In any case, maybe it will help some newbie HR Freeze Dryer owners to answer some of the questions I once had.
If the supply of safe water is cut off during an emergency, it is important to have water stored. Learn how to store water safely and where you can find an emergency source if needed.
It’s always best to buy directly from the manufacturer, and many companies list their products online to view, although not all list prices online.
Do you have any vacuum gauges at all to test the pump? ( Though I doubt that is the problem based upon your tests )
The one "gotcha" I encountered in making this is that a typical car oil filter attaches with a 3/4x16tpi threaded pipe. I could find no such pipe anywhere. My solution was to use instead a 3/4x16tpi bolt, and then drill a hole through it.
4) I made a plastic shield to protect the main circuit board of the FDer. it simply slides into place and protects the top and both sides of the board from condensation.
One of the many joys of having a working freezer is the potential that it holds. While cooking may not be everyone’s forte, saving time usually is, and this is one of the benefits a freezer affords. By scheduling particular days and reserving them exclusively for the preparation of a week’s worth of meals, you’ll save not only a significant amount of money, but time.
A bit of background on me - I used to work in a sold state fabrication lab (university research lab) and Buy Now had a lot of hands-on work with ultra-high vacuum equipment. The pumping we do for freeze drying was what was required to just start
The two sub-processes, freezing and vacuum drying are done correctly: The freezing process must be quick and the vacuum process should leave only residual moisture.
So the bottom line is this: If you can afford the money, space, and time to spend on freeze-drying your own food and you believe the need for the food is many months or years away, then eventually the Harvest Right freeze dryer will pay for itself.
Never buy a freeze-dryer that isn’t sold by a reputable brand or any location that could have tampered with the device. Most companies vet their authorized resellers extensively, so they may be safe. However, used units sold elsewhere may not have been re-tested by the manufacturer for issues.
Money Back Guarantee. Customers may cancel their orders, prior to shipment, for a refund less a 3% fee to cover the credit card charges incurred by Harvest Right. Once the freeze dryer(s) ships, if it is within 30 days of ship date, customers may return their freeze dryers for a refund less shipping costs and less a restocking fee of 15%. All sales of Harvest Right Freeze Dryers after February 1, 2019, are covered by this warranty.
The key is to freeze as fast as possible then dry as slow as possible. The freezing stiffens the cells so that when it is dried, it still maintains it's shape and texture.
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, auto-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.