Top 5 Tips For Getting Started With Your Harvest Right Freeze Dryer
Cannabis enthusiast and student of the art of solventless extraction
Harvest Right Freeze Dryer is a brand of home freeze-drying equipment designed to preserve food and other perishable items by removing moisture through a process called freeze-drying. Freeze-drying involves freezing the item and then gradually reducing the surrounding pressure to allow frozen water to sublimate directly from a solid to a gas, without passing through the liquid phase. While these freeze dryers are designed to preserve food, they are also perfect for drying loose resin.
These machines are the hash maker’s dream come true.
The process of freeze drying loose resin is a technique used to improve the quality and preservation of the final product compared to traditional air drying methods, resulting in a more refined and higher-quality product.
Freeze drying preserves the terpenes, cannabinoids, and clarity of the resin more effectively than air drying, which can result in a more flavorful and visually-appealing final product.
Some advantages of drying hash with a freeze dryer include
Reduced Oxidation - Freeze drying minimizes exposure to oxygen, reducing the risk of oxidation and degradation of the resin's compounds.
Faster Process - Freeze drying is generally faster than air drying, allowing for a quicker turnaround time.
Consistency - Freeze drying can result in a more consistent product with less variation in quality between batches.
Reduced Terpene Loss - terpenes are incredibly volatile and there's undoubtedly more loss when air drying loose resin.
Getting Started with the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer
Harvest Right freeze dryers are available in two different versions, Home and Pharmaceutical. Although they’re sold at a higher price point, we recommend purchasing the pharmaceutical version of Harvest Right freeze dryers for drying loose resin. Compared to the Home version, the Pharmaceutical version provides settings that are more conducive to drying bubble hash.
However, if you have the Home version, you can install a firmware update. Learn how to do this in our article about Harvest Right Firmware.
Once you purchase the freeze dryer, follow the instructions in the included startup guide.
Top 5 Tips
1) Run a loaf of bread for the first cycle - this helps soak in that “new car smell” your freeze dryer will have when it’s brand new. Better to sacrifice a loaf of bread than your first batch of loose resin!
2) Pre-freeze trays in a standard freezer - ideally, loose resin will touch only ice cold surfaces. Freezing trays before the drying cycle begins helps minimize the heads’ exposure to warmer temperatures that could potentially lead to terpene loss.
3) Close the drain valve before running a cycle and place the drain hose in a 5-gallon bucket - manage the flow of drainage to prevent unwanted messes.
4) Ensure the door gasket is sealed - look for the ring through the glass door to make sure.
5) Customize the settings on your freeze dryer as follows:
- Initial freeze temp -20°F
- If hash is already frozen, set extra freeze time to 1 hour
- Turn off fast drying
- Set dry temp to 40°F
- Set extra dry time for 12-24 hours (depending on how full the trays are)
- Ensure vacuum is pulling to 500 mTorr at a minimum
Bonus Tip: To protect your pump after each batch, run the defrost cycle.
Conclusion
These tips will help you get the most out of your Harvest Right freeze dryer. Regular maintenance and cleaning are also critical to success with your freeze dryer.
The Harvest Right Freeze Dryer stands as an innovative and versatile home freeze-drying solution. Originally designed to preserve food and other perishable items, these machines have found an unexpected application in the realm of hashish production. The process of freeze drying loose resin has emerged as a game-changer, elevating the quality and preservation of the final product beyond traditional air drying methods. The distinctive advantages of freeze drying become evident through its adept preservation of terpenes, cannabinoids, and visual clarity, reducing oxidation, expediting the drying process, and delivering a more consistent outcome.
While both Home and Pharmaceutical versions offer utility, the latter is particularly recommended for drying loose resin due to its specialized settings. Even for those utilizing the Home version, the option to upgrade via a firmware update provides added flexibility. Adhering to a set of top tips, including running a preliminary cycle with bread, pre-freezing trays, and optimizing settings, ensures the freeze-drying process is harnessed to its full potential.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer for drying loose resin?
Absolutely! The Harvest Right Freeze Dryer, originally designed for preserving food, has proven to be an excellent tool for hashish production. Its freeze-drying process offers superior quality and preservation compared to traditional air drying methods.
What advantages does freeze drying offer over air drying for hashish?
Freeze drying provides several key advantages for hashish production. It preserves terpenes, cannabinoids, and visual clarity more effectively, reduces oxidation, speeds up the drying process, and delivers consistent results with minimized variations in quality between batches.
Which version of the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer is recommended for drying loose resin? For optimal results, the Pharmaceutical version of the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer is recommended, as it offers settings that are better suited for drying bubble hash. However, users with the Home version can also enhance their experience by installing a firmware update.
What are some important tips for using the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer for hashish production?
Run a cycle with a loaf of bread first to absorb any residual odors; Pre-freeze trays in a standard freezer to maintain low temperatures during the drying process; Close the drain valve before starting a cycle and place the drain hose in a bucket to manage drainage; Ensure the door gasket is properly sealed to maintain airtight conditions; Customize settings, such as initial freeze temperature, extra freeze time, dry temperature, and extra dry time, for optimal results.
How can I ensure the longevity of my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer?
To protect your freeze dryer and maintain its efficiency, run the defrost cycle after each batch. This practice helps safeguard the pump and ensures consistent performance over time.
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