How to Make a Freeze Dryer

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
  • How to build a cheap-ish freeze dryer. It can make astronaut ice cream, instant coffee, mre's and all sorts of freeze dried foods.
    The freeze drying process turns the water in frozen foods into a gas without it ever being a liquid. This sublimation phase shift maintains the foods structure. While that's cool and all, Freeze dryers are't the most useful things unless you do a lot of camping or long trip without a fridge stuff.
    You could easily make it for around $200 starting from nothing
    I bought the materials at
    Mcmaster.com
    amazon.com
    and various local stores
    dry ice can be purchased at most grocery stores
    I found the water bubblier at my local dump
    There are many different sorts of design options, this is just a more basic one without much automation.
    Various warnings:
    Dry ice will give you frost bite if you hold it too long. If your glass bowl is too thin it can shatter/implode and shoot glass all over the place. Change your vacuum pump oil if/when it gets cloudy. Use oil when you drill holes in metal. Isoropanol alcohol is flammable. Don't be stupid.
    Music: KOAN - Starlite
    The still images aren't mine.
    Thanks to Ben Krasnow for the insparation
    Consider supporting me and my projects on patreon! / bennbuilds

Комментарии • 317

  • @kellyvcraig
    @kellyvcraig 6 лет назад +33

    For those who might find it interesting, the Aztecs used to freeze dry food for storage. They did this by carting their prepared crops up into the mountains, where it was freezing and the air pressure was lower.

    • @Deeznutz002
      @Deeznutz002 3 месяца назад

      The men who collected flowers for the temple would have appreciated that. Reduction in weight and size, just adding water would enable many flowers to be collected 🥔

    • @unknownkingdom
      @unknownkingdom 2 месяца назад +2

      That wasn't really freeze drying. I know wikipedia mentions it but it isnt the same as freeze drying.

    • @kellyvcraig
      @kellyvcraig 2 месяца назад +5

      @@unknownkingdom, actually, it is. MY freeze dryer uses vacuum, cold (-50) temps, then warming to freeze dry.
      The Aztecs, by carting food up into the mountains, were able to freeze it and take advantage of lower atmospheric temps.
      Their method was a fraction as efficient as my Harvest Right freeze dryer, but it did make enough of a difference in the condition of the food to make their efforts worth while.
      Merely dehydrating asparagus, for example, makes for some pretty sad end product. Freeze dried asparagus, on the other hand, is completely different in appearance and texture.

    • @sparksmcgee6641
      @sparksmcgee6641 Месяц назад

      ​@unknownkingdom Yes it is.

  • @johnwang9914
    @johnwang9914 8 лет назад +16

    Bravo, the first DIY freeze dryer that I found on RUclips that actually freeze dried or at least attempts to. Most people just build vacuum chamber dryers instead of an actual freeze dryer. I think the cold trap should be colder than -30 C, more like -50 C but if you put a dessicant like silica gel in it, you could get away with the higher temps. Of course, the only downside of not condensing all of the water vapour is just wear and tear on the vacuum pump

  • @anduchanzz867
    @anduchanzz867 3 года назад +2

    I reefer watching this In middle school, and now that I am 20 and need one, I remembered the name of the channel. I feel nostalgic rn

  • @butterfly9918
    @butterfly9918 7 лет назад +10

    Damn!! What a great video. Straight to the point, short but detailed, basically no fluff and functional!

  • @scalenguy05
    @scalenguy05 9 лет назад +89

    In other words…I'm going to quit complaining about the cost of freeze dried food!

  • @Fenikkusuuk
    @Fenikkusuuk 8 лет назад +9

    I love this Ben! I especially love "Freeze dried food will always taste weird"
    Awesome!

  • @ShrapnelACU
    @ShrapnelACU 8 лет назад +3

    That last line was perfect.

  • @BeIrie247
    @BeIrie247 9 лет назад +48

    Wow, who knew it would be so easy to freeze dry your own food! By the way, I'm a rocket scientist...

  • @johnhanek167
    @johnhanek167 5 лет назад +1

    Nice presentation. I liked the quick speech- saves me time. Dry ice is expensive. I learned from this vid to spend my dollars on something else. How bout a nice dehydrator and a nice vacuum sealer? Yeah, I think so.

  • @AndrewJacobs-Smaug
    @AndrewJacobs-Smaug 6 лет назад +10

    Excellent video. I appreciate the tempo and editing that you have done. Also a great build. I just spent 4 minutes and 24 seconds to find out I do NOT want to freeze dry my own food.

