Got a round Nesco. Works well. Got six stack trays. I can dry a load of cut in half habs, Bhuts, whole Thai's and Tepin/Pequins in about six hours at 160 degrees, depending on the humidity in the shop. Fleshy peppers take longer than thin skinned ones. Cut those in half. If it's like mind, the exhaust vents are on the bottom next to the legs. Elevate it on three 2X4 blocks to allow better air circulation underneath. I don't recommend doing super hots in the house as the o-dear is strong...

I got a round Nesco a few weeks ago too. I filled 4 trays with halved red Habs, put it on 125* at around 9pm. Got home from work around 5pm the next day and they were done, ground them into powder. I also did about a gallon freezer bag of red Bhuts this past Saturday. I smoked them for about 2 hours first, then into the dehydrator, then ground into powder. The Bhut powder has a really nice dark burgundy color, but I've gotta admit, kinda smells like crap. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it yet.

FWIW, a gallon bag of peppers yielded about 2.5 oz of powder for me.

Mike

Mike, what kind of wood did you use for smoking? I love the aroma of my hickory smoked... anything. I hear good things about apple too, but haven't tried it yet.

Also, I use a chimney starter to light a small amount of charcoal outside the smoker. Then once ashen, place the coals inside the smoker with the damp smoke wood on top. Never use lighter fluid to get things going.

Thanks Mecdave. I knew all that. Been smoking meat for a few years now. I wanted to use hickory, but all I had was apple. Thought it'd go well, since there's a supposed berry flavor to the red Bhuts. I can't taste it (the berries). Heat hits me too quick. Then again, I've only eaten one raw, and it was on a burger.
I honestly haven't even tasted the Bhut powder yet, because it smelled so bad! Haha! I will eventually.

Mike

This will def. be something that is done outside in my pepper shop. I made the mistake of making scotch bonnet pepper jelly inside one year. That was all she wrote, per wife's orders, on doing anything w/ peopers in the house.

Johnny

all this talk of peoples' houses smelling like peppers using the dehydrators, I can't help wondering if people just don't have back porches...

Sanitary implications.

Besides I have a 12x14 brick shop next to house w/ Cable a/ Beer fridge. Why would I want to not use that. :)

Johnny

if I had that, I might never go inside the house.

I dehydrate everything in my wood shop. When it's a load of super-hots, the cat won't even come in, and he doesn't mind nitro lacquer smell or screaming machinery. Might tell you something...

Here's a dehydrator for cheapskates, with how-to video courtesy of Alton Brown.

BTW, the term "Blowhard 3000" was ripped off from the compressed air cannon that Mythbusters built. IIRC, AB never named his.

Here is a link that might be useful: Affordable dehydrator

Dennis,

have you ever tried it and how long does it take? i thought about trying it. i have 4 dehydrators running 24/7 and they are not keeping up. John

Never tried it, but how could it fail? Blow air over the pods and they dry out. Since it doesn't use heat, it won't be as fast as dehydrators that do. But I bet the fan sucks harder than the little home units, so maybe it balances out...

Dennis

For the record, my own made dehydrator is working right now.

I am using a small CPU/computer fan.(very quite, low wattage)

I get a cardboard box (8"x8" 10" high.)
Made 2 shelfing,
Installed the fan on top cover of the box (Blowing air downward.
Made vent hole at the bottom.
It is lacking just heat source. I might implement a light bulb.
This is just an experimental prototype.
I had the fan, I had the cardboard box. So I have not spend any money on it. Plus, when I am done, I'll just throw away the box. No storage problem. hehe

No pepper or fruit. Make me a taste test of some Jerky.