I honestly think putting a thermometer inside the unit is an excellent idea. I sent the following note off to Harvest Right Support in an effort to gain a little better understanding of the process.
Brian Nichols Albert was responsive, informed and efficient. Harvest Right freeze dryer and kit are as expected, arrived sooner than expected, passed functional test and initial "bread run". Highly recommend both the company and the product.
The current and emerging food crisis in the United States has millions of Americans very concerned about the future. From supply chain shenanigans to food processing plants “inexplicably” being compromised to bird flu decimating the poultry industry, it’s pelo wonder there has been a sharp rise in the “prepper” food industry.
I would prefer those fittings to have internal O rings and knurled thread on ports (similar to R134a vacuum gauge sets) that do not require high torque compression fittings. Finger tight and you are good to go. You spot a leak, change the Este ring and you're back in business.
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.
I did a couple of batches (peas and carrots, and another load of precooked chicken meatballs cut in half) and it all worked perfectly. Looking forward to trying out some new things and sharing the results.
The longevity of freeze dried food depends on the what the food is and how it is stored. When stored in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber, many foods can last up to 25 years. If stored in a glass mason jar with an oxygen absorber and a vacuum sealed lid, food can last about 5 years.
Agree entirely on the fittings! After many emails and phone calls to HR, some advice that didn't pan out, and some parts replacement, the unit is back in business! Turns out it was the wire passthrough for the heater wires.
We sold a grainmill also, hyped by a friend who had several. Used it some also. Nothing happened and other things incl food was donated or tossed. Now retired, who has time or money to throw away again? not me.
Furthermore, the modern freeze dryer systems have vacuum pumps and refrigerators which enhances the drying cycles and saves energy.
Other key factors also include energy conservation. Energy efficient freeze dryers use power saving features to meet the required energy performance standards. Helping the business not to compromise on quality, An investment in an energy efficient system helps businesses reduce operating expenses.
This is why so many people are buying their own freeze dryers to use at home. The market is essentially cornered by Harvest Right, which isn’t a bad thing since their quality and customer service are both superb.
Both pumps come with an oil mist filter. However, the more info Industrial Pump’s oil mist filter allows for no oil spray at all and it will last much longer.
Unfortunately, freeze-dried food can often be very expensive. We’ve seen this first hand as the only company that sells both frozen beef boxes to store in the freezer for up to a year as well as freeze-dried beef cubes to store in the closet for over a decade.