How to make a fruit dryer, vegetables, mushrooms, meat and fish with their own hands

A dehydrator is a device, which is a food dryer (green, fish, meat, mushrooms, nuts, vegetables and fruits). You can also use the device, to cook healthy (dried, without any other treatment) food, example, different desserts, bread from sprouted cereals, cookies, chips, etc.. Lovers of needlework create dry flower bouquets with the help of the device, papier-mâché items, herbarium and other decorative items. Dehydration of products in the device is due to the action of warm air, infrared or sunlight.

Shop appliances are quite expensive. They allow you to maintain a constant set temperature inside the drying chamber. Making a dehydrator with your own hands is an opportunity for everyone to save on the device and get the device, which allows you to quickly dry the products in the required amount.

Homemade dryer from an old refrigerator

Homemade dryer can be made from an old refrigerator. This will be a good dehydrator for fruits and vegetables.

Manufacturing algorithm

The process of making a dryer from the refrigerator is as follows.

1. Carefully dismantle the compressor, radiator and freezer, to prevent damage to the tube and to prevent leakage of the working substance (refrigerant).
2. Remove the inner skin and insulation, leaving a sealing rubber band on the door.
3. In place, where the compressor was installed, mount the fan.
4. From above (on the roof) make a hole in the refrigerator under the pipe (enough two-meter segment with a diameter 100 mm) or aluminum corrugation length 3 m, which is fixed with glue.
5. The door is hooked, for its reliable fixing.
6. Attach to the side walls of the box from the refrigerator with screws or bolts wooden rails about through 10-20 cm, to then put shelves on them.
7. If there are any holes left, then they are laid.
8. To speed up the drying process, a hood is placed on the pipe or corrugation.

The final design is shown in the photo below.

The nuances of creating a design

The inner lining and insulation are removed, because plastic and foam decompose when heated with the release of harmful substances.

The insulation should be dismantled in gloves and a respirator to protect against glass (if it served as insulation).

Since the remaining tin cabinet is not particularly rigid, then her degree, perhaps, it is necessary to increase by means of installation of struts or the internal case from galvanization.

For cooling of products it is allowed to use the usual fan from under an extract with power 18 W, diameter 125 mm, only installed to inject air inside. Installing a fan heater will significantly speed up the whole process, increasing the productivity of the installation. Instead, you can attach to the rear wall one or two electric heaters with a total power of up to two kW - then the device will work as an electric dryer. At the same time in the top part of a box it is necessary to establish the second exhaust fan.

The created unit can be used all year round. But if a normal fan is installed, then paint the case black, as well as installing the device in the sun in the warm season, helps to raise the temperature inside, which speeds up the whole process of drying products.

That the created dryer worked effectively, it is necessary to ensure good cooling of the product, laid on a sheet. This is achieved by leaving a gap in 2 see between the box and the door on one side, and the back wall of the box on the other.

When using a refrigerator with conventional fans without the installation of heating elements, it is enough to remove only the compressor with freezer and radiator. So, grooves for mounting shelves on them remain, but if necessary, add more. As a shelf can be used:

• lattice, designed for grilling, but with cut off handles;
• metal sheets with holes drilled in them;
• grids with different mesh sizes;
• old mesh shelves from the refrigerator;
• lattice constructions made of wire or wooden rails.

Various options for creating shelves for vegetables and other products are easy to come up with yourself and make from improvised materials.

If the compressor is in working order, and the coolant circulation system is not damaged, then these parts can be useful for creating a freezer with your own hands.

Creating a dryer from the refrigerator takes several hours if the necessary parts and tools are available. The design can be improved in various ways, equipping, example, temperature sensors and a simple automation system, or experimenting with the location of fans. To protect against insects entering the dryer, the ventilation openings should be covered with mosquito netting or gauze, composed in 2 or 3 layers.

