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NPoB
Curious

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sterilizer question
#26722272 - 06/05/20 04:13 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I've been using AA925 pressure cookers for a few years now and recently added an AA75X. It came with a bit of a learning curve that surprised me as did how long it took to reach venting. The instructions say to cook a minimum of 35 minutes once at pressure. I am assuming that is for canning rather than cooking sawdust bags of course. My question arises as to how long I should be cooking bags. 2.5hr at 15psi has been working great but this device seems to want me to be in the range of 17-22psi which would suggest a shorter cooking time should work fine. The instructions also say to vent it and loosen the lid before it cools down in order to prevent the lid from sticking shut. That seems wrong with regards to mushroom media but maybe I'm wrong? Any advice is appreciated.
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Bsdgaou

Registered: 02/20/19
Posts: 340
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: NPoB]
#26723156 - 06/06/20 01:00 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Time should depend on how much mass you have in your bags. 3kg bags I guess should be around 2.5 hours, maybe even 3 hours. Better be safe then sorry.
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Forrester
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Bsdgaou]
#26723429 - 06/06/20 05:57 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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But yes, time will be reduced with added pressure. Hopefully someone can give you an answer as to how much.
Better safe than sorry for one grow, but repeated over time you don't want to be wasting all that energy/fuel.
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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NPoB
Curious

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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26723583 - 06/06/20 08:22 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks all. I've been using 2.5hrs at 15psi for 2.7--3.0kg bags. I used to use 3hrs but found I had fewer problems at 2.5. I assumed it involved a change in the plastic making it become more brittle feeling to the touch but really do not know. I am not sure exactly what was compromised but noticed I had a lot more fruiting coming out of the heat sealed seams so assumed I was hurting them by overcooking. Obviously I'd like to cook the bags as long as they need and yes avoiding overcooking will add up over time whether it is with savings on propane or electric. I was surprised at the electric unit requiring a lot more monitoring than propane had (as soon as I trim the flames after the PCs reach pressure I don't have to do anything again until turning them off but keeping the gauge in the green zone on the electric unit required repeated adjustments of the thermostat AND it took far longer to come up to pressure initially). I imagine familiarity is going to help dial this in and there is much I already like better (less sound, fumes, etcetera).
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SHROOMSISAY01
Mr. Shrooms



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Re: sterilizer question [Re: NPoB]
#26724353 - 06/06/20 03:09 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I made a hot plate from an old stove and use a PID to control it. I hooked it up with a timer and an alarm so it tells me when agar is at 140F and ready to pour or just turns itself off if I am doing grain. It only cost me about $50 and makes life easy. it takes about 1/2 hour to get to temp. but I use about 4 inches of water and it is only a 23 quart presto. Once I bleed off the air. I just forget about it if I am doing grain and come back the next day...



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NPoB
Curious

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I like the electric aspects of this but would still like to know how to determine the time difference between 15psi and 17-22psi. I ran the last load at 2.5hr at pressure (it was hard to not have it want to stay closer to 22 than 17) and was surprised at how little water was lost compared to the propane units. I am believing I am going to really like this once I get past the learning curve.
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Forrester
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: NPoB]
#26726538 - 06/07/20 12:44 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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If no one can answer, it shouldn't take more than a few test runs, taking some time off each one, until you start running into contamination to know where the sweet spot is.
If it wants to run like 22lbs you might even just give it a go @1.5hrs and see if that's enough. That's probably what I'd try, but I suck at math so it's a complete guess
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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SHROOMSISAY01
Mr. Shrooms



Registered: 01/22/17
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26726740 - 06/07/20 02:32 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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This is the best I can do to help. I don't think I would change the time...
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Forrester
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Nice, glad you posted that, I knew there was something like it around.
I was way off
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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SHROOMSISAY01
Mr. Shrooms



Registered: 01/22/17
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26727196 - 06/07/20 05:56 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Here is the original link for anyone that may need more of a range on temps I edited the original for this post...
http://www.turnkeyips.com/assets/steam_temperature_pressure_table.pdf
I was off also I thought it would raise more than around 10F for the 5 psi. No more than it changes I don't think I would change the time I would be worried if I did.
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Forrester
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Must be why most of them just go to 15psi, kinda pointless going much over!
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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NPoB
Curious

