I have no adverse vacuum performance change with the catch can in place. It just catches any oil. I still smell oil vapor when the pump first starts up, but not nearly as much. I've only emptied the can once or twice since I've had it installed. I slightly over filled the pump and it blew out into the can, then ran it with the FDer valve open for a few minutes. Nothing got past the can. I used the outside port as IN and the middle one as out. I did take the port off and the longer one should be the inlet port. It's not a great deal longer. Tony Edited January 22, 2016 by TonyC updated (log)
However, manufacturers usually sell their products online or through resellers, so a manufacturer having a physical store is rare.
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The only way I know to filter the water vapor out would be a cold trap. They usually use liquid nitrogen or dry ice to keep the temperature low enough that all the water condenses out. Obviously you would need a supply of the liquid nitrogen or dry ice that would probably not be cost effective for most of us. The other option to get that cold would be to use a cryocooler and build a cold trap around it. It could be done, but would be pretty expensive. I've been watching some electronics on ebay that have cryocoolers in them, but the cheapest I've seen is around $600. Still not a cheap option, but you wouldn't need dry ice or liquid nitrogen to feed it.
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 extra 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.
We’ve bought six so far with two more on the way. But families and individuals considering getting their own can and should as long as they go in with their eyes open.
Whichever freeze dryer model you choose, be sure you’re getting it from a trustworthy source. The only place where you’re guaranteed complete satisfaction is the manufacturer’s store or their website, so that’s where I’d buy if it were up to me.
Some special food items cannot be prepared with regular appliances – especially if you need them prepared at a high volume. This is where specialized cooking equipment are helpful.
Or, if you’d rather get some get more info more quality reading before shopping, here are some articles I wrote to help you get that research bug itch scratched.
I, too, have noticed a significant difference when I defrost mid-cycle. I do that routinely now. I carefully use a heat gun to "shock" the surface of the ice, moving back and forth across it fairly swiftly, which causes it to crack and separate somewhat from the cylinder.
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.
Plus, if you have a garden and want to preserve your harvest or take advantage of sales on produce when it’s in season and affordable, this is a smart investment to make for the future of your family. Many of our customers say their freeze dryer paid for itself in less than a year.
It would also be best to avoid pawn shops. Although they can be a goldmine for trinkets, they’re usually not a great place to shop for advanced machinery.
The industry standard machine for drying ice water hash at commercial operations that need serious throughput