Sisters Drain Valve Vacuum Leak (and some clouds with music)
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- For those that were hoping we would get a vacuum leak so we could learn how to fix it, you're in luck, it happened. At least a little.
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We have been buying oxygen absorbers and 7 mil Mylar bags from PackFreshUSA since early 2018. During all that time (1000's of bag and oxygen absorbers, and about 6 year before before we added this affiliate link) we have been happy with the products and service we have received from them.
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Harvest Right - If you are thinking of buying a freeze dryer, please consider supporting us by purchasing through our link. It helps us and costs you nothing!
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Before buying a freeze dryer, perhaps research to find out more about the downside of the machine; some people have problems with their machine and it's big and heavy and hard to return!
When trying to decide what to freeze dry you can start by asking why.
Start by asking yourself this question. Why are you freeze drying food? Knowing this should help you decide what you should freeze dry first.
I'm freeze drying because:
Just to freeze dry leftovers?
You want to make your own food for camping/backpacking?
For if/when the SHTF?
For a short term emergency?
You have your own garden and want to freeze dry the food?
You love Costco but don't have a family of 6?
You are good at finding the food sales but only have 1 freezer?
When you cook homemade chili just for yourself you make 10 gallons? Because you have 3 full freezers and are worried about power outages?
If I knew then what I know now, I would have freeze dried things in a different order. Or maybe not, because I started freeze drying because we had 3 full freezers, I was thinking of getting another one, and I decided I should buy a walk-in freezer instead. I started looking into walk-ins and realized they were expensive to buy (even used ones) AND expensive to own and operate. Then I found out Harvest Right was making home sized freeze dryers. One of my first thoughts was "I like Mountain House!" I have used their food for backpacking almost 45 years and we even kept some in our travel trailer, for just in case.
Freeze dried food will stay fresh for many years and be ready and waiting when you need it.
We do videos showing how we are using our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer to freeze dry food for long term storage. (We have the medium size machine that we got in August of 2017) We talk about how to load and unload the freeze dryer, how to know if the food is dry, is it better to freeze dry raw food or cooked food, and do a few taste tests. Freeze dried food is also great for prepping or just for camping and snacking!
We have been getting our Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for PackFreshUSA.com and have been happy with the products and service we have received from them. --They are not a sponsor, we just like their stuff.
Mylar bags: packfreshusa.c...
Want to support this channel? Buy me a coffee :-) www.buymeacoffee.com/DanZm
AFFILIATE LINKS & REFERRALS - I earn from qualifying purchases from the links provided
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As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases from the links provided. By clicking on the links, you can explore the products and tools I use.
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PackFreshUSA
We have been buying oxygen absorbers and 7 mil Mylar bags from PackFreshUSA since early 2018. During all that time (1000's of bag and oxygen absorbers, and about 6 year before before we added this affiliate link) we have been happy with the products and service we have received from them.
I earn from qualifying purchases from the links provided. - packfreshusa.com/?rfsn=7877576.a54e2a
Use the discount code "SchoolReports5" to get 10% off your first purchase when using the link.
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Harvest Right - If you are thinking of buying a freeze dryer, please consider supporting us by purchasing through our link. It helps us and costs you nothing!
affiliates.harvestright.com/995.html
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Before buying a freeze dryer, perhaps research to find out more about the downside of the machine; some people have problems with their machine and it's big and heavy and hard to return!
Thanks for the video and the useful diagnostic tips.
My valve rusted out. Got a new far superior quality one from harvest right for $15
Your a very brave man to fly anywhere these days.😊😊😊😊
🤣Not that it was relevant in any way to freeze drying! But there were some pretty clouds.
We had a trip planned and booked for August 2020. Us and the kids were going to go to a major theme park in Florida (mouse) for what I figured would be the last chance in our lives to go on a vacation as a family (And a big anniversary for us). And then the stupid people of the world shut down the world. After that we've never had a chance when we could all have the same time available to go anywhere.
The airline had extended the "value" of our nonrefundable tickets a couple of times, but the end of the final time was in a couple weeks, so a ride in an airplane to Seattle, hang around for 5 hours (Go to Wendy's) then fly back home. I would have hated to get nothing for our tickets. One kid did manage to fly and visit a friend with their ticket.
Had to change the stock ball valve on mine after a year or so. Was very corroded inside and was the source of my leak. Swapped it with a Milton brass ball valve from Amazon and runs great now.