  • @Riptide360
    @Riptide360 7 лет назад +5

    Great video! Love the quick editing and how you move the viewer through the entire process quickly. Makes me want to try freeze drying at home! Thanks!

  • @creativewoodworker4300
    @creativewoodworker4300 6 лет назад +1

    I wish I could talk that fast. I wouldn’t! You go dude

  • @Plant-goo
    @Plant-goo 9 месяцев назад +1

    You don’t have to guess when it’s dry. If you are using a Pirani gauge determine the ultimate vacuum reading you can achieve then monitor pressure when you reach the ultimate vacuum pressure the primary drying is complete. You might need to sit at that pressure for one hour for complete dryness. You can also add a temp gauge to the inside food chamber when the material in the chamber reaches the ambient room temp the drying is complete.

  • @briank.carscadden8141
    @briank.carscadden8141 9 лет назад +1

    Great work and great editing! Can't say I'm going to build one ... but if I do, I'll be back here to learn.

  • @michaelsalvo8882
    @michaelsalvo8882 10 лет назад +4

    That is an incredibly thorough and well made video.

  • @Vinwelder
    @Vinwelder 4 года назад +1

    I only wish with other instructive videos the people spoke this fast! I personally like it to be right to the point like this and not waste alot of unnecessary talking and time. To the guy that made this: I wouldn't change a damn thing in the future. Very well done sir! Thank you!👌

  • @chloequimby9628
    @chloequimby9628 4 года назад

    I definitely checked my playback speed part-way through. Ben, you are the Laurelai Gilmore of the making world.

  • @thepatriotrocker8001
    @thepatriotrocker8001 Год назад +1

    Good video and right to the point. I don't think I'll be making one anytime soon. Thanks.

  • @spectrHz
    @spectrHz 10 лет назад +15

    Just discovered your channel, and I must say your camerawork, quick presentation methodology and background music makes for some extremely impressive build videos! Keep up the good work!

  • @folk.
    @folk. 4 года назад +1

    Excellent. And I like the pace of the video. No bullshit.

  • @badpanda1578
    @badpanda1578 7 лет назад +29

    oh I get it you're the guy that reads those legal disclaimers on television ads

  • @luisbaltazar1
    @luisbaltazar1 4 года назад +3

    do you think the vapor in the air could damage the pump? otherwise, why would you need any moist trap at all?

  • @andrewnorgrove6487
    @andrewnorgrove6487 7 лет назад

    My mind just exploded with all the possible use of cryogenic fluids for the cooling bowl ect !

  • @jenhunter672
    @jenhunter672 9 лет назад +9

    'a little tightening beyond reason' sounds like work lol.

  • @TheXxxcodexxx
    @TheXxxcodexxx 5 лет назад +6

    I know this is an old video but I have a couple of questions..
    1.does your vac pump have to run the whole time or could you put it on a timer or a pressure switch..
    2. What temp did you have to get down to? Could you retrofit an old deep freezer by installing a smaller steel tub in side ?
    3. Is 0°F to -10°F cold enough?

  • @TheThinkEat
    @TheThinkEat 10 лет назад +5

    You earned my subscription , keep going with those super interesting (and well filmed/edited!) videos.

  • @Itried20takennames
    @Itried20takennames Год назад

    Thumbs up for “the freeze dried food will keep forever….and always taste weird.” Try some ice cream bars….those are decent freeze-dried. Used to get them as a kid on class visits to the DC Air and Space Museum.

  • @NWforager
    @NWforager 6 лет назад

    it keep for about 30 years when packed right . Gold.

  • @metaldetective6761
    @metaldetective6761 3 года назад

    Dude if only everyone did builds like you

  • @phxtonash
    @phxtonash 8 лет назад

    That was great. I think you over did it. Still great. Liked how fast the video went and the end. But I gotta say I love how freeze dryed strawberrys taste

  • @Ricangal
    @Ricangal 7 лет назад +1

    Hey, you're right!
    Easy, peasy, Japan-difficult.

  • @rickclark7508
    @rickclark7508 4 года назад

    This seems very practical.

  • @panzergrenadier90
    @panzergrenadier90 9 лет назад +3

    you are a genius

  • @elvirathon
    @elvirathon Год назад

    Great video , just saw how old it is

  • @ryanhuber1491
    @ryanhuber1491 7 лет назад

    Damn bro! Nice work! Mcguyver would be proud!

  • @intothecalm420
    @intothecalm420 8 лет назад +1

    Your going to have to freeze dry a ton of food to make that setup worth while.

  • @pogodrummer
    @pogodrummer 6 лет назад

    KOAN sound is amazing!

