How you want to run your electrical is up to you, but there’s nothing worse than having your freeze dryer trip a breaker switch (especially when you’re not there). Installing or using an extra dedicated 20 amp for this model and the Large Pharmaceutical unit as well is strongly suggested.
It's so much easier to stay on a low carb diet when you have things to nibble on. I've been drying meatballs (cut them in half first), and they make a fantastic savory snack. I'll post to the Tried and True thread when I get a chance.
1. Inadequate Drying Time: If your food is not completely dry after a cycle, it may require additional time. Always check moisture levels before sealing.
This new Industrial Pump rarely needs to have the oil changed or filtered. The pump has a gas ballast feature that makes it so water does not stay in the oil. Because of this, the oil in the pump will be pristine and clear, even after 30 or more batches.
A dehydrator dries food by using heat only, while a freeze dryer uses both cold and heat. Dehydrated food still has moisture in it and works for short term storage only.
It’s super simple, if you aren’t running an Oil Free pump (which we strongly suggest), you should change the vacuum pump’s oil every 20-30 runs (approximately once every month or two with daily use) and ensure the interior chamber as well as your trays are cleaned frequently.
Door seal appears good against the plexiglass side, even stripe of contact, nice and wide. Inside gasket groove has been checked for debris and cracks. Looks OK, but the design seems odd to me!
What I presume was happening was that condensation was building up on the cooling coils between the insulation and the chamber and freezing. When I finally turned the FDer off it took 3 days for the ice buildup to melt and slowly soak through the insulation and drip onto the counter.
Collaborating with smart freeze-dry machinery manufacturers can greatly increase production reliability. Businesses must also focus on equipment servicing, spare parts, and post-sale assistance for the freeze dryer. The system will reduce downtime and maximize efficiency when properly maintained.
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.
If you don’t have the time or money, or if you believe the food crisis will hit hard very soon, then it makes more sense to buy freeze-dried food instead.
Another best practice is to set up a station. This will take space. Having a freeze dryer, freezer, prep table, and processing area all together has been a good decision. It can all be done in a large kitchen, but the machines are noisy and a freeze-drying project more info can take up a lot of space.
Monitoring the FDer internal temps and once I see -40F I start the dry cycle, except for high sugar content food which I give an Em excesso hour. I'm still experimenting with Ice cream and a few fruits to determine optimal freeze time to get the best results. The cooling cycle ends up much shorter.
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!