Build a Solar Food Dehydrator
(Page 3 of 4)
August/September 2006
By Eben Fodor
My design, the SunWorks, integrates the solar collector and food drying cabinet into a compact configuration, which uses both direct heating (like the solar hot-box dryer) and indirect heating from the absorber plate. The airflow is optimized for even drying, and ventilation is achieved by natural convection (see image gallery).
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How to Use a Solar Dryer
You don’t need to be a solar whiz to operate a solar dehydrator — just place it in a sunny spot oriented to the south and load it with food. If you will be around during the day, you can speed drying by occasionally repositioning the dryer to track the sun as it moves across the sky. Many foods will dry in one day of sunshine. Wet foods such as tomatoes or pears will require a second day. They should be dry enough after the first day to stay in the dehydrator overnight.
Always start with food that is at its peak freshness and ripeness — simply wash, slice to your desired thickness and place in your solar dryer. I get great results without any blanching or pre-treatments. The dried food consistently looks and tastes great. The flavor is better than anything I find in supermarkets, and it’s free of sulfites (a sulfur-based preservative) and other additives found in commercial dried foods.
Most people think about drying food in August, when they can’t keep up with the supply from their gardens. But there is abundant solar energy in the spring for drying. In May or June, you can start capturing early season crops such as peas, blueberries and strawberries. Then you’ll be ready for your summer and fall bumper crops of beans, plums, peaches, apples and squash.
As you think about how much fun you will have with a solar food dryer, consider that by preserving and storing produce, you can expand your garden and grow more of the things you’d like to enjoy year-round, such as tomatoes. A solar food dehydrator is a great way to maintain a nutritious and tasty supply of high quality, locally grown foods all year long. A good dehydrator will produce outstanding results, along with the satisfaction of saving energy and money by harnessing the power of the sun.
Food Drying Favorites
Fruits: apples, apricots, bananas, blueberries, grapes (seedless), peaches, pears, plums and strawberries.
Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn, green beans, onions, peas (sweet, in pod), peppers, potatoes, summer tomatoes, zucchini and other squash.
Mushrooms and herbs are excellent, too!