👍👍👍👍👍
👍❤️👍❤️👍
After 3 years of use the ball valve on our freeze dryer developed rust and a very small vacuum leak. Replaced ball valve with a marine grade stainless steel ball valve. Also made sure the hose and ball valve was orientated straight down so water did not pool. So far no further problem with a vacuum leak at the ball valve.
Thanks!
On my machine the valve looks completely the same as hers, at least from the outside. It's been working flawlessly for 6 1/2 years. Do you know which valve you used for the replacement?
Before she ever used her machine I routed her drain hose (and zip tied it in place) so it could never pool water in it. I'm glad you mentioned it, I never think to tell people about doing it.
@@SchoolReports We are not quite sure of the manufacturer, but it was either a Groco, Perko or an Apollo marine ball valve. The ball valve looks just like the Harvest Right ball valve but the quality is better and the ball and valve is stainless steel. When you close the ball valve, you can feel the valve tighten and then go just slightly tighter. They too can fail, but should last longer. This is something that will have to be purchased from a marine store. You will not find it in a standard hardware store.
@@shannonr6388 Thanks so much for the info. If/when we need to replace my sister's valve (and mine:) I'll look for those.
Do you have a video on cleaning you freeze dryer when something spills over? Like cheese or a sweet treat?
I do have videos show how _we_ clean our machines. (No matter what we've spilled:)
I get some grief from some people for using bleach, but I'll stick with the method recommended by the FDA and used by most commercial kitchens for many, many decades and is something I already have on hand. A weak solution of bleach. www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis "...sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water"
I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, I'm just trying to show what I do and why, and show resources when I can.
Cleaning - Between Batch 4 Eggs, and Batch 5 Potatoes - ua-cam.com/video/fQmK-0UIhcw/v-deo.htmlsi=PSK1q09sU6l6rlBh
Cleaning - Between Batch 25 and Batch 26 - ua-cam.com/video/tLjLEB5pp9Q/v-deo.htmlsi=_drJLsHbjFVsips3
Cleaning the Harvest Right Drain Hose - ua-cam.com/video/n7-GQVS-T7c/v-deo.htmlsi=mAeu23jTYZTr0uOO
Remember, I'm just another idiot on the internet. I look at what commercial companies are doing. If they can do it, we probably can too. (with method adjustments)
"If you read it on the Internet, it's absolutely true!" - Abraham Lincoln
we just changed mine. it was getting so hard to turn I barely could turn it on. we replaced it with one bought at hardware store and it never would get below 1600mt, we had another one and changed it and it only took it 6 minutes to get under 500. one of these days I hope you will show how to tear apart the one it came with and clean it up good. I ordered one from HR and paid 60dollars for it. when it came it was that new set up and I have no idea how that works so it is still in the box.
That is the plan! Tear it apart; that's the beauty of broken things, I don't have to worry about breaking it. 😁It takes so little air to make a huge pressure difference. I'll try to show that on the valve tear-down video.
Changed valves twice, new hose, still fail. Looking forward to your next video on this to hopefully inspire my husband to take time for figuring it out. 😁
A part 2 of this is coming out very soon. (Minutes?) I just an update on how fast the leak is.
@@SchoolReports forgive me, but I got a little excited and happy to learn you had a vacuum leak. 😳
I know you will figure yours out, hoping many of us can be helped too. 🙂
For a few minutes, I thought you were a pilot as well. Can't wait to see how you fix the valve
🤣No, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!
Remember those commercials? Holiday Inn Express Helicopter commercial - ua-cam.com/video/l8Ah8WTL2i8/v-deo.html
@@SchoolReports haha yup. I was also going to quote independence day, "I'm fly, I'm pilot"
UHUH! okie dokie this is what i will try next , not that i ever wish anyone has troubles with their machines but tell your sister thankyou :) And thankyou YOU ! ill let you know how it goes ,
An easy test for a leak _through_ the valve is to just put the hose in a container of water while it's under vacuum (with the valve closed!) and see if it starts to suck water up. Of course this only tells you if it's leaking _through_ the valve not _at_ the valve; there could still be a leak at the valve stem or connections. You can remove the valve and use a rubber stopper (or some kind of non-porous stopper) to eliminate the valve from the equation.
@@SchoolReports Thankyou :)
@@kerry1963qld Please check out the comment thread down below with sherrellloyst1296 - it was all about vacuum issues.
What year and model is hers? I have been watching you and learning. I am so afraid to drop the money and have issues- what i seen you share is amazing
She has a medium machine from mid/late 2022. (Mine is a mid 2017 medium) Her machine has done about 120 (130?) batches and mine has done about 650 batches.
