The freeze dryer should be set up in an area with good ventilation and a temperature range between 7 to 24°C. While slightly hotter or colder temperatures are acceptable, these are the ideal operating conditions.

To prevent overheating of the pump, electronics, and refrigeration components, the freeze dryer should not be boxed in or placed in a corner or cabinet. It should have space around it on all sides to ensure proper airflow.

Additionally, the freeze dryer needs to drain the water removed from the food at the end of the batch. For proper drainage, it should not be placed directly on the ground. Ensure the freeze dryer is set up on a horizontal surface at least 30 centimeters above the ground, with the drain hose hanging vertically, not resting horizontally on the same surface as the freeze dryer.

For all foods, including candy, the factory settings on the Home Freeze Dryer are preset and ready to go, so no adjustments should be needed. There are three modes for the standard model: "STANDARD", "PRE-FROZEN", and "CANDY".

• Standard mode is for food under regular conditions.
• Pre-frozen mode is for food that has been frozen to below -20°C for up to 24 hours.
• Candy mode is specifically for freeze-drying candies.

If you find that a certain type of food is not fully dried at the end of the process, you can always add extra dry time at the end of the cycle.

Over the past few years, freeze-dried candy has become increasingly popular with both customers and consumers. Airwoods has developed a candy mode program designed to help candy makers achieve better results and shorter run times.

The freeze-drying process is primarily designed to remove water from food, but there are certain foods, such as chocolate and items high in oil or fats, that do not freeze-dry well. Similarly, some candies do not freeze-dry effectively due to the structure and ingredients of the candy, making it difficult to remove water from certain substances.

Many times, there is nothing functionally wrong with the freeze dryer or its parts, yet certain types or brands of candy may not dry or puff up as desired. Unfortunately, we cannot account for every candy variety. However, if you are willing to invest time in researching and experimenting with different candies to determine the best settings for each, we recommend choosing our customized model, which allows you to adjust the parameters to suit your specific needs.

• Prepare a laptop and a Type C connection cable.
• Connect the freeze dryer to the computer and wait for 10 seconds.
• Using the installation package we sent, unzip it and locate the last file named "One-Click Upgrade".
• Click on "One-Click Upgrade".
• The freeze dryer screen will display an upgrade confirmation prompt. Click "Confirm".
• Wait for the progress bar to complete. Once it finishes, the upgrade is now complete.

To optimize freeze-drying, it's important to allow water to escape easily from the food. For items like blueberries, which have skin that retains moisture, poking holes in the skin or cutting them in half can help water escape during the process. In general, cutting food into small, single-layered slices will enhance the freeze-drying process. Ensure the pieces are spread out in a single layer, as each item needs to be in direct contact with the tray for proper drying. Avoid stacking food on top of each other.

Additionally, be cautious not to overfill the trays, especially with water-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and liquids. If food exceeds the rim of the tray, it can disrupt the drying process. Overloading the freeze dryer increases the total water content, leading to longer drying times. Smaller batches that fit within the designated drying time are more efficient for both the freeze dryer and the vacuum pump. By sticking to smaller, organized batches, you can avoid overloading, ensure consistent, dry results, and reduce the risk of errors or wear-and-tear on your equipment.

After pressing Start, the M model freeze dryer begins a 15-minute pre-cooling process, while the XL model runs a 30-minute pre-cooling process. You may insert your trays of food during this period, or wait until the pre-cooling time is complete. However, it’s important not to delay after the screen prompts you to load trays. The machine will continue freezing even if no trays are inside, which is not ideal.

To ensure proper results, your food should freeze inside the freeze dryer at the same rate as the machine. This applies even if your trays are pre-frozen. The longer the food has time to freeze inside the chamber, the smoother the rest of the batch will go. All water inside the food particles must freeze completely to the core at -24°C. If only the surface is frozen, the unfrozen moisture in the center will fail to sublimate properly and may get pulled into the vacuum pump once the pump activates. Since water is the main factor causing pump wear and vacuum issues, avoiding overload and ensuring thorough freezing is critical.

System Protection Measures

If the target frozen temperature cannot be reached for an extended period, the system triggers a temperature alarm with a "beep-beep" alert. When this occurs, check the following:

1. Whether too much food has been loaded, exceeding the machine’s capacity.
2. Whether the compressor is operating properly.
3. Whether the door is sealed correctly.

To protect the vacuum pump, the system will not activate it until the required temperature is reached. The pump only starts once conditions are safe.

Once the food has reached the initial freeze temperature set in your program (default: -24°C), the freeze dryer automatically moves into the vacuum freezing stage. At this point, the vacuum pump turns on when signaled by the freeze dryer.

