solar dehydrator

A good design, but if any handyman types try to build it or a copy for themselves, do not build it with "treated lumber".

Instead build it from plain lumber and seal it with non-toxic sealer.

Thanks Amy for the link and thanks Keith for the advice. See, team work.

I've never seen a dehydrator like that. I want one of the hanging ones they used to sell in the Lehman's catalog. I'm also going to try to dehydrate in my SUV this year. I've heard it works as long as you leave the window cracked to circulate the air. Wish me luck, that is when I get anything to dehydrate and it gets warm enough.

Backtotheland, we have talked about using my van as a dehydrator. Right now I have a couple of electric ones, but with the way things are going we may not be able to afford electricity much longer.

You got that one right Sonshine. I had an electric one and I let a friend borrow it. If I can't get the hang of drying things in the SUV or get one of the hanging ones I'm not sure what I'll do next but I'll research something.

I don't think dehydrating in a vehicle would be that difficult, except for maybe not being able to adjust the heat levels. Especially in the south that would be hard. I know some use screens to dehydrate. They make a couple of frames, putting screening in them. Then they lay out whatever they want to dry and place them between the two screens and put them out in the sun. I'd be concerned about bugs and birds though.

The hanging dehydrator is available at Amazon.com, but the reviews are not very good. It seems quality of construction is an issue these days, and for the $90 price tag I think you could do better by building something. I might try it just to see.

When it comes to building a dehydrator I wouldn't have a clue even where to begin. I'm okay with simple things, like my chick brooder, and I'm not even sure I will be able to do that alone, but anything more complicated I'd be lost.

the core design of a dehydrator is a frame work, screen shelf (or shelves) a heat source, and an air flow source. A simple box, with a removable shelf, a plexi-glass top, and a screened vent low on one side, and another that is high and on the opposite side of the first is the basis of all solar dehydrators.