Solar Ovens

[Ani]

Anybody have/use one? I think building one will be a winter project. I'd love to learn from any ideas/experience. A friend just told me about the book Solar ovens for home & camp I'm going to try and get my hands on. Supposedly its great.

[plantoneonme]

When I was a cubscout leader some 15 or so years ago, we made one for our troop. The boys and I made one out of a couple boxes, foil, newspaper and pane of glass. It worked well enough to cook beans, stew etc.

You can find tons of information on construction and use by doing a google search. Here is just one link I found...

http://solarcooking.org/plans/

Kim

[gardengirl72]

Thanks Kim, great link. I need to build one myself.

[AbbeyLehman]

Oh wow--Cub Scouts! My DS JUST joined--he's officially a Tiger Cub! I have also semi-volunteered to be the Tiger Cub leader, as there isn't one right now. Help! :)

Sorry, thread drift.

I have seen info for these and have tossed the idea around in my head, but haven't gotten off my duff to make one yet. Maybe a good homeschool project, yes?

[plantoneonme]

Great homeschool project. Look at the link I provided and you will find some made out of those car shades that will cost under $5. I bet even the Tiger Cubs would have fun with one of those. Kim

[AbbeyLehman]

Yes, I looked at the link--info overload for 4:32AM. You must be a 3rd shifter, too :)

[plantoneonme]

How'd you guess? I'm an RN in Intensive Care...luckily (for the patients) only 3 in the unit tonight. Kim

[Ani]

Thanks for that link! There are some interesting shapes there. I think I need to break out the math skillz and figure out what will be best for my area. I'll definitely post what I come up with.

[AbbeyLehman]

How'd you guess? I'm an RN in Intensive Care...luckily (for the patients) only 3 in the unit tonight. Kim

You were responding VERY quickly to posts, just like i was....and I was at work :)

I only work Fridays & Saturdays, though.

[gardengirl72]

How do we show this thread to our new solar oven experimenter from British Columbia?

[gaiatechnician]

How do we show this thread to our new solar oven experimenter from British Columbia? I found it.. Just lost a post but it was too long winded.
I have only recently had success with the solar cookers but I have been at it for 2 years experimenting away. Some of my stuff made the news section at solarcooking.org
I made low tech trackers and a low tech way to make parabolic dishes but when you combine the 2, the need for accuracy and frequent adjustment is too great.
Thats why I went for a compound parabolic dish this time.
Hopefully it will allow you to have a cost-effective solar cooker working away all day every day in your garden, cooking, steaming soil, drying fruit and other good stuff.
Just like another appliance but one that doesn't use electricity!
Brian

[gaiatechnician]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Compound_parabolic_dish_making_a_template_with_te/
Most of the templates you see on the internet are for parabolic dishes. This template is for a compound parabolic dish. The big advantage of compound parabolic is that they do not need to be moved often.
My first compound parabolic solar cooker worked really well but it is definitely a work in progress. I expect other people to make better dishes and better templates.
But this one is fine for starters.
Thanks
Brian White

[Garden Green]

I'm looking forward to trying this. I make tea in the sun a lot and this just seems the next logical step up. Thanks for all the info from everyone!

[ecogirl]

solar ovens?! Whoah!!!!!!!
_______________________
Ecogirl
www.ecogirleco.blogspot.com:D

[gaiatechnician]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Use_software_to_design_a_better_solar_cooker/
A lot of the "facts" about solar cooker and solar oven design are not really facts at all.
This is because the sun moves and it is hard to model this movement in the design process.
Imagine solar cooking with a "perfect" parabolic dish in Africa in 35 degree heat.
You have to move the dish every 15 or 20 minutes!
So really the perfect dish is one that sends enough heat to your cooker without you having to be there at all!
I have been looking into software to help educate people and to help people find the "perfect" dish for their cooking situation.
I think the software "art of illusion" will do that job and is easy to learn.
Please take a look, especially at the little quicktime movie files.
I am sure I have not found the best stationary dish yet but the results are interesting so far.
Parabolic comes LAST in the tests!
Brian

[anotherposter]

Thanks a lot for sharing that cool link!

I want to prepare one too. That site will be a great help.