Odds are the problem is the vacuum hose or its end connections, the drain valve, or the door gasket. Based upon my experience I'd double check the fittings while installed on the FDer.
I've also added an oil catch can that does a wonderful job of trapping oil vapor exiting the exhaust of the pump. Now instead of coating the area in a fine oil mist, the oil settles into the can. The clear tube on the side of the can lets you know how full the can is.
I think a community-built troubleshooting manual is a great idea. These machines are simple in some ways, and more complex in others, and having a lot of eyes on the problem is always good.
The best place to buy a freeze dryer is directly from the manufacturer’s website. That way, a warranty will be included, there’s a guarantee the machine wasn’t tampered with by anyone (even by accident), and buyers can get additional information from customer service.
Removing the ice from between the chamber wall and the insulation (hopefully will never have to do this again)
So I corrected the oversight - I drilled and tapped the elbow to add the port. Here is a picture. It worked great today when I flushed the pump to clear out the gunk.
Whichever freeze dryer model you choose, be sure you’re getting it from a trustworthy source. The only place where you’re guaranteed complete satisfaction is the manufacturer’s Know More store or their website, so that’s where I’d buy if it were up to me.
A bit of background on me - I used to work in a sold state fabrication lab (university research lab) and had a lot of hands-on work with ultra-high vacuum equipment. The pumping we do for freeze drying was what was required to just start
Before purchasing a freeze dryer (an expensive product and therefore a large investment), it’s important to know a reliable place to buy it from.
Over night the FDer warmed up and the next morning we had a massive puddle under it - running off the counter onto the floor. I cleaned up the mess, but the next day the puddle was even bigger. On the 3rd day it was back again just as large even though I left a large towel under the FDer.
We’ve bought six so far with two more on the way. But families and individuals considering getting their own can and should as long as they go in with their eyes open.
Ask yourself useful issues. Could you very easily approach entire meals in a single cycle? Or is it very best to system different types of foods individually? Does one know how to load the food trays?
Tony, if you see this, I went ahead and purchased the catch can. Do you think it's okay to just purchase a reducer to go from the size of the exhaust to the size of the hose that came with the can?
I've run the system in countless tests including over filling the pump and running the pump without a load (both result in lots of oil spitting out the exhaust port of the pump). I've drained the catch can twice, once with over 5 oz of oil in it, but have not collected any oil downstream in the jar so the system is performing well.