  • @micky8331
    @micky8331 6 лет назад +2

    youtube doesn't limit videos by time anymore. You can take your time now

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  6 лет назад +1

      but then nobody watches them

  • @timamar
    @timamar 3 года назад +1

    Hey, love your video :) i want to build machine like this on my own and i have a 2 questions:
    1. how do you prevent water from going directly to the pump from the water trap?
    2. how do you know when the process is finish? and you products is completely dried? and when i turn off the pump?
    Thank you :)

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  3 года назад +2

      Thank you! 1: the cold trap gets most of it, but it is not perfect. I also changed the oil after each run.
      2: It is mostly just a guess as most items are significantly different. After doing it a few times with one item you will get a good idea of how long to do it for

    • @timamar
      @timamar 3 года назад +1

      @@BenNBuilds thank you. what about the drying chamber? is need to be cold? hot? room temperature? how much in C/F ?

    • @MatiasHMoro
      @MatiasHMoro 2 года назад

      @@timamar Did you find out about this?

    • @user-jp8gh3sl7m
      @user-jp8gh3sl7m 7 дней назад

      Shelves need light heating in order to sublimate

  • @UHFStation1
    @UHFStation1 9 лет назад

    That looks cool and is well beyond my technical capability. I don't suppose there is a mad scientist out there that would build for other people lower end freeze drying machines for under $200?

  • @vassilioskapsis3410
    @vassilioskapsis3410 7 лет назад +146

    Could you please speak faster? Easier to follow...

    • @lightdark00
      @lightdark00 7 лет назад +4

      Just set the default setting at 2x speed. That way you never have to mess with it 😊

    • @paullelyukh2422
      @paullelyukh2422 5 лет назад +4

      He didn't speak fast enough using the some code to speed it up to 3X

    • @mrsb3350
      @mrsb3350 5 лет назад +3

      1Howdy1 thank you.... .75 was perfect!

    • @matthewcherng
      @matthewcherng 4 года назад +1

      Video Speed Controller extension works wonders for any video played in your browser

    • @Dainith
      @Dainith 3 года назад

      Lol

  • @rubserr9072
    @rubserr9072 10 лет назад +2

    Nice work. I'm looking into building my own freeze dry unit and am wondering what your thoughts are on using a cold plate (similar to a bar system set up) or a copper coil (similar to that used in brewing beer) for the cold trap with either piece in an ice chest stocked with dry ice. Any thoughts on whether that would work?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад +1

      As long as it gets cold enough and has enough surface area to handle all the water. you may want to test it out before you set it up with feedthroughs, but a lot of commercial freeze driers use cold coils to trap the water

  • @laurenwilliams2553
    @laurenwilliams2553 9 лет назад +7

    Hi My name is Lauren i am 13 and want to be a food scientist when i grow up. I have experimented with dehydrating and other things but i have not tried freeze drying yet. I want to build my own of course because they are to expensive could you maybe give me a supply list.Thank You.

    • @lightdark00
      @lightdark00 7 лет назад +7

      Well you're 15 now, how's things coming along? I hope you took some initiative and paid more attention to the video, and thus no need for a parts list.

    • @an_what
      @an_what 4 года назад +1

      The fact that your lazy ass took 2 years to respond to this kid is fucking ridiculous and sad!

  • @PKAdventures
    @PKAdventures Год назад

    any chance of getting a slightly slowed down version of this without the music? there are points where you talk faster, you get a little quiet, and the music gets a little louder. all are manageable, but when mixed together it makes it hard to follow along

  • @JarrettWilliams99
    @JarrettWilliams99 9 лет назад

    well you made a nice vacuum chamber

  • @jonosterman2878
    @jonosterman2878 4 года назад

    Great video. Thanks for posting it. I am looking to do the same thing. I am going to use a 2 inch dewaxing column from bvv for the cold trap. I already had this thing. I bought it right before I quit using butane for extraction, and have yet to use it. The bvv cold trap is 200. It is nice, but I think my 2 inch stainless tri clamp spool with jacket will work just fine. It is 12 inches long, will sit on a tripod stand and have flared hvac fittings on the top and bottom. I will insulated the jacket with those ir space sheet looking stuff. I have a vacuum pump, but I don't think it is strong enough. I can never get my chamber down to lower than -19 in mercury with it. So I guess I will be getting a rotary vane pump, although i hope to not spend an arm and leg for it.
    Can I use a 3.5 cfm pump, or should I go for the 5 cfm and something closer to 50 micron full vac? I just don't want to have to get more than one new pump because I sized it wrong. Thanks.

