Solar ovens

[United]

for those interested, here are quite a few different types of solar cookers you can make pretty easily.

Plans for Solar Cookers -- The Solar Cooking Archive

good off grid alternative, but still nice to have some other means to cook for when the sun doesn't shine for days!

I'm gonna give one of these a try soon and see how it turns out. Also working on a homemade solar generator!

 

[jeremy]

Interesting please give us a write up on it.

 

[smokingman]

Take an old direct tv dish.1 spray glue aluminum foil to it 2 take of the plastic "collector" and replace with wire grill(or anything that will hold your "pan". Place a dark pan on your wire grill(cast Iron works very well). Aim at the sun.
I will post pics soon lol.OK I just made one(second time so it was easy).Here are the pics took about 20 min.

That is an old ac pad for the base. Total cost 3-5 dollars with use of some old scrap stuff(I already had glue,foil,the old dish,and an old ac pad...so mine cost was next to nothing
If I had an old full size disk I would work on a solar generator of some type.I would use thin stainless steel though not aluminum foil.

 

[United]

Take an old direct tv dish.1 spray glue aluminum foil to it 2 take of the plastic "collector" and replace with wire grill(or anything that will hold your "pan". Place a dark pan on your wire grill(cast Iron works very well). Aim at the sun.
I will post pics soon lol.

great idea!

 

[smokingman]

Ill let you know the next sunny day how long it takes to boil a quart of water...with pics

 

[Sailor]

Enclose with clear top, you have an oven.

 

[SavageEagle]

Magnifying Glass, bottle of chocolate, sealable cup, find an ant hill.

Collect ants in the cup, use sun and magnifying glass to cook ants, pour in chocolate, enjoy! Works with other critters aswell.

That is a good idea smokingman. I just use a grill wire above a couple logs over a fire. I'm good, with not need to rely on the sun. Fire can be made by friction and lots of hard work.

I'd be very interested in how long it takes to boil water with that solar cooker. If it works I might build one!

 

[jeremy]

SE I know in Iraq in the summer time you can boil water in the bottle in about 10 minutes for Ramen...

I think this is a great idea. Sometimes smoke from a fire can be a very bad thing...

 

[SavageEagle]

SE I know in Iraq in the summer time you can boil water in the bottle in about 10 minutes for Ramen...

I think this is a great idea. Sometimes smoke from a fire can be a very bad thing...

Good point. I hadn't considered that smoke might be a problem. But if it becomes a problem and you're on the move, you won't be lugging around an old sat dish, etc. Besides, if smoke is a problem, what about the smell of cooking food? Just some thoughts is all. Would be good for home use or if you are camping.

 

[Justus]

I'm interested in the results too.

I've seen the larger sat. dishes lined with pieces of mirror
but the smaller sized dish would be nice.

I've tried a few types of solar box ovens with varied results.
Clouds and breezes take their toll.

 

[United]

ok, got my first solar oven done today finally.

It's off of this basic plan
http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/M...lar_Box_Cooker

but i added more reflector panels all around it to hopefully get it hotter inside





so far, so good. After 45 minutes outside it was almost 200 degrees in there (i have a cooking thermometer in there) It was roughly 70 degrees out and partly sunny...then the clouds rolled in even more. Not the ideal day to solar cook due to the clouds we had, but hey 200 in these conditions isn't too awfully bad i don't think. Will keep ya posted after we get a good sunny day!

 

[SavageEagle]

Well done! I'll have to try this after all.

 

[CarmelHP]

Collect ants in the cup, use sun and magnifying glass to cook ants, pour in chocolate, enjoy!

Don't eat ants, they contain formic acid, have indigestible exoskeletons and their legs can embed in the bowels and cause obstructions. A waste of good chocolate.

 

[SavageEagle]

Don't eat ants, they contain formic acid, have indigestible exoskeletons and their legs can embed in the bowels and cause obstructions. A waste of good chocolate.

BUT BUT BUT BUT THEY"RE FULL OF FIBER!!!!!

 

[agentl074]

Sounds cool! ...Not about the ants though

 

[shotbyspike]

So did anyone ever cook any food with the solar oven ?

 

[RachelMarie]

My question is...
I heard someone say smoke might be a problem, and fire might be a problem, but isn't a big super shiney box a problem as well? Isn't the noticable from far away? Just curious! It's a cool idea though, and I will try it soon!

 

[jeremy]

It is not really that hard to build a smokeless fire...

 

[SavageEagle]

It is not really that hard to build a smokeless fire...

Smokeless fire? Do tell...

 

[RachelMarie]

Yes, please do!