# Solar powered food dehydator



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Does anyone have a solar food dehydrator that works well?

Or a homemade electric heated one?

I would like to build one large enough to dry 20 lbs of tomatoes at a time.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Yes. I converted an upright freezer into a solar dehydrator. All I've used it for is drying spent grain from brewing.
WWW


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

There's also this thread in Homesteading questions about solar dehydrators. It looks like all the links didn't update to the new format.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/thank-you-paul-wheaton.413579/

WW


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

wy_white_wolf said:


> There's also this thread in Homesteading questions about solar dehydrators. It looks like all the links didn't update to the new format.
> 
> http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/thank-you-paul-wheaton.413579/
> 
> WW


Thanks. It's hard to beat an old freezer for convenience and cost. It would need some kind of heat controlled vents and fan.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Mine doesn't have a fan or heat controlled vents. Thermosyphon of relatively hot air wanting to rise and cold air fall controls the air flow according to how much heat is available. Build it solar has a few more examples.

WWW


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It's important to have lots of air flow and not too hot or the food will crust over sealing it. Then it will mold. I would want to check and see how well it self regulates.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Some possible projects here for the DIY'er - Great Resource site: http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooking/cooking.htm#Drying


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