  • @rezarizhaldi3365
    @rezarizhaldi3365 Год назад

    Does the manufacture of this tool still use a refrigerator compressor for cooling?

  • @jonosterman2878
    @jonosterman2878 4 года назад

    Hey, not sure why you didn't just order some pre made plexi glass lids for the chambers. They sell them for cheap and they work well.

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  4 года назад

      I had outgassing concerns, but that would probably work fine for most people

  • @MsRightseeksMrRight
    @MsRightseeksMrRight 10 лет назад

    wow i wish i knew what you were talking about and how to build it! do you make them for others? thx :)

  • @kalesmith6786
    @kalesmith6786 2 года назад

    Hey mate sorry I know this is years on , should I follow your build exactly as you have done it or should I try to improve on it with desiccants? Thanks so much for the work you do!

  • @josephdupont
    @josephdupont 6 лет назад

    you could use two vaccuum cleaners in series to get a lot of air out then use the vacuum...

  • @Khyiah2012
    @Khyiah2012 9 лет назад

    Great innovation without the expense!
    I was just curious to know why won't mixing the dry ice and alcohol create the "freeze dried" product? Will the mixture only make it really cold and not dried, or will the mixture not extract the moisture from the items?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  9 лет назад

      Khyiah2012 that wouldn't remove any moisture, it would just freeze the food and cover it in alcohol. You would need to add some sort of desiccant

  • @aresg9670
    @aresg9670 7 лет назад

    Your videos are SUPER good!

  • @dianes5762
    @dianes5762 3 года назад

    Just found you Ben. "Subscribe if you want." You are great not boring and I like your brand of snark.

  • @gc4152
    @gc4152 9 лет назад

    impressive, thank you!

  • @ameliarockwell8504
    @ameliarockwell8504 Год назад

    I do not understand why dry ice is used, after all it will bring the temperature down and therefore move the scale for sublimation further to the left and require lower pressure. At room temperature water will evaporate as long as you drop the pressure. In fact I think commercial drive freezers have heating pads to heat the food as it is drying.
    Because as the water is pulled out of the food it drops the temperature of the food making it harder for the rest of the water to sublimate....
    That is why professional drive freezers use heated plates for the food...
    Unless I missed something here...

  • @MrEleutheromania
    @MrEleutheromania 8 лет назад +48

    umm ok, I will just buy one.

    • @Dcook85
      @Dcook85 7 лет назад +5

      lmao, yeah i saw this and i was like........yeah i'm not doing all that.

    • @shawnatshawn
      @shawnatshawn 7 лет назад +10

      Honestly for me I don't think I could ever bring myself to spend thousands on one. This contraption he has made, literally saves him and would save anyone else thousands. So if you two just happen to have that much extra money lying around, and can afford to buy non necessities that cost that much - more power to ya. But for the other 90% of the world, making this is a great option.

    • @Chaos------
      @Chaos------ 6 лет назад +6

      If you're a man over the age of 25 you should already have most of this stuff, aside from the half inch tap. 300 for the vacuum pump, you can rip the fridge compressor out of some junk, and the taps like 50 bucks. Then the fittings are probably another 75 with the hose. All he really used was a drill and some wrenches. I dont understand how anyone can opt for the 2500 dollar machine over this simple homebrew rig.

    • @SICKFREDO
      @SICKFREDO 6 лет назад +1

      are you kidding? a freeze dryer goes for $1500 easy, this is WAAY cheaper, the vacuum pump will run you $150, those pirex dishes wont run more than $20, I think the most expensive parts here is the pump and the aluminum plates, and i dont think you will need that thickness so you can probably get away with something thinner/cheaper. you can definitely use a 1" acrylic plate on the chamber where the fruits are, not on the cooling chamber though since the temp is way to low for the acrylic to be safe.

    • @TheEarthCreature
      @TheEarthCreature 6 лет назад +2

      SICKFREDO The aluminum plates, together, shouldn't cost more than $30-40... By far one of the cheaper parts of this whole setup. But regardless you're correct that this setup should cost a person less than $300 as opposed to a Harvest Right dryer which is actually more than $2000.

  • @junkman6261
    @junkman6261 2 года назад

    Can you please show building one with the freezer parts?

  • @jean-mariewilliams9525
    @jean-mariewilliams9525 9 лет назад +1

    Hi I am looking into building a freeze dryer. Can you maybe send me a parts list? Just so i can make sure i have everything. Thank you.

