Dehydrator power consumption?

Arkansasoffgrid
Arkansasoffgrid Solar Expert Posts: 117 ✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Has anyone checked power using a KILL A WATT meter on a residential grade meat/vegg/fruit dehydrator?
Would like to get one, just wondering about "actual" power consumption.
8-420AH US Battery L-16s, Midnite Classic 150cc, Whiz Bang Jr, Magnum MS4448PAE inverter/charger,  4590w Canadian Solar panels. Honda EU2000i generator.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    have you got a particular make/model in mind ?
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
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    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    They are all over the place, some push 1500 watts, but most are in the 400-660watt range.

    I have a 5 tray Excalibur and it uses @400 watts, I believe the 9 tray uses 660. I have a 9 tray harvest maid and it is listed as 440 watts as well. These units all have fans as well as heating units.

    The small round jobs run 200-300 watts. I consider them trial units, to see if you like dehydrating. My 5 tray (15"x15") Excalibur likely holds 3 times the amount of a 5 tray little round job (Harbor Freight sells one for $25-30)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,634 admin
    #4
    What about DIY solar dehydrators? Lots of different plans/examples out there.

    http://theselfsufficientliving.com/8-free-diy-or-homemade-solar-food-dehydrator-making-plans/

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    #5
    I have NO EXPERIENCE making dehydrators. But was something I was looking into several years back. I believe I ran across something stating that it is best if the sun DOES NOT strike the actual thing being dehydrated. I can not remember if it was for growth of stuff on the food, or to actually dry food with the air not directly heating via the sun. With air more drying and less cooking. Also important to keep temps of air in check as well to not cook the items.

    I could be very wrong. Just can't remember.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    DIY dryer work well for some things, but not so well for others, and you are correct that keeping the items out of direct sunlight is important for most things. If you have a large garden and are around often... I would certainly want to use natural drying methods for large quantities commodities, beans, peas,... look for designs with a thermostatically controlled fan, that helps keep the drying temps in a good range.

    Dried about 80 lbs of apples last year, opened the last mason jar about a month ago. No canning, but putting in an air tight container with an oxygen depleter like iron filings, helps keep bad things from happening to them.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • lkruper
    lkruper Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
    #7
    Arkansasoffgrid wrote: »
    Has anyone checked power using a KILL A WATT meter on a residential grade meat/vegg/fruit dehydrator?
    Would like to get one, just wondering about "actual" power consumption.

    I got a dehydrator at Costco, one of the round ones with low-med-hi settings. I used it to break in my generator and also used my kill-o-watt meter. I think it was about 750w and used about 1/2 the output of my 1600w inverter generator.

    Resistance heating takes LOTS of power.

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