Registered: 01/24/16
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26729052 - 06/08/20 02:05 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks on that. Since looks from that chart like the difference would only be 10 degrees it certainly sounds like I'm fine sticking with 2.5hr. I've only run this through two cycles so far (in parallel with four AA925) but so far so good. It is much slower than than propane but it is also a lot nicer to use. I was also pleased by the power being low enough to run on a 15A circuit which no doubt is why it seems slow to heat and pressurize.
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Stromrider
This must be the place



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Re: sterilizer question [Re: NPoB]
#26732446 - 06/09/20 07:31 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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You definitely don't need to loosen the lid before it cools. It does pull a vacuum when it cools but you can open the stop cock right before you open it and relieve the vacuum. Worse case scenario you have to pry it a bit with a screwdriver
As far as time goes I cram 9 spawn bags in mine and run it 1 hour with the stop cock open then 4 hours with it closed. Never done sawdust bags. I always put them in the barrel
Replace your over pressure plug about once a year. As the rubber hardens it will start to leak slightly. For some reason this causes the bags to stretch or burst.
And buy one of these. Lowes and HD have them. Best thing I've found. They have a countdown feature and are rated for 1875w and 20amp
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Forrester
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Quote:
Stromrider said: Replace your over pressure plug about once a year. As the rubber hardens it will start to leak slightly. For some reason this causes the bags to stretch or burst.
Good tip.
I imagine it's because as you let any pressure out of the cooker, it's gonna come out of the whole thing, inside the bags as well as around them. Sorry my mind always goes to the physics of things and has to figure them out...
-------------------- Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here. ------------------- Have some medicinal mushrooms and want to get the most out of them? Try this double extraction method.
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NPoB
Curious

Registered: 01/24/16
Posts: 93
Loc: Mendocino County
Last seen: 13 days, 14 hours
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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26733978 - 06/10/20 10:00 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I've run through several cycles with this so far. There has been no problem with the lid sticking. Good tip on the rubber plug. Maybe that is why they included an extra one with the device? I also noticed the instructions say to remove the plug, clean it and the hole in the lid every month of use. It may well have said that on the pressure cookers as well but I missed it.
We've been using PCs for spawn bags for a few years but are just now in the process of installing a larger cooker so in the future these will be used primarily for agar, LC and grain.
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Stromrider
This must be the place



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Re: sterilizer question [Re: Forrester]
#26734322 - 06/10/20 12:41 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Forrester said:
Quote:
Stromrider said: Replace your over pressure plug about once a year. As the rubber hardens it will start to leak slightly. For some reason this causes the bags to stretch or burst.
Good tip.
I imagine it's because as you let any pressure out of the cooker, it's gonna come out of the whole thing, inside the bags as well as around them. Sorry my mind always goes to the physics of things and has to figure them out... 
Ya I assume it's something like that. Maybe loosing pressure too quickly at the end of the cycle
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NPoB
Curious

Registered: 01/24/16
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Thanks also on that shut off timer tip. So far I am very happy with how this has performed. One heats up almost twice as fast which seems odd but they are really nice to use.
Old setup
New devices
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Stromrider
This must be the place



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Re: sterilizer question [Re: NPoB]
#26737698 - 06/11/20 07:26 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice set up 
I fried one of my 75x's this week. Its the one I bought used that was already super old and heavily used. (bought it from another mushroom farmer)

Fried the thermoswitch. Got in touch with red hill general store and ended up ordering all new wiring, element, and gaskets as well. Figured I'd do a complete rebuild while I'm at it. Cost me $256 🙄
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NPoB
Curious

Registered: 01/24/16
Posts: 93
Loc: Mendocino County
Last seen: 13 days, 14 hours
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It is nice the company keeps making parts for their older units. I like your approach to repairs. That sure avoids a lot of future headaches.
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