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.

Reattached hose and ran another full system test (results, 750 mTorr lowest steady reading - looking through the oil level window, some bubbling seen in oil even after an hour of pumpdown - some "air" noises from pump)

. 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.

I take trips to larger stores to stock up on gluten-free and lactose free staples. Then I can use those to make meals or freeze dry the individual components.

Most foods can be freeze dried; however, items with high fat content like avocados may not preserve as well as low-fat foods like fruits or vegetables.

22F, achieved by dividing nove hours by 110F (the difference in food temps). We both know that the FDer doesn't do linear as the temps fall faster early on and slowly peak to max low temps, but the food freeze time might be a tad more linear than the FDer as food is denser and must be frozen throughout.

I've also added an oil catch can that does a wonderful job of trapping oil vapor exiting the exhaust of the pump. get more info Now instead of coating the area in a fine oil mist, the oil settles into the can. The clear tube on the side of the can lets you know how full the can is.

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.

A couple of other points: There are obvious and easy improvements that could be made, such as using a container with a dispensing faucet (think of a lemonade jar, for example). Also, for the technically savvy, Automóvel-mechanic-type person who may be wondering about it, there is an anti-backflow seal that has to be removed from the oil filter, but that can be removed by cutting through it and pulling it out with needle nose pliers, which is easily done.

- Cost-Effective: While the initial investment can be high, freeze drying at home can save money in the long run by allowing you to preserve leftovers and bulk purchases.

Lean meats work very well. Meats can be freeze dried either raw or cooked. If you are processing beef or pork, be sure to remove as much fat as possible first.

Nicky Risk Thank you so much to Albert for all your help and advice on helping me choose the best Harvest Right for my family. We are super excited to experiment with our freeze dryer.

Now that I've filled you in on why the most affordable freeze dryer is the small Harvest Right, let's talk about how you can score one without breaking the bank.

and this piece was placed on the vacuum hose fitting. I can still remove the panel without removing the hose to clean the coils. Simply remove the screws and slide the panel down the vacuum hose a few inches.