First a quick shout out on this post. I just claimed my first month of Larynx tokens for 3speak!
I'm a bit unsure on what to do with them but at least I have them claimed now and have time to figure it out.
If you haven't seen my unboxing video you can check it out here on 3speak
To get your freeze dryer setup you will need the pump (oil or oil-less) . I decided to get the oil pump myself, power cables and drain hose along with the main unit.
In the back of the main unit there will be two plugs in the base of the unit. Connect your power cable into the wall and then into the back of the main unit. NOTE: I got the medium unit for myself as the large unit does require a 110v outlet with a dedicated 20 amp circuit. The medium and small units do not require this.
Next is setting up the pump. In this example I'll be going over the oil pump which I picked out over the oil-less. The reason I got the oil pump is even though it's a little more work with oil the oil-less requires it to be sent in for maintenance every 2-3 years.
Place the pump on a flat surface next to the main freeze dryer unit. Add oil into the pump so it's exactly in the middle marker located on the front of the pump. From here you will connect the oil line hose from the pump to the unit.
Next, connect the vacuum hose from the pump to the freeze dryer. Hand-tighten each connection. Don’t over-tighten. I had no problem getting a secure seal just using my hands. I ran multiple batches without any vacuum leaks!
Once everything is connected, flip the switches on the back of the pump and freeze dryer to ON, which is “—” on the buttons. “O” is for OFF and “—” is for ON. Once on, the freeze dryer screen will come alive!
Click the circle leaf logo in the top left to run functional tests before starting your first batch. Starting with the freeze, you will want to toggle “on” by pressing the “on/off” button below the word “Freeze.” The refrigeration condenser will kick on. Close the door and ensure the drain valve is closed by having the knob perpendicular to the hose. The drain valve is open when the knob runs in line with the hose.
Run the condenser for 30 minutes; then turn on the vacuum by pressing “on/off” below the word “Vacuum.” The vacuum pump will turn on, and within 20 to 30 minutes, the Pressure reading should decrease below 500mTorr. When the Pressure dips below 500mTorr, testing is successful. Press DONE and EXIT. You are ready for your first batch!
In my next video I'll be showing you my first run of the freeze dryer and doing a taste test!
Do you enjoy podcasts? Did you know I have my own? Give it a listen at Gubba Podcast
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