  • @TheRainHarvester
    @TheRainHarvester Год назад

    Will that sealant greese make it's way into the food?

  • @BenNBuilds
    @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад +2

    yulius ade, google won't let me reply to your comment.
    Yes, the vacuum pump needs to be on the entire time. An extra fan may be necessary so it doesn't overheat. Make sure you do it long enough too, I pumped mine for 18 hours strait. The cold trap stops water vapor from getting into your vacuum pump. It needs to be a lot colder than salt and ice. -35F at least, any less and the water will melt due to the low pressure inside. Also make sure you freeze your food thoroughly before putting it in the chamber

    • @yuliusade2735
      @yuliusade2735 10 лет назад +1

      Thank you for your explanation,
      so the cold trap isn't affect the result,right?
      Actually i pumped it for 20 hours.
      my first analysis is my strawberry doesn't freeze in the inside, although i put it in the freezer for 1 night..
      Today i will try this again with the slice thin of strawberry and i will let you know the result.
      I need your guidance to make this happen, and i really thanks to you..

    • @aerobyrdable
      @aerobyrdable 9 лет назад

      yulius ade Yulius,
      I too am building one, And I'd be very interested in whether you had managed to achieve a result. Also, I don't really see why the vacuum pump needs to be on the entire time, so long as the pressure remains below the triple point. Can anyone explain?

    • @yuliusade2735
      @yuliusade2735 9 лет назад

      ***** Hi Ryan,
      I was success to freeze dry a strawberry in a bowl. Now i'm making the bigger machine for production. I think the vacuum pump is turn on for entire time because when the water meets a triple point, the water turn to gas, that gas influence the presure and the preasure is not in triple point, so the vacuum must turn on until the end.

    • @aerobyrdable
      @aerobyrdable 9 лет назад

      yulius ade that's awesome yulius, I hear berries are tough. As for your response, you are correct, the pressure must be maintained throughout the process. However, this could be done more efficiently with a vacuum gauge, a relay to turn the pump on and off, and a valve to disconnect the pump to the chamber. I.E. when the chamber pressure gets low enough, the valve closes and the pump turns off. when the pressure rises again, then vice versa. I too am curious why that page, which I'd seen before, says a single stage pump will not work. So far I have managed to boil water at room temperature with my sngle stage pump, which means it can go below the triple point. It was my understanding that the second stage simply allowed it to pull harder more easily. any videos of your current setup?

    • @yuliusade2735
      @yuliusade2735 9 лет назад

      ***** Hi Ryan Cook, i still create this machine until now and i still failed, but i didn't give up. I build with big chamber (254 L) and the cold trap (125 L), and 2pcs Vacuum Pump 2stage 1HP. the result is more failed than succed.LoL. Can you give me your email for discussion?

  • @acrabtree11
    @acrabtree11 10 лет назад

    looks really easy, I'm surprised more people don't do this

  • @Omnesum
    @Omnesum 9 лет назад

    Could you post a video about the bubbler(?) mentioned at 3:25? This was an overall great vid, but moved to quick at some points. Thanks.

  • @jamiehignite7165
    @jamiehignite7165 8 месяцев назад

    Hi, what is the machine you can use instead of dry ice, I couldn’t understand the name (it was toward the end of the video). Thanks

  • @MostlyPennyCat
    @MostlyPennyCat Год назад

    Could you...
    Build one out of a household freezer?

  • @richarddowner4292
    @richarddowner4292 7 лет назад

    great video, thanks.

  • @SynS7ven
    @SynS7ven 9 лет назад

    Awesome! Love the commentary. Freeze dried berries taste weird!

  • @theblueoverseer4774
    @theblueoverseer4774 6 лет назад

    What is the water bubbler? is it the cooling system on a public drinking fountain (I know those are called bubblers in other parts) . Also, are you cooling the actual food or just the vapor trap?

  • @ImeldaFinds
    @ImeldaFinds 2 года назад

    Was the compressor emptied of oil that it came with?

  • @greeneapple
    @greeneapple 9 лет назад

    Woah... You are amazing!

  • @yuliusade2735
    @yuliusade2735 10 лет назад

    Hi Ben,
    I was making a vacuum freeze dryer in home, but the result failed..
    my strawberry wasn't dry,,
    i have many question for you:
    1. is the vacuum pump still on when the process?
    2. what is the usage of cold trap?
    3. what is the temperature for cold trap? (i just use the ice and salt, is it enough?)
    thank you before

  • @normmorin8206
    @normmorin8206 2 года назад

    Can the dry ice be replaced by a refrigeration unit from a household refrigerator?

