Building a solar food dehydrator stops your
harvest from going to waste and eliminates the
high cost of running an electric oven for hours
to dry your garden snacks.
Trying to dry fruit and herbs inside often leads
to sticky messes on your counters and uses a
massive amount of electricity that heats up
your whole house. A solar dehydrator fixes this
by using the free power of the sun and natural
moving air to gently remove moisture while
keeping your food safe from bugs and birds. It
solves the problem of having way too many Big
Boy tomatoes or Gala apples at once by turning
them into lightweight snacks that stay good in
your pantry for months.
You will save so much money on your grocery
bill because you can make your own dried
mangoes, jerky, and kale chips without any
chemical preservatives. The screened walls let
the wind carry away the dampness while the
wooden frame keeps the heat inside to speed
up the process. It also gives you a dedicated
spot in your yard to process your harvest so
your kitchen stays clean and organized.
Start by building a tall wooden box using rot
resistant cedar or pine boards that are about
one inch thick for strength. Cut a door for the
front and use small metal hinges and a simple
latch to keep it closed tight against hungry
squirrels. Cover all four sides and the roof with
a fine metal screen like aluminum window
screening and use a heavy duty staple gun to
secure it every two inches so no flies can get
inside.
Build several sliding trays using thin wood
strips and more metal screening so air can
move up through the bottom of the food. For
the best results, place a piece of clear plexiglass
over the south facing side or the roof to trap
even more heat from the sun while the mesh
sides let the moisture out. Place your dehydrator
on a level bed of crushed limestone gravel to
keep it steady and away from damp grass.
Slice your fruits and vegetables into thin, even
pieces and lay them in a single layer on the
trays so they dry at the same time. You can dry
herbs like Common Sage and Munstead
Lavender very quickly by placing them on the
top shelves where the air is the warmest. Adding
a dark piece of metal at the very bottom of the
box will act like a heater by soaking up the sun
and warming the air as it rises through your
food.
Wipe down the wooden trays with a bit of white
vinegar and water after every use to keep the
wood clean and safe for your next batch of
food. Store the dehydrator in your shed or under
a porch during the winter to keep the wood from
getting too wet and to make sure the screen
stays tight and strong.
