Building a Solar Food Dehydrator

[@VS-dl5gt]

Hello dear brother Dennis, I am from India and came across your channel today only. I have seen many projects on KZbin channels,but yours is the best one. The way you plan, execute and explain in a very simlified way is really appreciable. Wishing you all the best. Regards

[@gemunujayasinghe618]

Dear sir, l am sri Lankan. Your explaining is very good and important. I am so grateful for this video. Thank you. Thank you so much.

[@subhashgawarikar3396]

Very nicely explained and given exhaustive information. Thanks a lot.

[@bgates1128]

Great research and publication (journal, video, plans, and solar/gardening sites)! Was thinking about using 0.5" or 3/8 with added struts/bracing to maintain stiffness and reduce weight. Thanks again for your research and transfer to the public.

[@dennisscanlin1458]

Thanks. I appreciate your interest in the work. I have enjoyed working with solar dryers. I think 1/2" would work. You are right to consider the weight. The dryer is a bit large & heavy to move around even with the handles and wheels. I have thought about trying to make the collector out of a flexible roll-out type material and just connect it to the drying chamber. That would make the whole thing more compact, lighter and easier to transport. Never got around to it.

[@atleandersen1924]

Locals were building thise in Tanzania 40 years ago.

[@metamud8686]

Yay for cordless power tools! :-)

[@dennisscanlin1458]

We did an experiment and found the foil improved temperatures a little. But just painting the inside black would be fine. We also looked at different absorbers and conducted experiments and found the meshes worked best. But any black metal will work although you may have to modify how you install it inside the dryer a little.

[@yogeshwarchaudhari8567]

I will be work on solar dryer . I need help to you. process of solar dryer makeing .

[@BramikaArtifacts]

Very helpful and nice video... thank you!

[@g.teilla634]

Hi Dennis, can you explain why and how the heat absorber improves efficiency ? We could imagine to replace the aluminum foil lining by a black painted metal plate (or simplier, to paint the inner surfaces of collector box in black). Is there also an interest to have 6 thin layers instead of 1 thick layer only ?. Thanks a lot for your answer and one more thanks for the video, and all description (and huge research work behind !)

[@antipixl]

Hi Dennis, I want to build your dryer next week. Do you have other instructions too? Because I could not find the article at the website from your university. Greetings from Italy.

[@dennisscanlin1458]

For the screening I used rustoleum high temperature flat black in a spray can. Although I think black aluminum screening is a better way to go. I have used this type of dryer for many years. I am currently setting up an experiment to see how a reflector might improve performance. The design could use more power I think to speed up the drying. A larger collector and maybe a 2 piece design might be better. Check out articles on this dryer at sustec.appstate.edu.

[@willisorum9877]

Hello I'm working on starting a project here in Kenya and your video has taught me all I need to know. Looking forward to learning more from you

[@katem3430]

Can the solar collector be shortened by a foot without ramifications?

[@metamud8686]

Great example of an updraft dehydrator. What's your take on the downdraft versions? They look more appealing to me because it's not such a huge thing to put in our (dutch) very small backyards and supposedly they outperform the updraft versions.

[@sergeantwifeyversus9203]

Is there a pdf version of this? I've tried copy paste from mother earth but the pictures don't show up. I'm a plans in hands person.

[@ozukumnaga]

Which is better up draft or down draft solar dehydrator?

[@joaobranquinho]

How nice to find this video! I've been following your instructions available at www.motherearthnews.com/diy/tools/solar-food-dehydrator-plans-zm0z14jjzmar and my dehydrator is now just missing some finishing. All of your plans and performance tests were really helpful, thanks a lot! To any future builders: I've started with an old cabinet that just to sand took a lot of time and effort, for an inexperienced builder it's better to just follow the plans.

[@josiefalconer3559]

Very helpful. Thanks.

[@johnmahesh8404]

Hi sir, Iam joseph john from south state of India Tamilnadu, chennai city. I really apriciate your way of explation. One more thing i want to know from you sir, with your permission can i translate the content of this video in Tamil? So that people in my state can able to build one unit for their own use. Expecting favourable reply from your side. Thanks and regards.

[@dennisscanlin1458]

yes. No problem

[@khalidbukhari4754]

Dear Scanlin, great job done, Iam interested to know what is the capacity to dehydrate per day. secondly I have date farm which comprises of 1500 plants, will this solar dryer cater my need?

[@dharamdaswadhwani1359]

khalid bukhari Sir Please give me your whatsap id I want to chat with you

[@khalidbukhari4754]

Dharamdas Wadhwani my cell no for watsup is 001 92 3018630208

[@BramikaArtifacts]

Is there a chance to increase temperature if use metal sheet as cabinet (food tray area)?

[@stevenorton4961]

Really nice job Dennis-I have the plans for this type and am planning on the build this summer-have you used this type before or is the first go around with a solar unit-also what type of paint did you use for the expanded screen?

[@damonhowell8025]

Man, that's nice

[@Greg042869]

Okay, remember when Ben Carson, the brain surgeon, suggested the pyramids were grain silos? The fool. Well, just take a look at that thumbnail... Obviously they were giant solar dehydrators! Obviously.