Dehydrator from a homemade cabinet

The dehydrator can be made from a homemade cabinet method, similar to the previous one. Only instead of a refrigerator there is a plywood cabinet. This will require the following materials:

• plywood or particleboard, Fiberboard;
• wooden slats;
• metal corners and screws;
• aluminum foil;
• electric heater;
• 2 fan;

It is better to use a fan heater instead of a separate Tena. Another fan will be normal, while working on the hood.

The cabinet should be arranged as follows, to ensure unimpeded air circulation. It is collected in this sequence.

1. Make a framework from bars of the necessary size.
2. The box is sheathed on the sides, the top, bottom and back of plywood, Fiberboard or particleboard.
3. Install the front door hinges of similar materials with many holes, approximately as shown in the photo below.
   
4. The interior of the cabinet is covered with foil.
5. Install shelf holders and the sheets themselves.
   
6. Mount the fan in the lower rear, and in the top - the usual fan.
   

Fans can be connected in parallel and turned on with a switch. Also, the design can be additionally equipped with light bulbs, show the operation of the installation. The fan heater is equipped with a built-in thermostat. It will automatically turn on the Ten heating. If necessary, you can turn off one spiral, to reduce the power of the installation.

Simple solar dryer for fruits and vegetables

The solar dryer can be made in different ways. There are no electricity costs: vegetables or fruits are dried by the energy of the sun's rays. The simplest design will suit summer residents, which can be done with a hammer, drank, stapler and scissors. The work to create the installation is performed in the following sequence.

1. Assemble the frame of the desired size, based on the required amount of workpieces, example, of wooden bars 50 on 50 mm.
2. Sheath it on the sides and back with plywood or boards.
3. The back wall is lined with metal sheet from the inside.
4. Paint the inside in black, to heat the air more.
5. At an angle, which provides the best exposure to sunlight, install shelves, made of grids, wire, plywood, tin, plastic and other materials.
6. Ventilation holes are made in the upper and lower part of the structure, the size of which must correspond to the dimensions of the installation.
7. Cover them with gauze or mosquito net, to prevent insects from entering the oven.
8. The front part of the box is made in the form of a frame, mounted on canopies.
9. It is covered with glass, transparent plastic, polycarbonate or polyethylene film (fasten with a stapler).
10. Make a stand for a box from bars or metal pipes.

Also, the created structure can simply be based on something. The possible appearance is presented in the photo below.

In such a cabinet, the temperature is reached by heating the metal sheet 40-50 degrees. Ventilation ensures the removal of moisture released from the fruit.

Solar dehydrator with collector

A more complex version of the solar dryer (shown in the photo below) consists of two departments:

• air heating zones, consisting of a collector;
• drying zones, where the products are located.

The front parts of both zones are covered with a transparent material, example, glass, polycarbonate.

The collector is a box, the bottom of which is covered with a thin sheet of metal painted black. Under it stack a thermal insulator (mineral wool or sawdust), to minimize heat loss. Air enters the heating zone through the vents. Then it goes up through the shelves with food and goes outside.

Installing black tubes as absorbent, example, painted aluminum corrugation, it is possible to increase temperature of heating of air by a collector.

To make the device work effectively, it must be kept constantly facing the collector to the sun. If the collectors are installed on three sides, then the need for rotation disappears, such a drying unit will work all day. All cracks are sealed with sealant.

Solar dryer with fan and thermostat

To create a working automated length model 1 m, height 0,6 m and width 0,53 m will need the following materials:

• glass;
• wooden bars and rails;
• plywood;
• metal corners;
• aluminum sheet;
• fan diameter 120 mm voltage 12 V;
• mosquito net;
• thermostat (example, W1209), consisting of a temperature controller and a thermostat;
• voltage stabilizer with the KR142EN8B chip;
• solar battery, emitting voltage value 12 V;
• metal mesh for pallets.

It is recommended to use thermostats, equipped with two temperature sensors, to control the temperature at the top and bottom of the box.

The scheme of the device is presented in the photo below.

The algorithm for making the design is as follows.

