Chamber Vacuum Sealers, 2014–

[Martin Fisher]

"Volume plates" usually look like a white poly cutting board.

 

Have you seen this video?

 

[EMichels]

The purpose of the volume plates is just to fill some of the space in the chamber so that the unit does not need to pump all that extra air unnecessarily. Relatively dry just means that there is not enough liquid to spill out of the bag opening if laid atop the plates. Basically, remove plates until the liquid remains below the seal bar. If you are unable to find the plates, it will still vacuum just fine - it will just take a little longer to evacuate the chamber. I've never seen the liquid tray but I would assume that it serves a similar purpose in positioning the bag so that liquid does not flow toward the opening when placed in the chamber.

 

The "clamp" is simply the seal bar and the strip attached to the cover that presses against is when the cover is closed and a vacuum pulled.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

DiggingDogFarm, I was aware of the video you linked but have not been able to watch it because my computer does not work with youtube.

 

EMichels, thanks for trying to help, but there really is a clamp that holds the bag in addition to being held by the seal bar and cover.  It just was not obvious except to the person who wrote the manual.  Do you have a 300?

 

I must say I am pleased so far with the 300, once I figured it out.  It sealed my pork chop beautifully, and I put a second seal on the bag just to be sure.  No muss, no fuss.

 

Plus, it makes neat sound effects like when Han Solo was being frozen in carbonite.

[Adam George]

 

Plus, it makes neat sound effects like when Han Solo was being frozen in carbonite.

 

 

Sold

[imafoodie]

Jo - when the manual for the 300 refers to a volume plate and liquid tray being included, the manual is incorrect. I, too, was confused, and called Polyscience to inquire; that is what they told me.

[imafoodie]

Jo have you had much luck with liquids? I've been practicing with bags of water so if I fail it is at least easy to clean up. The problem seems to be that the cavity is so shallow that I can't really get a bag to lie at an angle.

[Unpopular Poet]

The liquid tray is the key to sealing liquid - my mvs-31x came with a slanted tray that sits in the machine and allows the bag to kind of "sit up" on an angle so the liquid doesn't spill out once it begins to boil in the bag while evacuating.  Basically, I use the liquid tray and the bigger bags and I have not had 1 spill in a few hundred seals.  Is the Polyscience a single seal or double seal bar?  

[paulraphael]

I said exactly the same thing in the other part of the thread.

 

 

despite the naysayers, I predict it's a year or two away (maybe not 80% less, but under $300)

 

 

 

they said the same about immersion circulators

The only chamber sealer I've used was a borrowed $4000 unit, which was nice, but its superpower seemed to be a massively powerful vacuum pump. It went down to 1 millibar, which (correct me if I'm wrong) is way more powerful than you'd ever need in the kitchen. What's the strongest you need for various compressions, speed-pickling, etc?

 

Certainly for sous-vide, a sealer that's a fraction as powerful would be sufficient, and would still do away with the problems of Food Savers.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Jo - when the manual for the 300 refers to a volume plate and liquid tray being included, the manual is incorrect. I, too, was confused, and called Polyscience to inquire; that is what they told me.

 

Thank you so much for restoring a measure of my sanity.  Did Polyscience say what to do when the manual calls for using the volume plate or liquid tray?

[nickrey]

Jo have you had much luck with liquids? I've been practicing with bags of water so if I fail it is at least easy to clean up. The problem seems to be that the cavity is so shallow that I can't really get a bag to lie at an angle.

I put something under the front edge of the sealer which gives it a slope so that the liquid doesn't run out. Be careful about getting water into your pump, it will lessen its effectiveness markedly and potentially damage it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Jo have you had much luck with liquids? I've been practicing with bags of water so if I fail it is at least easy to clean up. The problem seems to be that the cavity is so shallow that I can't really get a bag to lie at an angle.

 

I've not tried liquid, sorry.  I've been afraid of the mess since I hardly know what I'm doing.  Polyscience could give better instruction on this in my opinion.

 

The only thing I've sealed so far is a pork chop and that worked very well.

 

 

The liquid tray is the key to sealing liquid - my mvs-31x came with a slanted tray that sits in the machine and allows the bag to kind of "sit up" on an angle so the liquid doesn't spill out once it begins to boil in the bag while evacuating.  Basically, I use the liquid tray and the bigger bags and I have not had 1 spill in a few hundred seals.  Is the Polyscience a single seal or double seal bar?  

 

I believe the model 300 is a single seal bar but it is easy enough to make multiple seals.

