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InvisiblelIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl
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Registered: 12/16/04
Posts: 11,123
Loc: Texas
using a CPU fan to dry food
    #3548710 - 12/27/04 03:46 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

I made a food desiccator using something similar to DampRid and an airtight container. The catch is I also used a CPU fan on a third layer within the container (between the desiccant and the food).

The way to use the CPU fan (or any other fan in your computer) is simply to connect it to a CORDLESS DRILL battery. That is the easiest because this type of battery has enough voltage to run the fan, for a long time, and it's rechargeable. No annoying cords either.

It is important not to get the polarity mixed up because modern computer fans always have a microchip inside. The current must be DC, around 12 to 18 volts and with the correct polarity. To connect just cut near the fan plug, then slice the plastic coating on the red and black wires (the third wire is just a ground, which could optionally be grounded). Find the + and - on the drill battery and connect using your Christmas scotch tape.

It is hard to say how much better a desiccator is with internal fan, but this is a cheap way to try it if you have a crap computer lying around + a cordless drill. The CPU fan is ideal due to its very small size.

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Offlinemike57
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: lIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl]
    #3548748 - 12/27/04 03:53 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

I tried the damp-rid set up and the mushies got moldy before they ever dried out, this does not work. I use a food dehydrator with the thermostat set to no heat, dries them cracker dry in 12 hours. P.S. this is a 400.00 dehydrator I bought in my beef jerky making days so I realize it's not a practical option for everyone. As stated above a fan of some sort with no heat is necessary Damp rid alone will not work your mushrooms will rot before they ever dry out.

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OfflineLaughingJim
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: mike57]
    #3548790 - 12/27/04 04:03 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Sounds like it is a solid setup. However, I would do as others have suggested... Since your house is usually about 50H, you should start by air-drying them first, then use the desiccant to finish the job.

For an added bonus, throw some desiccant into an old medicin bottle, and put that in with your dry shrooms for further keeping. Just incase you didn't get all the moisture out.


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InvisiblelIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: LaughingJim]
    #3548831 - 12/27/04 04:18 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Yes, I agree that fan drying must be done before using the desiccant chamber. I just thought it was neat how well the CPU fan fit and could be used with a cordless drill battery.

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Offlinemike57
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: lIllIIIllIlIIlIlIIllIllIIl]
    #3548888 - 12/27/04 04:30 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Quote:

adjust said:
Yes, I agree that fan drying must be done before using the desiccant chamber. I just thought it was neat how well the CPU fan fit and could be used with a cordless drill battery.




You have a great idea, any fan type set up would work, you don't really need an expensive dehydrator. Another good idea is to vacuum seal after drying, they seem to keep forever this way. IMHO the whole damp rid method of drying (without a fan) is a waste of time.

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OfflineMajestic
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: mike57]
    #3548949 - 12/27/04 04:41 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Damprid, dri-z-air or any other calcium chloride product will work w/o air drying, you just have to have your specs right(i do recommend air/fan drying first though, u can make a much smaller dessicator and it saves time anyways) but if u want to just use a desiccant chamber, you just need to have enough desiccant w/ the right amount of surface area. I have this ratio somewhere but cant remember it offhand, ill post it later. A fan in your dessicator will help alot, and it doesnt have to be big, just a small one to create minor air currents. If your mushrooms arent piled high and the desiccant has the best surface area possible, it can be done in a chamber. ~D


--------------------
"The Oracle at Delphi is quite possibly real...
I watched a documentary on it on Discovery channel."  -Darcho

People will always be tempted to wipe their feet,
on anything with 'welcome' written on it.

:regularshroom:?:regularshroom: "mushroom, what?"
_\ -/_

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Offlinemike57
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: Majestic]
    #3549102 - 12/27/04 05:11 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Yea majestic but the time it takes to dry in a desicant chamber ( without fan drying) the dam things are open to all kind of mold and contamination. I can dry beyond cracker dry in a good dehydrator with no heat in 12 hours, in a desicant chamber they would only be getting slimy and moldy in the same 12 hours so why waste your tome with this nonsense when any fanning method (which is all a dehydrator is) is far superior.