1. According to the scheme above collect a framework from bars and plywood, connecting individual elements with self-tapping screws, metal corners.
2. Sealing housing is made.
3. Wheels are attached to the bottom (diameter 40-100 mm), to make it convenient to turn the structure in the sun.
4. Make the rear door of glass, so that you can stack products, and observe the drying process.
5. Install through 7 see seven shelves.
6. Make shelves from mosquito or steel mesh and rails.
7. An aluminum sheet is placed on the collector panel, pre-painted with black heat-resistant paint.
8. Mount the fan on top.
9. Assemble the electrical circuit, connecting the stabilizer, solar panel, thermostat and fan, as shown in the diagram below.
10. Adjust the controller to the required operating temperature.

The door must be tightly closed, so that insects do not penetrate.

A stabilizer is required to maintain a constant voltage at the fan contacts of the magnitude 12 St.. Further improvement of the created design is possible by adjusting the fan speed. It is recommended to turn the appliance as follows, so that the collector and the battery are constantly illuminated by sunlight.

Infrared dryer assembly

For mushrooms, vegetables, nuts and fruits suitable for infrared drying. It is quite easy to make it yourself. This will require the following materials:

• iron wire with a diameter of 5 to 8 mm;
• cardboard box, example, from the vacuum cleaner;
• aluminum foil;
• metal mesh;
• bulb holder;
• awl;
• screwdriver;
• self-tapping screws;
• cartridge for ordinary light bulb with mounts;
• thermometer;
• infrared lamp;
• aluminum tape or glue.

Installations are created in the following sequence.

1. The insides of the box are covered with aluminum foil, using scotch tape or glue.
2. Shelves are made of mesh the size of a box.
3. On any wall near the bottom make a hole for the supply wire and fasten the cartridge with screws.
4. Screw in an infrared light bulb.
5. A thermometer is attached to either side.
6. Cut the wire into pieces, which are longer than the width of the box by about 5 mm.
7. Punch holes in the sides under the rods for racks.
8. Insert the wire into them and seal the outside of the protruding ends with scotch tape.
9. Stacks are laid.

As a result, after all the manipulations will be installed, similar to the one shown in the photo below.

The recommended temperature for drying vegetables and fruits is 40-45 degrees. It is regulated, on-off light bulb, or opening the top.

The side parts of the box can serve as a cover, or it is made separately from the same cardboard. If there is a desire to automate the design, then a temperature sensor should be used. Under his control, the light will turn on automatically.

You can also use an incandescent lamp in the created design (its sufficient power is equal to 60 W) or heating film, used to create underfloor heating. In the latter case, a piece is enough at home 50 on 100 cm power 110 W. In the General case, the length of the fragment is selected according to the box used.

When using the film you will need more:

• insulation, example, bituminous, used in the creation of heated floors;
• set, consisting of 2 clamps, two eyelets and as many terminals-rings, which is designed to connect power to the film.

PVC tape is laid on top of the bituminous insulation. To connect the film, you will need to solder wires and contacts.

Such drying allows to reach temperature almost 60 degrees. It can be rolled up and placed on the bottom of the box, made in the previously specified manner.

Dehydrator for meat and fish with your own hands

The meat and fish dryer is easy to make from a plastic container. You will need it:

• fan;
• plastic container, equipped with a lid;
• steel bars with a diameter 5 mm or studs with threaded washers and nuts;
• pipe trim or coupling.

The whole process of making a dehydrator for drying fish, meat and drying of other products from a plastic container is shown in the video:

Dehydrator for fish, meat, vegetables, fruits and other products are easy to collect from improvised materials: plywood, boxes, refrigerator. Various working old fans will be suitable for blowing. In each case it will be necessary, Of course, to think over a way of their fixing, but economic costs will be reduced. You can use a computer fan in small installations, pre-providing the required supply voltage. If you automate the dryer, then functionally it will be able to compete with factory counterparts. When drying meat and fish, be sure to prevent flies from entering the inside of the unit, so that they do not spoil the products.