Thank you for all that you share!@@SchoolReports
@@moniquekilmer7618 😁 I don't what to dissuade anyone from getting a freeze dryer, but I also want people to understand what they are actually getting into and have realistic expectations.
And they are big and heavy and hard to return. 😁
mine takes so long to get below 500 mtorrs and I changed that valve with no difference
Chances are there is nothing I can long distance. But:
How long does yours take to get to 2500? To 500?
What's the lowest number it goes to?
Which vacuum pump do you have?
Which freeze dryer do you have?
How old is it?
Has it always taken that long?
@@SchoolReports it is a small and it is about 2 years old, I bought it from my cousin who bought it but did not use it at all, but she had it for about a year and I have had it about a year. For the first 6 months it worked great but after that all of a sudden it would not go below 500 mtorr. I have a premium pump and changed the oil twice, I also ordered a new hose to go from the freeze dryer to the pump and changed the valve on the drain hose. It is a Harvest Right. I also bought the self fusing tape for the fittings and short of taking the back off and checking the fittings and hoses on the inside I have made no headway. I also updated the software and when I did that it at least will do a load now but it takes hours to get below 500 mtorr and even then I think the lowest I have seen is 250 mtorr. I live in Canada and have no idea where to even look for anyone who can check the hoses on the inside. In the beginning doing a vacuum test it would go below 500 in about 15 minutes but not any more and it is also on a stable table and does not get moved around at all so I am at a loss.
@@sherrellloyst1296 I truly would love to travel around in our van, camping and help fix viewers machines! (Maybe next summer;) It's so much easier diagnose the issues, hands on and with the duplicate parts that we have. Just swap out components until you find the one that lets it hold a vacuum.
There is only one hose connection on the inside of our case and it's not super likely to suddenly start leaking.
Here is a video showing some of the guts; I didn't take it all the way apart. I'd be happy to show more details if you need them. New 2022 Harvest Right Freeze Dryer vs 2017 Freeze Dryer - ua-cam.com/video/91gEssGQsYw/v-deo.htmlsi=1ctIQtOINh1o86rw
If I were to guess - and that's all I can do right now because the drive to your place is probably a bit too far. (Meet me at the border and bring your machine!) - I'd still go with either minor vacuum leaks (it doesn't take much! A single hair across a seal and it will fail) or the vacuum pump. But the fact that it changed suddenly, to me, is more suggestive of a leak and not a vacuum pump. With our medium machines we typically see the pressure go below 2500 between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 minutes and 500 around 7 or 8 minutes. Assuming the same pump with the smaller machine I would expect similar or a bit better. Any chance you could try a known good vacuum pump on yours to rule that out? (Again, the vacuum pump seems the least likely from your description)
If you could download the machine data we could see if that tells us anything. (I have a video:)
All the vacuum tests are best done with an empty machine. You don't even need the rack in place.
Vacuum leak detection on a Harvest Right - Using Helium - With Brian from Leybold - ua-cam.com/video/zWgrC-Yb87o/v-deo.htmlsi=DwitRnFzVy_gkH-e
You can also spray a bit of soapy water around the seal while it is vacuuming. It can show an micro leaks/cracks.
Empty Chamber Vacuum Test - ua-cam.com/video/W5lbz4Bvpww/v-deo.html
How to Confirm and Fix an Epoxy Leak - ua-cam.com/video/8x72uE8M1dY/v-deo.html (My older machine's firmware is a bit different so I do it a little differently)
Side note: If I had a vacuum leak at the sensor epoxy plug area, I'd probably consider using liquid tape instead of more epoxy for the repair. I'm surprised that epoxy works for this job. I would not have thought it would be flexible enough to withstand the cycling temperature and pressure changes. (Of course I'm not an epoxy scientist and know very little about epoxy!)
I would think that any of the low viscosity, self curing, flexible, liquid rubber type products would work great. I would have the vacuum running while applying it so it would be drawn into any leaking crack or crevice.
@@SchoolReports I live very close to the border and total only a 4 hour drive from Duluth, Mn so if you are anywhere near there lol
@@SchoolReports Well sometimes the simplest or should be obvious thing to check, I did the vacuum test without the tray in and it worked perfectly, so then I put the tray back in and when closing the door it fell off. Turned out the bottom bolt fell out and down came the door. I got the door back on and I am not perfect but it was below 1000 mtorr within 5 minutes and now waiting to see how long it will take to get below 500 mtorr. Lesson learned (I have a special need child and who knows what he tinkers with when your back is turned) check the bolts for the door to be sure they are secure. At least that is some of the issue.