Before the pump can pull a deep vacuum, ensure that your system is fully closed:

• The vacuum pump power cord must be plugged into the back of the freeze dryer (not the wall).
• The vacuum pump switch on the back of the pump must be in the (I) “ON” position.
• The drain valve must be tightly closed.
• The door must be fully latched (turn the latch twice).
• The vacuum hose must be firmly connected at both ends.

Vacuum Alarm

If the system cannot reach the target vacuum level within a certain time, a "beep-beep" vacuum alarm will sound. When this occurs, check the following:

1. Drain valve not closed → Close the valve and click Continue.
2. Vacuum pump power off → Switch on the pump and click Continue.
3. Vacuum hose or seal ring issue → Turn off the pump, reinstall the hose and check the seal ring.
4. Door or gasket not sealed properly → Reinstall the gasket, close the door fully, and turn the latch twice.
5. Vacuum pump oil contaminated → Re-filter or replace with clean oil, then click Continue.
6. Excessive food load or volatile substances (e.g., alcohol) → Reduce the load and click Continue. For items with high alcohol content, please contact Airwoods for a custom program.

System Protection Measures

To protect your food, the system will not begin heating until the required vacuum level has been achieved. This prevents damage and ensures proper freeze-drying.

As long as you have a closed system and your vacuum pump is properly maintained (with clean, transparent oil in the sight glass for oil pumps), the vacuum pressure in the chamber will begin to drop. Once this happens, the process of sublimation begins. Sublimation is when water transitions from a solid (ice) directly into a gas, without passing through the liquid phase.

The frozen water in your food starts turning into gas, rising out of the food, and freezing onto the chamber walls, forming ice on the walls. This sublimation process begins as the vacuum pressure drops into the thousands (mTorr) and continues to occur more rapidly as the pressure continues to decrease.

Throughout this process, our freeze dryer is monitoring the rate at which the vacuum pressure is dropping, ensuring the process stays on track and that your batch will be successful.

The drying cycle follows the vacuum freeze phase, where most of the sublimation occurs. As long as the vacuum pressure is low enough, the heating elements will activate. Applying heat to the shelves increases the rate of sublimation, causing moisture in the food to evaporate as a gas. This vapor then re-freezes on the chamber walls, which remain cold throughout the process.

During the drying cycle, temperature fluctuations are common. Heat is applied in increments because it increases the amount of water released from the food. The freeze dryer turns the heat on and off to ensure the water vapor is released at a manageable rate for the vacuum pump to handle. This process helps prevent the moisture from being sucked into the pump while ensuring it freezes to the chamber walls. Foods with high water content take longer to dry because heat is applied based on how well the vacuum pressure is maintaining and how low the mTorr level is at that time.

If the vacuum pressure isn't low enough, the heat will not turn on. However, if the vacuum pressure is low and the heat is not coming on, the system will trigger a heating temperature alarm with a "beep." In this case, check the following:

1. Shelving unit connector: Ensure it's properly attached. Reconnect the shelving unit to the wiring harness connector.
2. Heating functionality: Check if each shelf is heating. If the heating pad is damaged, replace the shelving unit.

Assuming there are no errors, the heat will continue to cycle on and off until the freeze dryer detects that there is little to no moisture being released. This indicates that the food is nearly dry.

The final dry cycle is the last 2 hours of the drying process (unless you set additional dry time, in which case it will be longer). During this phase, the freeze dryer performs the same functions as in the drying cycle. However, in the final dry phase, the temperature tends to stay much closer to the set point, resulting in fewer temperature fluctuations. This stage ensures that any remaining moisture is removed, completing the freeze-drying process.

When the batch finishes, the screen will display ‘Process Complete’. The freeze dryer will remain on this screen with the freezing component still running until you are able to attend to the machine. It stays on to prevent the ice formed around the chamber walls from melting and rehydrating your food. The freeze dryer can maintain this state for several days if necessary, so there’s no rush to attend to it immediately after the batch finishes.

We have set an appropriate maintenance temperature to ensure your freeze-dried food is kept at a convenient temperature for retrieval when you arrive.

To check if your food is fully freeze-dried, simply:

1. Open the drain valve.
2. Open the door and inspect the food.

If it is not fully dry, click ‘More Dry Time’ and select the amount of additional time you wish to add.

Important: Be sure to close the drain valve and shut the door tightly after making adjustments. If the valve and door are not properly closed, the drying process will not resume.

If your freeze dryer experiences a power outage during the freeze-drying process, there are settings for "Power Outage Alert" and "Power Outage Memory" to help manage the situation:

• The freeze dryer has power outage memory. If the outage lasts less than 30 minutes, the program will automatically resume from the current stage once power is restored.
• If the power outage exceeds 30 minutes, the machine will require refreezing. After power is restored, the system will automatically return to the freezing stage and display a warning message. Prolonged outages can affect the quality or texture of the freeze-dried product.
• Prolonged power outages carry a risk of failure. You can select "Cancel" in the warning window to terminate the freeze-drying cycle, or you can allow the program to continue drying until completion, though the final product may be subpar or fail.

