Three Solar Food Dehydrators - solar energy at work!

http://www.permies.com

The first solar dehydrator is shown by robert and marina at dell artimus farm. The solar heat comes from a heated panel at the bottom, and there is a black chimney at the top that creates a draw. They use a stainless steel screen. The dryer is a year and a half old. They have dried beans, flowers, cherries, grapes (raisins), kale, walnuts and apples. They tried some tomatoes, but those ended up as pig food.

Matt at feral farm shows a "down draft solar dehydrator." The solar heat enters at the top and then goes down. Because as it gathers moisture, the solar heated air gets heavier. He has nettles in there.

Mark Vander Meer, of wildland conservation service in Missoula, Montana shows off his solar food dehydrator still loaded with dried plums. Those plums have been in there all fall, winter and most of the spring. He talks about trying to dry fruit with electric food dehydrators and how expensive that was. This solar dehydrator also uses the down draft technique. He says plums take three days and apples take a day and a half.

These are all passive systems. There are no fans.

Relevant threads at permies:
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/3562_0/cooking-and-food-preservati...
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/762_0/organic-sustainable-practice...
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/6556_0/alternative-energy/safe-mat...

music by Jimmy Pardo

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• dehydrator
• solar dehydrator
• dryer
• food
• energy
• passive
• diy
• missoula
• heat
• eco
• green
• permaculture
• organic
• sustainability
• passive solar heating

[GreedIsYourGod]

Paul, Thank You for doing these videos! I know they are fun, but it is also a valuable service very much needed in this world right now! We do realize they take valuable time out of your life to do them. Tell me (I don't remember seeing it) but is there an indexed pointer section on Permies that points to not just your's but other good stream-able Permie type videos?) Also could you do a video update of your personal favorite Permie resources?

[paulwheaton12]

@GreedIsYourGod you could start a thread at permies for whatever types of videos you want. I try to keep most of my personal rants in articles or podcasts.

[My10Acres]

Any source for the plans, or at least a cut away drawing? I'm having trouble visualizing the downdraft in my head.

[paulwheaton12]

@My10Acres come ask your question at permies.com and I'll see if I can get some pics posted there.

[henchman99942]

Hey.

Would using very cool air for the intake further speed things along? Cool air holds less moisture. If you warm up already cool air, that air is ready to absorb lots more moisture. So would a pre-cooling pipe be in order? Moisture would come out as the air cooled, so it would condense on the pipe all. Maybe even a dehumidifier using passive flow creek water or something would work. Just snow-balling ideas.

[henchman99942]

Howdy.

I have looked at some youtube videos with people talking about solar dehydrators. I am not impressed. There seems to be a lot of people out there interested in making videos for the sake of making videos. This one brought me new info. Thank you.

This idea of a "down draft" solar dehydrator sounds interesting. I agree that it is dry air flowing over your food that dehydrates it, not heat. I plan on building a dehydrator for storing food in 2012. I will do more research.

[FrugalMummy]

Thankyou for sharing this :)

[ajmotnt]

Paul, I like your videos. I love how you sign off every one with "allllll the time" -- classic. But it seems like you are a mouth-breather? I can hear you breathing kind of heavily in every video. Gotta get that under control bud! Or you'll never make it to the big time! Or, will that be another endearing trait that defines your particular charm? Ha!

[popapape]

Hey how about solar cooler

[OKflyboy]

I've always been curious - is there ever and issue with bug infiltration? I can hardly keep the ants out of my kitchen and bathroom in the summer, wouldn't they be going nuts on something like this?

[MariTH1024]

has anyone tried one of these in a humid climate? I'm from south fl, get plenty of sun most of the year but it can get really humid, would this still work?

[TheLeslie244]

I wonder if thi would work up here in Alaska.....

[katekaterinake]

the reporter is funny!



[TheCatfishClayton]

What if you used that draft to power a sort of wind mill thingy???