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.
We preserve our favorite foods, which means I know my family will eat them when it’s time to break them out, whether that’s for a camp out, family vacation, or the apocalypse.
I found out the hard way about the anti-drainback seal when I first tried the filter and got... nothing. I did do some research afterward and learned, as you point out, that there are some filters than don't use the seal but by then I was committed. Fortunately, it wasn't all that hard to remove it, but definitely better not to have to.
After it’s processed, I weigh the tray again and subtract the ending weight from the beginning weight. That tells me how much water to add for reconstitution. I like to write on the mylar bag or jar lid how much water to add so I don’t have to guess when I am ready to reconstitute the food.
Unlike canning or dehydrating, freeze drying retains 97 percent of the food’s nutrients. Freeze dried food also tastes more like fresh food than canned or dehydrated foods.
Upon turning off the pump (no isolation valve on the pump - standard Shop Now setup), the chamber pressure rose quite rapidly going to 2000 mTorr and continuing up in a couple of minutes or so.
You can count on me sticking around to talk about the food side of things! My wife looked at me a little oddly when I got the freeze dryer, but now she's a fan too. I'm discovering things that it can do that I hadn't expected, such as making low carb snacks.
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.
Control of the amount of time a material is held at the ultimate freeze temperature before the drying cycle is started.
We had a sponsored post come over on my other sites that asked the question, “Should you buy a freeze dryer?
Never allowing the unit to heat up to ambient temps - Quickly removing the ice from the chamber and starting the next cycle while the chamber unit is still very cold.
Karla Abreu says: 2 years ago I just think pressure canning is the easiest way to preserve food and know it is totally sterile. And it is relatively easy
9) The last port to insulate required the top be removed. Before I removed the top cover I replaced the side covers. This keeps the back and front panels structurally rigid. Do not remove both the side panels and top or you will have problems reassembling as things get very loose.
•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.