Bud dryer - manicured to smoke in 3 days

[flow]

Thanks a lot Al, I think I've got all the info i need now!

 

[John Doe Jr]

First off I'd like to say what an awesome dryer you have built. The idea of adding some heat to remove humidity is excellent. I have built a similar dryer, but with only air outake, via a inline duct fan connected to a somewhat large carbon filter, inside the rubbermaid container. Air was drawn through the top of the container by leaving a 2 inch gap by raising the lid on the container.
The problem was air temp dictated how long the buds would dry and humidity.
You are using muffin fans and I was wondering, if I redo my box, is the inline duct fan to much air outake if I use the smaller muffin fans as intake ?
I still plan on using the carbon filter, but on the outside of the box, so the in line fan would be blowing through the filter, which is made from ac and heating duct pipes, and blows out a window.
And do you leave space between buds, when placing them on the racks ? You mentioned somewhere that you have dried up to a pound in it, and my container is a 31 gallon container, with built in chicken wire racks, and a pound seems like a lot of bud on the racks. Would buds touching produce mold even with the heat and air flow ?

 

[Al B. Fuct]

First off I'd like to say what an awesome dryer you have built. The idea of adding some heat to remove humidity is excellent.

thanks.

I have built a similar dryer, but with only air outake, via a inline duct fan connected to a somewhat large carbon filter, inside the rubbermaid container. Air was drawn through the top of the container by leaving a 2 inch gap by raising the lid on the container.

I'm sure that'll work to some degree, but I organised mine to have a cross-flow to assure moving air was flowing around all buds:



Note that the R value figs in this dwg are for a previous revision of he dryer.

The problem was air temp dictated how long the buds would dry and humidity.

Yep, several other ppl have told me that they've built dryers with fans only and their experiences are similar to yours. It usually takes about 6-8 days with no added heat instead of 3 days.

You are using muffin fans and I was wondering, if I redo my box, is the inline duct fan to much air outake if I use the smaller muffin fans as intake ?

Without knowing the CFM capacity of your fans, I can't say. However, if you have two unequal sized fans, it's better to have the smaller one on the intake.

You don't really need a wind tunnel to dry buds but I'm getting good results with good quality 120mm axial muffin fans for line voltage (240V around here), which do shift a fair amount of air (~100CFM). 12V computer fans are a bit small but will work.

I still plan on using the carbon filter, but on the outside of the box, so the in line fan would be blowing through the filter, which is made from ac and heating duct pipes, and blows out a window.

If you're using a filter, and have dissimilar sized fans, it's that much more important to use the smaller one on the intake. This will keep the box at negative pressure, assuring all air leaving the box is going through your filter instead of via air leaks in the box. If you keep the box at negative pressure, if there's any leaks, they'll leak inward.

And do you leave space between buds, when placing them on the racks ? You mentioned somewhere that you have dried up to a pound in it, and my container is a 31 gallon container, with built in chicken wire racks, and a pound seems like a lot of bud on the racks. Would buds touching produce mold even with the heat and air flow ?

If there's air motion, there won't be any mould. It's plenty to have the buds just laid out in a single layer, they can touch without any trouble.

 

[HAZEOHOLIC]

Hello would like to know can one acheive this 3 day drying method and still have the nice aroma of different strains? Or any strain one grow will have no smell at the end of drying?
Thanks Al

 

[Al B. Fuct]

My bud dryer doesn't affect the smell of the buds. It is no different than hang drying, aside from the fact that it halts mould before it can get started.

The scent of cannabis comes from the resin. If a drying method keeps temps below 29C, the THC will not be degraded and resin will not be disturbed.

 

[OGkushOG]

This is great. It's actually invaluable for someone who's on a time restraint.

If I do not live in an area where there is high humidity you think I could get away without the heating element? Would just an intake and outtake fan would dry them fine?

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Would just an intake and outtake fan would dry them fine?

Yes, but it just takes longer.

 

[v1nc3]

hi im intrested in making something like this up after seing your post great idea
sorry if ive missed it but what is it your actually using for the heater
how are u getting pc fans running on ac power plug is it thru the resistors or do i need to get something like a pc power brick

oops sorry page was getting stuck at page 9 posted this reply and everything is answered afterwards

 

[v1nc3]

could u plz help me out with links to what i need in uk when u have the time as im not to clued up on what i actually need would like it running with the heater
thanks

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Well, start here:


Your parts list is:

FAN 1 & 2: 120mm, AC line voltage fan
R1-6: 120V version - 576 ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs
R1-6: 240V version - 2.3K ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs
Jaycar QT7200 thermostat, modified to remote mount the thermistor
300W incandescent lamp dimmer
Fan motor speed controller
AC mains line cord
Heat sink, approx 150mm x 75mm x 50mm thick, fins along 150mm axis

 

[v1nc3]

thanks m8 nice 1
with these i can either go for 1 or the other?
R1-6: 120V version - 576 ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs
R1-6: 240V version - 2.3K ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs

been looking net all i can find is 25w 2.2k resistors from rs site but not sure about the volts are they any good are they 240v?