  • @Tifdexaler
    @Tifdexaler 9 лет назад +6

    Looks like fun making it but... way not worth the trouble, dude.
    Great job on the video! You're kinda like a professional ;-)

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  9 лет назад +2

      +Tifdexaler The whole point is the fun, I've only used the thing like 5 times :)

    • @daschundloverable
      @daschundloverable 8 лет назад

      HOw much would you charge to build me one? I have 2 disadvantages: 1). I am a female and 2). I am very disabled. Oh, and 3). I live alone. I want one really bad, but 4). I do not have $1,000's to buy one when I have a '02 minivan that needs work. Thanks.

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  8 лет назад +3

      The materials are almost 1000's and I don't have the time (I would have to charge a TON). Building it yourself is all the fun and a lot cheaper. You might be able to have a friend build it for you, or use someone else's shop. Being female isn't a disadvantage, just go for it!

    • @daschundloverable
      @daschundloverable 8 лет назад

      BenNBuilds The real disadvantage is being severely disabled. Want to sell yours? Have you seen the new ways to make your own electricity?

    • @lightdark00
      @lightdark00 7 лет назад

      daschundloverable I'm wondering why you want one so bad. Do you have access to lots of fruit at one point of the year? If so preserving might be a better option, and within your means. Even using a food dehydrator might be an option.

  • @Moralasclub
    @Moralasclub 4 года назад

    Awesome video!
    Can you explain me better how do you get -34ºF in the cooling system? What gas did you use?
    Thanks

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  4 года назад

      I just used the standard refrigerant, and -34F wasn't quite cold enough for freeze drying. A refrigerant such as Ethylene is necessary to reach the required temps. ruclips.net/video/mzeRvdnIP-I/видео.html

    • @SwingNeil
      @SwingNeil Год назад +1

      @@BenNBuilds Would -34F be workable if you ran the system at a slightly higher pressure? The triple point is at 611 Pa, so I would think that 50 to 100 Pa would still be low enough to prevent melting, while making the cold trap easier to build and operate?

  • @unknownkingdom
    @unknownkingdom 2 месяца назад

    How about a DIY spray dryer? Supposedly that is less expensive, at least at the industrial level.

  • @marcobaldi4858
    @marcobaldi4858 6 лет назад

    Hi, I don't really understand why the pump must be on for all the time.I red some explanations, and they explain that when the food looses the water, the water vapor rise the pressure aNd the pressure is the key for the process. I don't understand really good. When the food loose the water, we have in the first chamber water vapor and a rised pressure, but the water vapor goes in the second chamber where it become ice, so that we have not anymore gasses but solid and the pressure come back to the first stage.I think that maybe without the vacuum pump always on, the process needs perhaps more time, but it must work. Or not? Do I think wrongly? The pressure rises because there is not anymore vacuum because the water vapor, when it becomes ice, the vacuum is back and with it the pressure.

  • @hadleybee9710
    @hadleybee9710 4 года назад

    The water that comes out..is it the fourth phase of water?

  • @trevorfichtner3539
    @trevorfichtner3539 3 года назад

    3:24 "if you dont have access to dry ice a hacked water bubbler will work. Just wire it so the compressor always runs and it should get to -30f"
    .... do u have a video or could u please explain how to do that?

  • @BarabooBees
    @BarabooBees 7 лет назад

    LMFAO - That was great. As for the speed....I just watched a 10 minute video on how to use a metal canning machine - I wanted to scream he was just yammering on. He should watch this video. BenNBuilds could have done that video in 12 seconds.

  • @joesmoe71
    @joesmoe71 10 лет назад

    Awesome work! I soooo want to try doing that!
    Do you think that instead of using a cold trap I could get away with pumping the air though a chamber full of silica gel pellets?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад

      You may want to do some tests to make sure they still work under vacuum, but as long as it catches the water you're good

    • @joesmoe71
      @joesmoe71 10 лет назад

      BenNBuilds Thanks for the feedback!
      Good point, I hadn't considered what effect vacuum might have on their effectiveness. Someone else on RUclips freeze dried some apples by simply putting them in a jar with some silica packs, vacuum sealing it and leaving it in the freezer for a week, so at least on some level it works, whether it works enough is another matter.
      I'm eying a used Robinair 4cfm pump I may be able to snag for $100, if I get it I may start gearing up to try this, I'll let you know of the results.

