Phil, Thanks for the video. Enjoy learning from the efforts you have put into freeze drying. Just for giggles, I looked through Grainger at filters rated for high vacuum and could get to 5 micron or lower. They have them but you could buy a new pump for what those things run. Most were $1k-$3k depending on setup. I'm sure they were made for industrial grade applications. Just a fun fact to throw out there. I do like the idea though and hopefully HR will come up with a less expensive approach in the future.
Have you considered a trap, come out of the FD to a T one end pointed up to the pump the other down to a 3/4 ID short hose with a cap to catch water and chunks ect.
The problem with traps and filters is the amount of vacuum. At 500 mtorr and below, water is a vapor (water boils at 77 degrees) , and remains a vapor until it passes the vanes of the vacuum pump. I have passed the vapors through a desiccant filter, but the desiccant wouldn't trap any moisture. Simple filters will catch food chucks (particulates).
Frank Lindhart made this for the pump to help with filtration and cleaning oil. F/R voided all warranties on the freezer that used it, it is all metal with hose attachments. I still have mine agter 8 years, it is wonderful.
Great video 👍 side question i cant seem to get an answer for or maybe the math is just to complicated....but ill throw it out there it doesn't have to be exact but just roughly, so, the freeze dryer measures pressure in Mtorr, now how many feet above sea level would one have to go up to get around the 200-300 Mtorr?
You can get to 200-300 Mtorr via vacuum pump at any attitude. but to reach this vacuum naturally you would need to reach an altitude of 53 to 55 miles above the earth. This range marks the edge of the mesosphere and enters the thermosphere, where atmospheric density becomes very thin and transitions into the near-vacuum of space.
@Philat4800feet lol, thank you very much phill I couldn't have asked for a better answer , and yea that's what I meant to say was naturally how high up would the 2-300 mtorr be essentially the inside of my machine is the same (roughly) as the 55ish miles up 👍
I have seen a couple people instead hookup a hose to the pump drain valve and send it through a filter on a continuous or n- minute interval to clean the oil. What do you think about that technique?
I do this. My oil is always clean. I have sent oil samples into the same lab that @Philat4800feet uses and the particulate counts are low. I use a thermal switch to turn on the pump that circulates the oil through a filter and oil cooler. The filter has a water trap and I have never had any water accumulate in the oil trap. I use a Premier Pump. I had to tap the drain outlet with 1/8" npt and drill and tap a hole in the tank to return the filtered and cooled oil.
@@richarddavies6657 wow that is interesting. I was just going to program a small Arduino to set a small pump to circulate the oil every so often. Why cool the oil? I would think a warm oil would lubricate better.
Hi Phil, I was watching your rebuild of the Premier Pump, as I rebuilt mine after I was done, I had a tiny plug left over! I went back and watched the video again but there was no mention of a plug. Can you tell, or give me a reference where it goes?
I'm trying to think of what your plug may be and what section of the pump it may have come off. Can you describe it better? Is it plastic amber colored?
In my video I point out where the manufacture used an epoxy resin to seal holes and passageways. I believe that "plug" is an epoxy plug that fell out. You'll need to examine the body of the pump and see if you can find it. For example look at my video time index 12:36 and 14:28. You'll see three amber epoxy plugs in the body of the pump.
If the food before being loaded into the Freeze Dryer is pre-frozen to a temperature well below 0F (-18C). Does this oil bacterial contamination exist to a magnitude of concern?
Hey, Watched you video on cleaning the HR premium pump. Did you every find the O ring seal for outer case. I had a issue.. used your video as a help.. used caution with oRing But its got a leak.. slow. But leaks. Spare parts? Update? Thanks
@Philat4800feet no I am not sure there is not a leak, it finished a load and next day wouldn't pull vacuum less than 700mt. I am not sure where to start but thought pump might be culprit. Harvest right tech support isn't very good so trying to avoid them
@@Philat4800feet i will get one. I also got the stuff to reseal the machine. Will give it a go tomorrow, I just assumed it was the pump without doing a through check up. The loss in vacuum came on so fast.
My owners manual states filter approximately every 20 loads. Sooner if it becomes dark or cloudy. I'm very concerned after watching this vidio about the food safety of my products. Also HR has not reached out to me about more frequent filtering you mentioned. I would think they should have if only to limit their liability to their customers. Thank you for sharing this information.