159-584 ManufacturerArcol Manufacturers Part No.HS25 2K2 J Catalogue page 2 - 3576

as for heat sink could i go with the 1 posted before with link to it Fan Assisted-Type Heatsink - 225mm Long and go with 80 mm fans cant find heatsink u stated above
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/47327/Electrical/Switches-Sockets/Dimmers/Dimmer-1G-2W-40-250W
would this be ok for dimmer swith from rs site or this 1 from screwfix
RS Stock No.222-8008 ManufacturerMK Manufacturers Part No.K1521 WHILV Catalogue page 1 - 238
or if u know ov a cheaper uk option would be great as notice some dimmer switches dont work with wiremold resistors

 

[Al B. Fuct]

thanks m8 nice 1
with these i can either go for 1 or the other?
R1-6: 120V version - 576 ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs
R1-6: 240V version - 2.3K ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs

yes, depending your local line voltage.

been looking net all i can find is 25w 2.2k resistors from rs site but not sure about the volts are they any good are they 240v?

2.2k is close enough, probably rated for 600V.

159-584 ManufacturerArcol Manufacturers Part No.HS25 2K2 J Catalogue page 2 - 3576

If that's a 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs, it'll do.

as for heat sink could i go with the 1 posted before with link to it Fan Assisted-Type Heatsink - 225mm Long and go with 80 mm fans cant find heatsink u stated above

siorry, where's the link?

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/47327/Electrical/Switches-Sockets/Dimmers/Dimmer-1G-2W-40-250W

that'll do

or if u know ov a cheaper uk option would be great as notice some dimmer switches dont work with wiremold resistors

An incandescent lamp is a resistor. Wirewound resistors are still resistors.

 

[v1nc3]

heres link to the heatsink 1 posted on previous post
Jaycar Electronics

thanks

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Oh yeah, that one

(that's actually 2 heatsinks in their pic) will do. Of course, with a pair of these, the fan (80mm for this one) goes on the end, the other end will protrude into the dryer box.

 

[v1nc3]

thanks again i have 1 more thing i need to get straight if u dont mind u say i need R1-6: 240V version - 2.3K or 1.8k ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs as my line voltage is 240v i cant seem to find these resistors any where u say the 2.2k is close enough, probably rated for 600V will this do any harm being 600v i really need to make sure this will be all good before ordering these resistors nothing likely to go pop/bang if ive wired everything up as should be
sorry for the continuous questions

 

[smartsoverambition]

this is one of the best things i have found on RIU
but does it bring out the colors like hangdrying does?
because i heard some strains get their blue and purple hairs during cure so would this be too fast?
also your mentioned that your old dryer was covered in resin did u scrape that off and smoke it? but that sounds like you lose THC when you take it out sorry for all the questions

 

[Al B. Fuct]

u say the 2.2k is close enough, probably rated for 600V will this do any harm being 600v

The 600V rating is the dielectric strength, or the maximum voltage the device will tolerate before breaking down; in this case, that'd be the isolation rating between the resistor element and the aluminium body. More is gooder in this case. I'm not sure of the specific flashover rating for this device, but if you're getting the Arcor 25W alum body units, all will be well, that's what I'm using.

this is one of the best things i have found on RIU

thanks.

but does it bring out the colors like hangdrying does?

It does exactly what hang drying does, all except let buds go to mould.

because i heard some strains get their blue and purple hairs during cure so would this be too fast?

I've never, ever heard of a plant with blue or purple hairs.

also your mentioned that your old dryer was covered in resin did u scrape that off and smoke it? but that sounds like you lose THC when you take it out

A few of the resin trichomes do come off of buds when you handle them, no matter how you handle them. Some will always get away. Gentler handling keeps them attached to the buds of course, but this is simply unavoidable. If you hang dry, look on the floor! No more trichs come off the buds in the dryer than drying by any other means.

The bud dryer at least catches them so you can easily collect & smoke them. There's no scraping involved, they appear as a blonde-ish powder in the bottom of the dryer box.

In Lebanon, the historically preferred way of making hashish is thrashing buds over a fine screen so the resin trichs pass through, then are collected and pressed into very high quality hashish ('Lebanese blonde'). You can get kif presses from many head shops if you want to press your recovered resin trichs into a block or plug for smoking.

 

[DoobyDoo]

thanks again i have 1 more thing i need to get straight if u dont mind u say i need R1-6: 240V version - 2.3K or 1.8k ohm, 25W aluminum body resistor with mounting tabs as my line voltage is 240v i cant seem to find these resistors any where u say the 2.2k is close enough, probably rated for 600V will this do any harm being 600v i really need to make sure this will be all good before ordering these resistors nothing likely to go pop/bang if ive wired everything up as should be
sorry for the continuous questions

If I may:

Check out Digi-Key and Mouser for resistors, heat sinks, fans and wire. eBay is also a pretty good source for random things (like power resistors in small quantities). Ohmite is the company that I can think of off the top of my head that makes the resistors. There are others (Bourns, perhaps?) that make resistors in that package, if you look around a bit.

Don't get hung up on the exact value, either. Get as close as you can and that will work just fine, you have a dimmer switch to control the temperature anyway. The 600V is a max rating.. unless you plan on building circuitry to up your 120V or 240V lines, don't worry about it. Make sure they are 25W and you'll be just fine.

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here (I'm looking at you, Al ). Good luck!

 

[Al B. Fuct]

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here (I'm looking at you, Al ).

Hell, no! Thanks a bunch for chiming in! I'm sure that data will help anyone trying to cook up a heater like the one on my dryer.

 

[Al B. Fuct]

also your mentioned that your old dryer was covered in resin did u scrape that off and smoke it?

When I was talking about the goo on the old one, I was talking about the lid:



That's just from the resin on my fingers from handling buds while manicuring sticking to the lid.



I don't clean my hands just to open the dryer to load in more buds. I'm a pig, I tell ya.