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OfflineMajestic
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: mike57]
    #3551111 - 12/27/04 11:35 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

=\ I wipe the walls down in the chamber with isopropyl and use freshly baked desiccant whenever i do it...never had any contam problems, if its sealed like it should be you shouldnt have any problems...dessicators work by isolating a small volume of air around the mushrooms and the calcium actively absorbs the water as the air pulls the water from the mushrooms, the oxygen becomes stale and personally I have next to no blueing..this is just my way =\ not saying the best or the easiest, but I have the room to have one. Personally I could, but would rather not spend money on a dehydrator when I can build a dessicatant chamber for 5-10 bucks, depending on your size.

I've used this to dry a lb of wet wild cyans covered in dirt, needles, moss and some alive microscopic bugs, and never had any mold/decay/rot problems ~D


--------------------
"The Oracle at Delphi is quite possibly real...
I watched a documentary on it on Discovery channel."  -Darcho

People will always be tempted to wipe their feet,
on anything with 'welcome' written on it.

:regularshroom:?:regularshroom: "mushroom, what?"
_\ -/_

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Offlinemike57
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: Majestic]
    #3551489 - 12/28/04 01:18 AM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Hey Majestic I didn't mean to sound cocky in my above post, after rereading it, it kind of sounds that way. I bought the plastic jug thing of Damp Rid from home depot with the screen thing on top and put the mushies in a coffee filter directly on top of the damp rid and a day later they were getting slimy and rotten looking instead of drying out, after that experience I totally scraped the idea. P.S. I didn't stearilize anything which was probably the main problem. Just seems like it takes way too long using this method.

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OfflineJacquesCousteau
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: mike57]
    #3551885 - 12/28/04 08:03 AM (19 years, 3 months ago)

"and put the mushies in a coffee filter directly on top of the damp rid"

I think that was your problem... the mushrooms should not be in physical contact with the damp rid... a coffee filter is not going to prevent moisture transfer.

The idea is to use screening to seperate the mushrooms from the damp-rid completely.. so the only contact they have with eachother is by air.

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OfflineJacquesCousteau
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: Majestic]
    #3551886 - 12/28/04 08:03 AM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Majestic, would you mind posting up a summary of how you constructed your drying chamber?

I am going to be making one soon and I want to make sure I get it right.

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Offlinescatmanrav
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: JacquesCousteau]
    #3553183 - 12/28/04 03:25 PM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Quote:

JacquesCousteau said:
"and put the mushies in a coffee filter directly on top of the damp rid"

I think that was your problem... the mushrooms should not be in physical contact with the damp rid... a coffee filter is not going to prevent moisture transfer.

The idea is to use screening to seperate the mushrooms from the damp-rid completely.. so the only contact they have with eachother is by air.




This is correct..you didnt use the desiccant right.

If you can have a cap sit under a jar for 48 hours to print what makes you think that shrooms cant sit and dry for 48 hours in a desiccant chamber?

Personally I use a heated food dehydrator (which by the way are only about 30 bucks these days, not 400) with a fan on low heat that can crank out a good 4-6 ounces every 12-18 hours.


--------------------
"life is like a drop of rain getting closer and closer to falling into a lake, and then when you hit the lake there is no more rain drop, only the lake."

Growing with bags, start to finish (including my new grain and substrate prep)
Anyone looking to start bulk tubs/mono tubs/shotgun hybrids? Good tubs to use..
How I do grain (old still good tips)
Turn your closet into a fruiting chamber
Casing layer colonization and overlay

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OfflineMajestic
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: JacquesCousteau]
    #3560430 - 12/30/04 04:40 AM (19 years, 3 months ago)

Well, I thought I made this post earlier, could have sworn I did...it just must not have completed posting. so here we go:



if there's any other questions feel free to reply post or PM me =) ~D


--------------------
"The Oracle at Delphi is quite possibly real...
I watched a documentary on it on Discovery channel."  -Darcho

People will always be tempted to wipe their feet,
on anything with 'welcome' written on it.

:regularshroom:?:regularshroom: "mushroom, what?"
_\ -/_

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Offlineonetime
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Re: using a CPU fan to dry food [Re: Majestic]
    #4149520 - 05/08/05 07:43 AM (18 years, 10 months ago)

+5 good post


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