[imafoodie]

Yes, it is single seal. I spoke with Polyscience yesterday. There isn't a liquid tray for this model because of the shallowness of the chamber. Their advice for liquids was to make sure it was cold (like from the fridge cold) and to only fill the bag half way. If the liquids start to boil, press the seal button. I think we will just have to experiment, Jo, to figure it out. I'm still going to practice with water in small portions until I get a handle on it.

[philie]

After all the interesting read one question to the europeans from egullet. In my decision of buying a machine, i totally forgot that it would not be too clever buying an us-sealer if i am actually staying in the EU. Is there a recommendation for a good sealer that is actually available in Europe? I read the the investment in an oil-based Busch-pump machine is recommended? Thanks a lot!

[imafoodie]

Happy to report that using the Polyscience 300 chamber vacuum sealer, I sealed beef stock today. Thanks to those that offered advice. Success lies in the stock being refrigerated first. I am quite pleased with the unit now that I've been able to do liquids. I've flash marinated, flash pickled, compressed fruit, sealed liquids, and of course vacuum packed foods for storage and/or sous vide. This is a new adventure for me, and I have had fun with it (only having a Food Saver prior to this).

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Are there still just the two of us here with the Polyscience 300?  So far I've sealed only meat and carrots.  And I have to say I was disappointed I did not care for carrots sous vide, even though they were so pretty in their packaging.  But I now have three bags of beef short ribs entering day two of their 72 hour cook.

 

One minor issue I am having is that I don't seem to be able to reliably make a second seal.  It seemed easy enough the first time I tried, but no luck since.  Not that I think it is necessary as the single seals look good and perform well.  Nothing in the manual or literature indicates the unit should be able to make more than one seal, so I don't feel I am missing anything that was promised.

 

And a question:  are bags for chamber vacuum sealers generic?  Or should I buy bags from Polyscience?  I've also been looking for a source of retort pouches that will work with the Polyscience 300, if anyone knows about such things.  Amazon does not seem to sell retort pouches, if I am searching for the right term.

 

I'm still amazed at how easy and reliable (and heavy) this thing is after talking to people with Foodsavers.

[Okanagancook]

I've had my VP215 VacMaster for about a year. I use it around 5 times a week on average. I changed the oil this morning, for the first time. Wow, the oil was quite dirty. I was surprised. It's easy to do if you have someone to help move it. There is a tube video on how to change the oil that is excellent.

[chriswrightcycles]

I just became the proud owner of a Vacmaster Vp215 chamber sealer. The machine is not being delivered with oil so it looks like I have to source it myself. I'd rather not order this online, so I'm soliciting suggestions for local sources. For instance, If you think I could find suitable machine oil at a local home improvement store, I'd love to know. What brands should I look out for?

 

Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[rob1234]

Is it used? My vp215 came with a jug of oil good for maybe 4 changes.

[Martin Fisher]

You need vacuum pump oil

Check at an auto parts store or dairy supply.

[Smithy]

Congratulations on your acquisition! You should find a lot of helpful information around here. We hope you'll stick around, ask more questions, and add to the general knowledge!

One question for you: where (approximately) are you? You ask about local sources, but some context may help refine the answers. You may get very different responses if you're asking about local sources in, say, Cairo, Egypt vs. Cairo, IL, USA.

[HKDave]

Assuming he's the Chris Wright I think he is, he's in Philly.

 

Try United Refrigeration; they stock vacuum pump oil and have 2 locations near you: 606 Spring Garden and 4111 Whitaker  http://www.refrigerants.com/locations2.aspx?cy=US

 

If that doesn't work, here's a Thomasnet listing of vacuum pump oil suppliers in Eastern PA: http://www.thomasnet.com/eastern-pennsylvania/oils-vacuum-pump-54942404-1.html

[mgaretz]

From my days in the jewelry biz, a well stocked jeweler's supply house will also have it.  Also Grainger's has a lot of brands and sizes to choose from and there's a branch in Philadelphia.

[chriswrightcycles]

@Rob1234, yes the machine is used.

@HKDave, yep I'm in Philadelphia

To everyone else, thanks for the replies. This is all helpful information.

[dcarch]

I may be wrong on this.

 

It depends on how high a vacuum you are trying to create. A laboratory vacuum pump for creating very high vacuum requires an oil which has a very specific vaporization characteristics.

 

Also, there are many way a vacuum can be created mechanically. each may require a different viscosity oil for lubrication.

 

dcarch 

[rotuts]

shy not call ARY, they are probably the ones distributing the machine in USA:

 

http://www.housewares.org/HousewaresConnect365/Detail?com_uid=72767