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад +1

      Andrew Tornadoboy Sounds good! If you see the oil going cloudy fast than it's sucking too much water vapor. This also happens during normal use but it takes longer, if you don't catch the excess water from the food it stays in the vacuum pump oil and can damage stuff (in a rotary-vane type pump)

    • @joesmoe71
      @joesmoe71 10 лет назад

      BenNBuilds Another idea I'm pondering right now is getting an old water cooler and rigging it up with extra heat dissipation before the compressor with things like fans and heat sinks, hoping that maybe that along with bypassing the thermostat and filling the tank with alcohol will get it cool enough to be a cold trap. I'd love to be able to rig it up so as to need as little consumables like dry ice as possible.

  • @sedem911
    @sedem911 10 лет назад

    Hello Ben! this video is appetizing, makes u want for more...... Can u consider an intern from Ghana?

  • @JM-nh8yp
    @JM-nh8yp 10 лет назад

    Im sure someone asked this:
    What did it cost to build?
    And more importantly, whats the estimated average cost per pound to freeze dry food?
    Is the cost of your time, parts, materials, dry ice, etc going to be more than buying the food already preserved?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад

      It cost me about $150 to build.
      If you use dry ice for the cold trap it will be way more expensive to run. I used about 10lbs for 18 hours of drying, which is like 10$ every time +checking it every hour. With the hacked water bubblier the only consumable was electricity so it costs less than a dollar to fully dry stuff. If I got a bigger food chamber and fit a pound or two at a time It would get super cheap. If you used it all the time it probly wouldn't take long to break even

  • @wrxmarcus2
    @wrxmarcus2 Год назад

    A hacked "what" should work instead of dry ice?

  • @kbmbrown
    @kbmbrown 4 года назад

    what was the chiller you were using if you didn't have access to dry ice?

  • @Thahamster
    @Thahamster 10 лет назад

    Nice work BenNBuilds !
    I am doing this as a science project but got stuck. The one that lends me the pump said that it should be able to handle water vapor, so i skipped the cold trap (Dry ice is hard to get where i live) and i get below 200 pascal (just checked the pressure shortly because i borrowed the gauge) But as soon as the icecream gets subjected to room temperature, it melts even if the container is connected to the vacuum pump. You mentioned in another comment that the oil catches the water vapour, so maybe it gets oversaturated and then cannot dispose of all the water? The oil have only gone cloudy when air have leaked in.

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад +1

      You may just have to get your ice cream colder before you start. I froze mine past -50F so I had a nice time buffer before sublimation cooling kicked in. If your just pulling it out of the freezer (usually 20F) than that's your problem. Ice cream is meant to be soft and edible at those temperatures. You gotta deep freeze it.
      I encourage you to reconsider about the cold trap, Its easy enough to find a water bubblier or something.The pumps really can't handle all the water that is inside ice cream. 5oz of water is way to much for a rotary vane pump to handle. I assume whoever lent it to you didn't know it was intended for freeze drying. The water vapor present in just a couple cubic feet of regular air can be bad.

    • @Thahamster
      @Thahamster 10 лет назад

      BenNBuilds The teacher that lends me the pump is actually teaching relatable subjecs to refridgerator maintenance and according to him, there can be water vapor inside the cooling systems so they are built to handle some of that. I am planning to build a cold trap anyway because it adds some security to that the pump will not wreck, and i can also monitor it to see about how much that have left the icecream.
      I actually left the icecream subjected to *30C (-22F) under vacuum for 12 hours before i put it in room temperature, and it still melted. I also tried putting it in an icebox with cooling clamps around it so it would not heat up too fast, but it melted anyway. I am starting to think that the standard tubing with the 1/4" vacuum pump fitting may be too small.

  • @christopherstaples6758
    @christopherstaples6758 8 лет назад

    Great build
    do you think a freezer motor would work as vacuum or would it be too weak ?

    • @Houseofarrows
      @Houseofarrows Год назад

      They don’t produce a deep enough vacuum to be considered effective. Although they will register as a complete vacuum on a 29” Hg gauge, it won’t reach into the sub 500 micron you need for this type of purpose.

  • @jumpship88
    @jumpship88 4 года назад

    Can you please explain the hack you talked about at 3:27 I cant understand what youre saying and it's the most important part of the video for me please let me know I would appreciate it a ton

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  4 года назад

      Just pull all the guts out and bypass the temp sensor. Replacing the coolant may also be necessary, they don't get cold enough with stock refrigerant. I ended up setting up a two stage system to get down cold enough. ruclips.net/video/mzeRvdnIP-I/видео.html

  • @sexybluelady
    @sexybluelady 9 лет назад

    Where do you get the money to do all of these projects? Along with being able to afford tools and consumables?

