Something else to consider-becoming the crazy prepper

[Ben Framed]

If a person understood the precise concept of the process in sequence of how this works, I bet that person could build a large one starting out basically with a chest type freezer, (size)-seven cubic foot for example, along with an adequate size vacuum pump?

[The15thMember]

If a person understood the precise concept of the process in sequence of how this works, I bet that person could build a large one starting out basically with a chest type freezer, (size)-seven cubic foot for example, along with an adequate size vacuum pump?

You would need a heating element as well.  The drying stage of the process alternates between heating and cooling to pull all the water out of the food. 

[Ben Framed]

The15thMember

You would need a heating element as well.  The drying stage of the process alternates between heating and cooling to pull all the water out of the food.

Thank you. That makes sense Member. I would suppose these work off of a PID controller, ('electronic brain' lol), such as, or similar to an Ink Bird PID as used in OAV set ups to insure a perfect temperature response? If that is the case this may not be so complicated to build? What do you think?

Phillip

[The15thMember]

Thank you. That makes sense Member. I would suppose these work off of a PID controller, ('electronic brain' lol), such as, or similar to an Ink Bird PID as used in OAV set ups to insure a perfect temperature response? If that is the case this may not be so complicated to build? What do you think?

Phillip

I certainly wouldn't know.  I can't even build a Lincoln Log house without instructions.  True story. 

[Ben Framed]

Thanks for the smile Member!

Phillip


The15thMember

I certainly wouldn't know.  I can't even build a Lincoln Log house without instructions.  True story. 

[The15thMember]

We rehydrated our entrees for supper tonight.  My mom didn't weigh them before they went into the freeze dryer, so we just winged how much water to add back in.  I personally think that math would be easier in the future, but it wasn't hard to guess just based on the food's consistency.  I took some really close up pictures of the food so you can see the texture of everything.  The hamburger barbeque (sloppy joe) and the rabbit were totally indistinguishable from before.  My dad kept clarifying with Mom that it was in fact freeze dried, because it was so exactly the same.  The soup was harder to guess how much water to add, so depending on what people did it was a little too thick or too thin, but once we got it right, it was indistinguishable too.  The penne was totally the same on flavor, but the pasta took forever to rehydrate, and even then it wasn't quite soft enough.  The tips and tricks booklet that came with the machine suggests rehydrating the pasta a different way, reheating it using the oven, so perhaps that will work better.  But like the beans in the soup, in all likelihood for long term storage we'd just leave the pasta out and cook it and add it in upon rehydrating the sauce, since dry pasta is shelf stable.  The flavor of all this food was AMAZING, totally and complete preserved, and especially when compared to the taste of the barely edible garbage which the long-term food storage companies like Auguson Farms and Ready Hour sell, and at absurd prices at that.  There's still a lot of kinks to works out, for example we were doing some pumpkin puree and shredded zucchini from the freezer today, and we learned we have to break something like that up into smaller pieces after the first drying cycle or it takes forever to get dry in the middle.  But this evening's meals were a resounding success, and we are extremely excited to get as much of our food as possible out of the freezer and fridge and onto the shelves.  The next step will be figuring out everything with the mylar and oxygen absorbers and storing the food for some semi-extended length of time, say 6 months to a year, and seeing how it holds up. 
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[Ben Framed]

Outstanding!!

[BeeMaster2]

Member,
What happens if you freeze dry bread and rolls?
Jim Altmiller

[The15thMember]

Member,
What happens if you freeze dry bread and rolls?
Jim Altmiller

The roll in that picture is not freeze dried, just to clarify.  Supposedly you can do it, but many people find it difficult to rehydrate it properly.  Obviously if you just stick the freeze dried bread in water it will get all soggy, so you have to wrap it in something damp to try to get it to be soft again.  We tried it once, and it sort of worked, but the bread was pretty stale, it never went back to being fresh.  You probably could have toasted it and it would have been okay or maybe sopped up some soup with it, but it wouldn't have been pleasant to eat it as it was.   

[Acebird]

At the rate you are going you better build a power plant.  I don't think the new Ford will handle this surge.

Well that's why we're running it now, while the grid is still up. 

For any who may be genuinely interested, Living Traditions Homestead, who is one of our favorite trusted sources for homesteading advice and has the exact same freeze dryer that we do, talks about the energy consumption and cost of running the machine in this video.

So the unit is somewhere near 538 watts?  Is that what is on the unit tag?

[The15thMember]

So the unit is somewhere near 538 watts?  Is that what is on the unit tag?

The tag is on the back of the machine and I can't see it, so I can't check.  It says this on the Harvest Right website, if this is what you are looking for: "At peak, the freeze dryer draws about 16 amps, but on the average about 9 to 11 amps (990-1210 watts) of power per hour. A dedicated 20 amp circuit is recommended. Your freeze dryer will cost an estimated $1.25-$2.80 a day, depending on power costs in your area."
 

[Acebird]

So you would need at least a 2000 watt generator.

[Ben Framed]

So you would need at least a 2000 watt generator.

Yes if you waited until the power grid was off to then decide to freeze dry food. (This would be good an example of being unprepared)  I am thinking the freeze drying should be done in good times of cheap, power company provided electricity.
If we were to wait until the power was off for whatever reason, wouldn't we be spinning our wheels? Wouldn't it be too expensive and un-practical to run a 2000 watt generator for the hours needed to go through the process to cycle?

[Acebird]

You don't need to freeze dry foods for a short interruption of power.  You can just freeze the foods that would spoil.

[Ben Framed]

Member any new experiments with your freeze dryer?

[Kathyp]

You don't need to freeze dry foods for a short interruption of power.

I don't think anyone is investing in food preservation methods because the power might go out for an hour.  It IS for long term disruption and shortages. 

[The15thMember]

Member any new experiments with your freeze dryer?

We've just kind of been trucking along on the usual stuff, leftovers, fruits, and veggies.  It's been going great.  We just got a new kitchen scale in the mail the other day, which will help with weighing before and after the freeze drying so we know exactly how much water to add back in to rehydrate the food.  My mom also got her canning jar vacuum sealer in the mail today.  We're holding off on anything too experimental for the moment because we are on goat baby watch. 

You don't need to freeze dry foods for a short interruption of power.

I don't think anyone is investing in food preservation methods because the power might go out for an hour.  It IS for long term disruption and shortages. 

That is correct.     

[Acebird]

It IS for long term disruption and shortages.

Explain long term disruption of shortages.

[Kathyp]

Explain long term disruption of shortages.

and, not of.

Try it that way and get back to me if you still need an explanation.

[Acebird]

Yes I made a mistake.  Still want to know what you consider long term disruption and shortages.