For those who run their FD a lot, it may not be a problem. The concern would be those who run their FD perhaps monthly and let the oil idle for long periods of time.
I changed oil in my freeze dryer every 20 batches using the Robinair oil! I ordered a gallon of Black Gold and was going to start using it because of all the moisture problems, my oil looked like that stuff Phil was just showing, I never got to try it, the pump failed on the last batch! The new pump is in route. I will take Phil's advice and change every cycle! and use the Black Gold. Total batches on that pump was 163 or about 5,215 hours with a average o 32 hours a batch
@@Philat4800feet I know I asked you recently what oil you used and I bought a gallon.It failed on the electrical side, it started and ran for a couple of minutes and stoped then it started again and ran a couple of minutes and quit! I unplugged it and plugged it in a different outlet to make sure it wasn't the Harvest Right problem It has gave me fits with water in the oil, when I would change it the oil was nasty and would never separate , I only ran about 163 or so batches, but I don't know how long these pumps are supposed to last! I have the premiere pump.
I live on the Gulf coast where we have high humidity. I built a room just for the HR and put in a Air Conditioner I am also going to put in dehumidifier in there also!
Why all the fittings? Just screw the FM JIC into the filter and not use all the pipe. Use pipe dope not tape, don't over tighten and mine works fine but never gets dirty. Under vacuum their is no vacuum movement in the chamber and the crud is not directed to any one place, it just sticks to the ice. Another way to cut down on crud moving around is to wrap the tray holder to not only hold in the heat but any crud that may pop off the food.
Phil, Thanks for the video. Enjoy learning from the efforts you have put into freeze drying. Just for giggles, I looked through Grainger at filters rated for high vacuum and could get to 5 micron or lower. They have them but you could buy a new pump for what those things run. Most were $1k-$3k depending on setup. I'm sure they were made for industrial grade applications. Just a fun fact to throw out there. I do like the idea though and hopefully HR will come up with a less expensive approach in the future.
Good info. Thanks.
Thanks for this.
Have you considered a trap, come out of the FD to a T one end pointed up to the pump the other down to a 3/4 ID short hose with a cap to catch water and chunks ect.
The problem with traps and filters is the amount of vacuum. At 500 mtorr and below, water is a vapor (water boils at 77 degrees) , and remains a vapor until it passes the vanes of the vacuum pump. I have passed the vapors through a desiccant filter, but the desiccant wouldn't trap any moisture. Simple filters will catch food chucks (particulates).
Frank Lindhart made this for the pump to help with filtration and cleaning oil. F/R voided all warranties on the freezer that used it, it is all metal with hose attachments. I still have mine agter 8 years, it is wonderful.
If there wasn't any innovation we would be driving model T's. If HR doesn't innovate, they will be a footnote in the history books of freeze drying.
What's F/R?
He meant HR for Harvest Right@@warrenm374
Great video 👍 side question i cant seem to get an answer for or maybe the math is just to complicated....but ill throw it out there it doesn't have to be exact but just roughly, so, the freeze dryer measures pressure in Mtorr, now how many feet above sea level would one have to go up to get around the 200-300 Mtorr?
You can get to 200-300 Mtorr via vacuum pump at any attitude. but to reach this vacuum naturally you would need to reach an altitude of 53 to 55 miles above the earth. This range marks the edge of the mesosphere and enters the thermosphere, where atmospheric density becomes very thin and transitions into the near-vacuum of space.
@Philat4800feet lol, thank you very much phill I couldn't have asked for a better answer , and yea that's what I meant to say was naturally how high up would the 2-300 mtorr be essentially the inside of my machine is the same (roughly) as the 55ish miles up 👍
I have seen a couple people instead hookup a hose to the pump drain valve and send it through a filter on a continuous or n- minute interval to clean the oil. What do you think about that technique?
I do this. My oil is always clean. I have sent oil samples into the same lab that @Philat4800feet uses and the particulate counts are low. I use a thermal switch to turn on the pump that circulates the oil through a filter and oil cooler. The filter has a water trap and I have never had any water accumulate in the oil trap. I use a Premier Pump. I had to tap the drain outlet with 1/8" npt and drill and tap a hole in the tank to return the filtered and cooled oil.
@@richarddavies6657 wow that is interesting. I was just going to program a small Arduino to set a small pump to circulate the oil every so often. Why cool the oil? I would think a warm oil would lubricate better.
