, and they tend to be a little pricey.
(had to replace the whole galvanized T piece with new wires in it) Seems they are epoxied in there, and in my experience passthroughs are a problem spot, so it's not at all surprizing that there was a slight leak there. In any case, I thanks the folks at HR for sending parts and sticking with me throughout.
5. Maintenance: Understand the maintenance requirements of the machine. Some units require more frequent servicing than others.
Obviously things like ice cream and marshmallows you would want to let the freeze cycle run longer. When I'm ready to start the drying cycle, I open the door, remove the insulator, and check the temperature of the food on the trays with an infrared thermometer. As long as it's below -10F I start the dry cycle. A side note for TonyC, have you ever thought about attaching a mirror to each side of the tray rack to reflect the radiant heat back in to the trays? I've looked at some mirror finish stainless on ebay, and it looks like you could do it for about $quarenta. Not sure if it's worth a try or not. I would think it would let website you get more water out in a cycle because the radiant heat wouldn't be warming the ice on the chamber walls. Just a thought.... Edited December 16, 2015 by Pipsqueak duplicate post (log)
A freeze dryer can be used to preserve entire meals, making it easy to build up a supply of emergency food or just have meals on hand that can quickly be re-hydrated and eaten.
Let’s be clear: there is no right or wrong answer. In the end, the decision to buy a freeze dryer is ultimately yours. Some people feel it’s best to buy freeze dried food and that’s good enough for them, while others find it an absolute necessity for their household.
Taking the time to be sure accurate air flow, drainage angle, and positioning of accessories such as drip pan can avoid mishaps, preserving you the two time and expense In the long term. A properly-executed set up is the initial step toward productive freeze drying adventures.
A couple of other points: There are obvious and easy improvements that could be made, such as using a container with a dispensing faucet (think of a lemonade jar, for example). Also, for the technically savvy, Automóvel-mechanic-type person who may be wondering about it, there is an anti-backflow seal that has to be removed from the oil filter, but that can be removed by cutting through it and pulling it out with needle nose pliers, which is easily done.
“Astronaut” ice cream is a fun treat to make and is so easy. Just scoop ice cream onto the trays and freeze before processing.
Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) On 12/1/2015 at 0:16 PM, Jenipher said: Tony, if you see this, I went ahead and purchased the catch can. Do you think it's okay to just purchase a reducer to go from the size of the exhaust to the size of the hose that came with the can? Hopefully I said that in a way that makes sense! As well, does it matter which port is used as "in" and which as "out"? Thanks so much, Jen Hi Jen, Sorry to be gone so long. I did exactly as you proposed. I purchased a brass reducer and pushed the blue hose over it.
The system’s shelf heaters and adjustable vacuum pressure ensure controlled sublimation during the primary drying cycle, preserving your materials at peak quality.
Regular maintenance includes cleaning the vacuum pump and ensuring proper drainage after each use; refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for specific maintenance tips.
And, as I write that, the get more info “more is better” side of my brain is freaking out. After all, bigger means better, right? Not always, but read on to learn my thoughts on why the small freeze dryer may be the way to go.