The best way to check if the food is completely dry is to place one larger slice of food on each tray. When the freeze dryer displays ‘Process Complete’, open the door and break the larger slices in half. If the slices are dry and there is no ice in the core, the rest of the batch should also be dry.

For liquids, when the batch is complete, check the food in the center of the tray to ensure it is dry.

When your freeze dryer finishes a batch of food, it is imperative to ensure the machine is fully defrosted, drained, cleaned, and dried before starting the next batch. Any remaining water in the chamber—whether ice on the walls or water droplets left in the drain hose—can potentially cause a vacuum error in your next batch if the water is sucked into the vacuum pump.

The whole point of freeze-drying is to eliminate water and dry the food, so it’s crucial to do your part by cleaning and drying the chamber between batches. Removing any leftover water will significantly improve the success of your next batch.

Additionally, be sure to pull the shelving rack out and wipe underneath it, as water can sometimes pool in this area and may not be visible until the shelf is removed.

Whether you choose to run the defrost cycle and heat the trays to melt the ice, or simply turn the freeze dryer off and leave the door open to let the ice melt on its own, it’s not a significant difference. Just be sure that all the water is removed before starting the next batch—unless you're making candy.

Candy contains very little water, so you can run up to 5 batches of candy without defrosting. However, be sure to defrost and clean your chamber at least every 5 batches of candy to maintain optimal performance.

Clean your freeze dryer primarily with hot, soapy water. Use a dishwashing brush or a soft-bristled brush to reach between the shelves and clean all the way to the back.

Here’s a checklist to ensure everything is in proper order before starting your freeze dryer:

• Is the drain valve closed? The small handle on the valve should be perpendicular to the direction of the drain tube. (For the Pro model, no need to check this.)
• Have you cleaned the door?
• Is the black rubber gasket (door seal) clean?
• Have you replaced the oil in the vacuum pump?
• Is the vacuum pump filled with oil up to the middle of the sight glass?
• Is the door closed and compressed tightly?
• Is the vacuum pump power on at the "I" position?

Here’s how to connect your freeze dryer to the computer and access the device operating parameters:

• First, prepare a laptop and a Type C connection cable.
• Connect the freeze dryer to the computer and wait for about 10 seconds.
• Using the installation package we sent, unzip it.
• Inside the unzipped files, search for "CMD".
• Open CMD, then type adb shell logcat and click Confirm.
• Once done, you’ll be able to read the device operating parameters required for this session.

• First check for a frost pattern by powering on the freeze dryer.
• Select "STANDARD" mode, click " START" unitl the unit begins "FREEZING"
• Open the freeze dryer door and let it run for 60 minutes.
• After 60 minutes you should see a frost pattern that extends ½ the length of the chamber or more. Touch the walls of the chamber, if they are not cold, or if you do not get a frost pattern then proceed to STEP 2

• Check to make sure your refrigeration condenser fan is running. You can hear it and you can feel it blowing air out the sides of your freeze dryer. If you want to be certain, take a thin strip of toilet paper and hold it next to the side of the freeze dryer where the holes are. On one side of the freeze dryer it will be sucked to the holes and on the other side it will blow away from the holes. If the fan is working then do the following:
• Check to see if the relay chip for freezing is switching on. If the relay indicator light on the mainboard is illuminated, the relay is functional; if it remains off, the relay is faulty. Proceed to the next step to replace the relay.
• If the relay is faulty, the entire board will need to be replaced. You can purchase one from Airwoods and replace it by watching the video, “Relay Board Replacement.”

• If the relay board is not the problem, then it is likely that you have a bad refrigeration condenser. It may have a leak and will need to be charged with refrigerant, or the compressor is damaged, need to replaced. At this point you should talk to a Airwoods Technician as you will likely need to send Airwoods your freeze dryer or hire a refrigeration repair person.
• If you hire someone, please have them follow the directions found in the document titled, "Refrigeration Repair Information."

STEP 1: RECALIBRATING TOUCH SCREEN

If you encounter a Black Screen, follow these steps:

• Ensure the power plug is firmly connected to both the wall outlet and the back of the unit.
• Make sure the switch on the back of the unit is set to "On".
• Check the electrical outlet for power by plugging something else into it to confirm that the outlet is working.

If everything appears to be in order and the screen remains black, you may need to replace the LED Screen and computer board. You can purchase these parts from Airwoods and follow the video titled “LED Display Screen Replacement” for guidance.

If the power receptacle is shorted out, watch the video, "Replacing Main Power Harness"

Watch and follow the instructions in the video, "Replacing Power Receptacle."