I think changing the oil after the batch is good enough for me
You are a hardcore freeze drier.
Hi Phil, I was watching your rebuild of the Premier Pump, as I rebuilt mine after I was done, I had a tiny plug left over! I went back and watched the video again but there was no mention of a plug. Can you tell, or give me a reference where it goes?
I'm trying to think of what your plug may be and what section of the pump it may have come off. Can you describe it better? Is it plastic amber colored?
@@Philat4800feet yes, it's plastic, light brown, the top looks like it indented a bit.
In my video I point out where the manufacture used an epoxy resin to seal holes and passageways. I believe that "plug" is an epoxy plug that fell out. You'll need to examine the body of the pump and see if you can find it. For example look at my video time index 12:36 and 14:28. You'll see three amber epoxy plugs in the body of the pump.
If the food before being loaded into the Freeze Dryer is pre-frozen to a temperature well below 0F (-18C). Does this oil bacterial contamination exist to a magnitude of concern?
No. Any contamination, if there is any, is in the pump, and it remains in the pump. It can't travel backwards to the FD.
Hey, Watched you video on cleaning the HR premium pump.
Did you every find the O ring seal for outer case.
I had a issue.. used your video as a help.. used caution with oRing
But its got a leak.. slow. But leaks.
Spare parts? Update? Thanks
If it's the main o-ring HR has replacements gaskets
After 150 loads I just had an inadequate vacuum message. Do you know a place I can get a rebuild kit for premium pump?
I've been on HR for years to supply a rebuild kit for their pumps. Are you sure it's a pump issue? Not a leak or vacuum sensor?
@Philat4800feet no I am not sure there is not a leak, it finished a load and next day wouldn't pull vacuum less than 700mt. I am not sure where to start but thought pump might be culprit.
Harvest right tech support isn't very good so trying to avoid them
I have a handheld micron vacuum gauge (cost $120) with a JIC fitting that I plumbed into my pump with a tee so I always know if my pump is working.
@@Philat4800feet i will get one. I also got the stuff to reseal the machine. Will give it a go tomorrow, I just assumed it was the pump without doing a through check up. The loss in vacuum came on so fast.
Could your type of filter prevent Skittle Oil?
I don't think so, because it's more of a vapor.
My owners manual states filter approximately every 20 loads. Sooner if it becomes dark or cloudy. I'm very concerned after watching this vidio about the food safety of my products. Also HR has not reached out to me about more frequent filtering you mentioned. I would think they should have if only to limit their liability to their customers. Thank you for sharing this information.
For those who run their FD a lot, it may not be a problem. The concern would be those who run their FD perhaps monthly and let the oil idle for long periods of time.
I changed oil in my freeze dryer every 20 batches using the Robinair oil! I ordered a gallon of Black Gold and was going to start using it because of all the moisture problems, my oil looked like that stuff Phil was just showing, I never got to try it, the pump failed on the last batch! The new pump is in route. I will take Phil's advice and change every cycle! and use the Black Gold. Total batches on that pump was 163 or about 5,215 hours with a average o 32 hours a batch
I recommend Black Gold. How did your pump fail?
@@Philat4800feet I know I asked you recently what oil you used and I bought a gallon.It failed on the electrical side, it started and ran for a couple of minutes and stoped then it started again and ran a couple of minutes and quit! I unplugged it and plugged it in a different outlet to make sure it wasn't the Harvest Right problem It has gave me fits with water in the oil, when I would change it the oil was nasty and would never separate , I only ran about 163 or so batches, but I don't know how long these pumps are supposed to last! I have the premiere pump.
I live on the Gulf coast where we have high humidity. I built a room just for the HR and put in a Air Conditioner I am also going to put in dehumidifier in there also!
Ok, the bowl of Bacteria looks really gross. So, thank you for the information on filtering.
Why all the fittings? Just screw the FM JIC into the filter and not use all the pipe. Use pipe dope not tape, don't over tighten and mine works fine but never gets dirty. Under vacuum their is no vacuum movement in the chamber and the crud is not directed to any one place, it just sticks to the ice. Another way to cut down on crud moving around is to wrap the tray holder to not only hold in the heat but any crud that may pop off the food.
Yup, I'm sure there's a better way. Blue Alpine has their filter inside the chamber. Simple and elegance.