We have some really great 'techy' type guys here who are, as they have been exploring the FD mechanics and sharing that in their posts, writing what is turning out to be a 'troubleshooting manual' for us less capable folks.
Knowing what I know now after using freeze dryers for my company, I can say buying a freeze dryer is a sound investment for anyone who commits to stocking up food over time.
It makes the processing time faster, which means less wear on the machine. If I am preparing fruit, I typically slice it and put it on a baking sheet.
Then, when I reconstitute, I add back the same amount of water to equal the Perfeito amount of milk I originally processed. For example, if I processed 4 cups of milk, I add to the milk powder enough to equal 4 cups. I prefer to use an immersion blender for the best consistency.
I removed the side covers and found the water dripping from the chamber insulation. I called up HarvestRight to ask for ideas on how to avoid this in the future.
The unit can also connect to and communicate the freeze dryer cycle data to a nearby PC through an ethernet cable.
1) I installed a 3/4" wide high density closed cell foam in the gap between the front of the chamber and the back of the front panel - just what Harvest Right suggested except all the way around (the first picture shows the gap). Use your fingers to push it into place. It needs to be tight against the inside panel. I then installed a vapor barrier around the entire FDer chamber. I used 7mil plastic and clear packing tape.
19.7k Location:Ontario, Canada Posted January 25, 2016 So a couple of months ago (when the weather was still warm) Alleguede has his assistant drop off some raspberries that he wanted me to freeze dry for him. Since they were IQF raspberries I assumed that they would be individual - but apparently when you leave them in the trunk of your car long enough to thaw, then put them back in the freezer - then take a couple of days to get them over to me - they are pelo longer going to resemble individual Know More raspberries.
Drying things out played a roll as well as the added insulation. We had 3.5 weeks of constant rain here in central NC with humidity over 95% and temps near 95F in the beginning and tapering down to 80F by the end of the rain. The condensation on the front panel around the seal had water running down the front of the Freeze Dryer constantly during the entire cycle, not just the freeze cycle. I initially went into the FDer to simply stop the humdity from reaching the outer chamber shell and freezing.
Freeze drying preserves fresh fruits and vegetables Freeze drying is a great way to preserve food for short term or long term storage, up to 25 years.
More often than not, accidental gluten consumption means he loses about 5 pounds, which he can’t afford. Due to the potential of cross contamination, we don’t feel comfortable eating at most restaurants, which makes things tricky when we travel.
The only way I know to filter the water vapor out would be a cold trap. They usually use liquid nitrogen or dry ice to keep the temperature low enough that all the water condenses out. Obviously you would need a supply of the liquid nitrogen or dry ice that would probably not be cost effective for most of us. The other option to get that cold would be to use a cryocooler and build a cold trap around it. It could be done, but would be pretty expensive. I've been watching some electronics on ebay that have cryocoolers in them, but the cheapest I've seen is around $600. Still not a cheap option, but you wouldn't need dry ice or liquid nitrogen to feed it.
Purchasing a freeze dryer can be an excellent investment for those interested in food preservation, emergency preparedness, or simply enjoying homemade snacks that last longer without losing their quality.
•Control of the shelf temperature during the dry cycle. This includes setting as many as five different shelf temperatures, thus allowing the material to dry in phases, at different temperatures.