5) Next up I insulated the pipes where condensation forms directly from the compressor. I used inexpensive water pipe insulation from copyright or Home Depot to wrap all exposed parts that had potential for condensation.
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I’d recommend that anyone stick with buying any freeze-dryer or heavy equipment directly from the manufacturer. And if you’re ready to shop for a Harvest Right, you can use this link to shop current sales.
Also, since it’s such a large amount of money in question, you don’t want to lose your warranty, which can happen if you buy through resellers.
We have two freezers in the garage as well. All of these machines generate heat and humidity. Our FDer front regularly sweats up an storm and water drips off the door and from around the entire chamber perimeter down the front of the unit. It got so bad that I taped a plastic shield above the display to route the water around it. You can see the water on the door and on the stainless steel front past the 4 screws on the unit.
So I corrected the oversight - I drilled and tapped the elbow to add the port. Here is a picture. It worked great today when I flushed the pump to clear out the gunk.
8) The vacuum port was up next. You can see the condensation on the brass fitting. That means cold is escaping and heat is getting into the chamber. This small section was placed inside the panel.
A bit of background on me - I used to work in a sold state fabrication lab (university research lab) and 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
Or, if you’d rather get some more quality reading before shopping, here are some articles I wrote to help you get that research bug itch scratched.
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 get more info 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.
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.
We have to face one hard fact when shopping for home freeze dryers. That fact is, unlike many other purchases, freeze dryers aren't cheap. However, unlike many other purchases, a freeze dryer can provide a lifetime of cost savings that ultimately pay for itself.
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?
Canning salsa is a great way to use your tomatoes. Learn how to correctly and safely can salsa with this approved recipe.