  • @seanwilliamson9600
    @seanwilliamson9600 7 лет назад

    Hey BenNBuilds, thanks for this. I'm working on this build and I have a couple questions:
    1. What exactly is a water bubbler and where can I find one (wikipedia says it's just a drinking fountain)?
    2. What exactly is this hacked water bubbler used for? Is it just used to freeze the food instead of dry ice, or can it somehow be an alternative to dry ice + isopropyl alcohol as part of the freeze dryer moisture trap?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  7 лет назад

      Just one of those office water coolers that take those 5 gallon water tanks. They have small refrigeration loops in them, similar to what cools fridges but smaller.
      Its just an alternative to dry ice, but one loop on its own won't get cold enough (you would have to build a cascade with two to reach anything past -30, but that's a fair bit more complicated) so I really just used it as a supplement test less dry ice, but the effect was likely negligible and not worth it as dry ice is pretty cheap.

  • @EndlarStudios
    @EndlarStudios 7 лет назад

    How much did it all cost?

  • @TrueHelpTV
    @TrueHelpTV 11 месяцев назад

    it's a shame you stopped making videos

  • @Braeden123698745
    @Braeden123698745 8 лет назад +1

    Can that chamber be any bigger?

  • @SJ-nw3bl
    @SJ-nw3bl 9 лет назад

    Hi. I am going to build this freeze dryer! But I require some of the details that I am not clear on:
    As far as I can understand from the video, you have to drill 3 holes in each aluminium plate. 2 are the same size and one is larger. Can you provide the sizes in mm?
    Also you use 2 types of barbs (?) Is it possible to tell exactly what the names of the 2 types are? Can I get them at a hardware?
    Where can I purchase a vacuum gauge and pump? Is it easy to get?
    Do you have any heating element in the main food chamber?
    Thank you!

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  9 лет назад +1

      Shaakira J Go for it!
      I drilled and tapped one 1/2" NPT hole in the food chamber plate and two 1/2" NPT holes in the cold trap plate. I also added a 1/4" NPT hole in the food chamber plate for a gauge. The sizes aren't super critical, but I wouldn't go much smaller than 1/2" NPT (~18mm hole).
      I used 1" hose witch was a bit big, just go for 3/4 ID it will be a TON cheaper and easier www.pchemlabs.com/subcatagoryb.asp?pid=PVC-Clear-Spring-Reinforced
      I just got the hose barbs and adapters off amazon www.amazon.com/dp/B000LNMQTO/ref=biss_dp_t_asn
      And an A/C service pump, anything above 3CFM will work www.amazon.com/Arksen-Single-Rotary-Vacuum-Refrigeran/dp/B00E8SXLOC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1425624780&sr=8-6&
      To heat the food in the main chamber I used a IR lamp (from the pet store)

  • @ton1
    @ton1 10 лет назад

    Nice Build! What happens if you don't cool it? Wouldn't it suffice to just put in the deep freezer with around -15°C?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад

      Thank you!
      Water will be a vapor in a vacuum above -35ish, -50 to be safe. if all the water from your food went into the vacuum pump it would wreck it possibly after just a couple hours of pumping. The water just collects in the pump oil and rusts all the inner components very quickly. The vapor trap stops that from happening only because it's cold enough to freeze the water inside a vacuum

    • @ton1
      @ton1 10 лет назад

      ^^? So it would be okay, if i put the food upside down on a gitter? Then it might work?

    • @BenNBuilds
      @BenNBuilds  10 лет назад

      Dito Not sure what you mean, the food needs to be exposed to vacuum

  • @DavidBylsma
    @DavidBylsma 9 лет назад

    great vid....you da boss

  • @noneya96
    @noneya96 3 года назад

    I need to be able to get to -80c can i do it with this unit ?

  • @falcothegreat5470
    @falcothegreat5470 4 года назад

    Candy works best for freeze drying

  • @user-xo3ij2tp6n
    @user-xo3ij2tp6n Год назад

    What is the dry ice alternative bubbler thing?

  • @Whisky.
    @Whisky. Год назад

    what can we use instead of dry ice?

  • @trevorfichtner3539
    @trevorfichtner3539 3 года назад

    How come the food doesn't need a freeze chamber? I thought it had to be at water freezing temp to sublimate, which is even lower inside a vacuum. You and another person have the same thing going on and I'm confused why the food doesn't need a cold chamber

    • @trevorfichtner3539
      @trevorfichtner3539 3 года назад

      You just super freeze the food and that usually lasts long enough to keep it in the vacuum chamber ?