solar oven

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• BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 32,027 admin

  July 2018 #2

  That was a kick-starter funded company (appears to have gone into production):
  
  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scotfrank/solsource-sport-cook-anywhere-under-the-sun
  
  They tell you that it is 600 Watts of heating... That is not the fastest "frying pan"--But will work.
  
  Note that this is not really a solar "oven", but more of a solar stove for heating pans/cooking/etc.
  
  As with all solar products, you need full/bright sun on a clear days to use the product. Even a bit of haze/high clouds will cut the amount of heat by 1/2 or more. And in this case, frying on an open pan will get splatters on the refectors (usually a weak point of many designs, they just don't clean very well before losing their reflective surface).
  
  If you are interested in solar cooking and solar ovens, it is not too difficult to make an oven out of a box, some insulation and foil, and a glass cover. Solar cookers generally take longer to cook/back because you have a limited amount of heat (noontime sun on a clear day is around 1,000 Watts per square meter). If your collector is 1/2 sq meter, then you have 500 Watts of heat (really heat and light).
  
  If you search the web, you can find many do it yourself solar ovens.
  
  http://www.permaculturecairns.com/solaroven.html
  
  My father made a large solar cooker (parabolic mirror) from cardboard and aluminum foil about 5 decades ago... Was a fun project, but was not very easy to use (how to hold food/pots in hot spot, nothing like trying to cook in bright sun without welding glasses to protect your eyes). And we lived in an area that got about 4 days of fog/marine layer and 2 days of sun in the summer. Using almost anything else was easier and quicker to cook.
  
  If you live in a region of the world with lots of sun (Turkey?) and cook lots of stews, a solar oven can save on fuel/firewood. Just plan on the cooking to take 4 hours or more (guess). And try to build your own first before buying something for $300+ USD + shipping.
  
  -Bill

  Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  

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• Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 5,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

  July 2018 #3

  I would call the linked solar cooker a solar grill, It likely works okay, best covered to retain the heat.
  
  I have an "All American Sun Oven" and it does somewhat live up to it's hype and will reach baking temps even on slightly over cast days (300 degrees or so, measured with their thermometer hear the top of the unit, inside on rack did reach 300 with a oven thermometer, but it's also in the sun aiding the temperature.
  
  
  Lots of effective Homemade designs out there.
  
  https://www.google.com/search?q=homemade+solar+oven&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiFp5vryI3cAhVk2IMKHUT5ABsQsAQIsQE&biw=1366&bih=619
  
  If your goal is to just cook meat fast. I'd look at a solar vacuum tube cooker;
  
  
  

  Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
  - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.

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• littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭✭

  July 2018 #4

  Here's a good read on solar ovens, their history and how to build a variety of them. I own a copy, felt it was a worthwhile purchase.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Flame-Guide-Solar-Cookers/dp/0962958824/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530992044&sr=1-2&keywords=heavens+flame
  

  2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric, 540 ah @24 volt AGM battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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• BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 32,027 admin

  July 2018 edited July 2018 #5

  Oops (old smaller satellite antenna that was covered with mylar reflective sheet and parked in the car at work):
  
  https://phyzblog.blogspot.com/2018/07/be-careful-with-your-parabolic-mirror.html
  
  And there are the Fresenel lenses from old protection TVs for solar exprements:
  
  By the way, be careful when "tossing" the old projection TVs... A friend of mine notice one was smoking as it was sitting out in the sun on a junk pile.
  
  
  
  -Bill
  
  

  Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  

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