Dehydrating in your oven?

[DrPr]

How can I dehydrate using my regular home oven? Let's assume it can attain the proper temperature; what would I do to properly dehydrate apples, bananas and mangos?
Thanks!!!

[Revvell]

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9206&highlight=dehydrate+oven

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6272&highlight=dehydrate+oven

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6211&highlight=dehydrate+oven

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4882&highlight=dehydrate+oven

[exurb]

Some ovens with convection and/or proof (usually used for rising bread at around 100F) features can be easily used as a dehydrator. Most common ovens however don't offer the low temperature required, or the convection feature. Many common ovens start at 150, does yours go lower? To me, the air flow from convection is also a good contribution to the dehydrating process.

IMO, if your oven won't go as low as say 105 PLUS have convection, check into getting the basic American Harvest dehydrator, I think they're something like $39.99 if the outlay of the Excalibur is stopping you. I started using one as a temporary measure intending to get the Excalibur later, and gotta confess, I'm still using it. I like the round trays for pizzas, too.

[DrPr]

Thanks for the links, everyone. I would love to try dedydrating using the sun. Have any of you tried this? If so, how did you keep bugs out, and how long did it take? Also, I live in Nevada where it's sunny almost daily, but temperatures in the day time are averaging the the low 60s right now. Does surrounding air temperature affect the sun-drying process?