L'Equip EXPANDABLE 528 - Manual (Page 9)

EXPANDABLE 528
D E H Y D R A T O R
Owner’s Manual User Guide
8
Troubleshooting Guide
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Symptom
Probable
Cause
Items to Check
No Heat - No
Fan No Power to
Unit Switch. 1. Unit is plugged in.
2. Power switch is on.
3. Make sure your house power is on and that
the outlet is working.
No Heat – Fan
OK Broken wire in
unit. 1. Check temperature setting.
2. Return for service if persists.
Heat OK – No
Fan Motor stalled. 1. Turn off immediately.
2. Check for foreign objects (pieces of dried
food) jamming fan. Turn base assembly
upside down and shake vigorously. Turn unit
on side and shake particles out. If fan still
doesn’t operate, return unit for service.
3. If liquid has been spilled into the air vents on
the fan housing, the unit must be replaced or
returned for inspection.
Slow Drying Trays
overfi lled.
Air leaks due
to warped or
improperly
stacked trays.
1. Air must fl ow around food freely for food to
dry. Try reducing quantity on each tray.
2. Check for foreign objects (pieces of dried
food) jamming or slowing the fan.
3. Replace warped trays. Note: The heat from
most dishwashers (on the drying cycle) can
warp the drying trays. Trays must be hand
washed only.
4. Stack trays properly again.
Uneven Drying Variation in
food thickness
and ripeness.
Trays not
rotated.
Too much food
in trays.
1. Verify that foods are uniform in ripeness and
thickness.
2. Periodically rotate trays
3. Verify that food does not block airfl ow through
the tray stack.
Over-heating
or Insuffi cient
Heat Temperature
control not
functioning at
proper range. 1. Unplug dehydrator to clear the electronic
controls. Reset temperature. If temperature
varies signifi cantly, return for service.
Noisy Fan or
Motor Foreign
material in
fan or motor
bearings
damaged. 1. Try to clear foreign material by shaking as
described above. If no change, return for
service
9
How to Dehydrate
HOW TO DEHYDRATE
The only way to become an expert is through experience. Experiment with
various drying times and temperatures. Record what works best for you.
Equipment:
• Sharp paring knife (Use stainless steel blades. Carbon blades may turn
some fruits and vegetables dark. A vegetable slicer or electronic slicer
may also be useful.)
• Cutting board
• Blender (for making leathers and powders)
• Storage containers
• Optional: Peeler, steamer and basket, or kettle and collapsible steamer
Before dehydrating, wash hands thoroughly. Make sure the counter, cutting
board, utensils, equipment and storage containers are clean prior to using.
Selecting Food:
Pick the best quality food at the peak of ripeness and fl avor. Cut away any
bruised or damaged sections.
Decide Then Dehydrate:
Before beginning, decide how dehydrated food will be used. For example:
snacks, baked goods, soups, sauces or dips. This will help determine how
thick to slice food, whether to peel or not and whether to salt or season.
To Peel or Not:
Peels tend to be tough when dried and take longer to dry; however, the peels
of fruits and vegetables often contain much of the food’s nutritional value.
Peeling is a personal preference. If you would normally peel the food for a
specifi c recipe, plan to peel the food to be dehydrated. Peel apples intended
for pies or tomatoes intended for soup. It is better not to peel, if the dried
food is to be eaten as a snack.
Cutting Makes a Difference:
• Slice or cut food to uniform thickness. This allows even drying.
• Don’t slice food too thin. ¼” is preferred for most fruits and vegetables.
• Moisture rich foods such as watermelon, may need to be sliced thicker to
dehydrate properly.
• Moisture escapes best from a cut or broken surface, not through tough
skin. The larger the cut area, the faster and better the food dehydrates.
• Thin stalked vegetables like green beans, asparagus or rhubarb should be
cut in half lengthwise, or with an extreme diagonal cut.
• Broccoli stems should be halved or quartered, depending upon diameter.
• Fruit should be sliced across the core.
• Make thin, fl at cuts.
• Small fruits like strawberries can be cut in half. Smaller berries should
either be cut in half or blanched slightly to break the skin.