Global Solar Oven

nigtomdaw
nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Hi,

Ive just purchased a Global Sun (Solar) Oven off ebay, it will be many weeks b4 it arrives in Spain. I was hoping some members may have one of these units and or homemade units and would be interested in thier comments. The main reason for purchase was to avoid using our gas LPG oven on a low heat for long periods cooking stuff liked baked potatoes and meats and casseroles which take a long time and heat the house too much in summer. Not exactly a v=ir
or P=VI type question but still relavent for energy use and conversation.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    i don't have one, but i suppose it'll work ok be it with mirrors or lenses. the only troubles i would forsee is a cloudy day if it isn't nightime and having to move it to keep it aimed towards the sun or does this thing you're getting track?
    · Share on Twitter
  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    The cloud issue isnt really a problem 300 sunny days a year on average in Spain and if your unlucky and it does suddenly cloud I suspect u light the gas oven, It does have a tracker option but that doubles the price so I thought a redrock unit and a lazy susan would be a nice project to experiment on tracking.....
    · Share on Twitter
  • Patman3
    Patman3 Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    I have one of those ovens and they really work, getting hot enough to melt plastic dishes/cookware - by the way don't use plastic cookware of any kind. Metal pots and pans that are black work well. I made muffins/ cupcakes fine. I had to stop using it though, because if you look at the thing wrong you burn your eyes. I would reposition it or look inside to check the cooking and LOOK OUT - that glare can cause floaters on your eyes for months.
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #5
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    Does anyone know where you can buy one of these in Spain ? I used various types over the years ..homemade , a lightweight one from Switzerland but I keeping hearing of this global sun oven but buying from the US takes time and I keep getting hit with VAT and import duties everytime I ship something over ...
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #6
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    You probably have these links:

    http://www.sunoven.com/

    And this German shop (no extra VAT/Custom Duties?) has it for 299 Euro...

    http://solar.verkauf-internet.de/

    But--is it really worth it? polishing some sheet aluminum (of if you can find some scrap plated or stainless steel sheet metal), some sort of metal/painted cardboard box+insulation, cover glass... And away you go. 300 Euro ($400+ USD) seems to be pretty excessive cost.

    In the US, it costs $279 for the cooker, mounts, and 1 cooking pot.

    Here is a site with plans for various oven designs:

    http://solarcooking.org/plans/

    And probably find a good set of welder's goggles (#10 is used for arc welding, #2 for gas welding--probably not dark enough--IIRC) to save your eyes.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    Will the oven get hot enough?
    Two months ago my uncle got a lesson in how hot black things under glass can get. He was activating his flat plate hot water panel for the summer, but somehow a valve didn't get opened. He was trying to figure out why the water wasn't circulating when he heard a roar, somewhat like an approaching jet engine. Seconds later the pain hit in his foot. Turns out his foot had been under the blow off pipe when it let go. 3'rd degree burns to the top of his foot, that 2 months later, still has not completely healed. He has a whole new respect for solar heat, no longer considering it just an interesting toy.
    · Share on Twitter
  • SavingEnergy
    SavingEnergy Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
    #8
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    We have one, and it works quite nice. The wife made meatloaf, and chocolate chocolate chip muffins in it today. Yes, you have to pay attention and turn it every so often. We like it because you can cook without heating up the house. I think I saw the temp gauge hit about 325 today. It doesn't get as hot as a regular oven, but it doesn't seem to matter. Just add some additional cooking time, and everything turns out fine.

    John
    · Share on Twitter
  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    I got mine about 5 weeks ago, I havent used it yet maybe later this week but I did try it out in the sun, it went from room temp 20 degrees c to 165 degrees c in 25 minutes and held 165 degrees C for over 2 hours whilst the sun was shining, We are in Summer know and its time to play as cooking inside really heats the house up, I was impressed overall with its build quality I paid $200 for mine shipped from USA to UK paid vat and a friend shipped to Spain in a container for free with other gear.

    If your going to buy one now is the time $ to euro is brill, wont last forever though,
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #10
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    I am looking to get one to do a demonstration for students. I think it is great idea as some of you point out, it does not add heat to the house in summer.
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #11
    Re: Global Solar Oven
    nigtomdaw wrote: »
    I got mine about 5 weeks ago, I havent used it yet maybe later this week but I did try it out in the sun, it went from room temp 20 degrees c to 165 degrees c in 25 minutes and held 165 degrees C for over 2 hours whilst the sun was shining, We are in Summer know and its time to play as cooking inside really heats the house up, I was impressed overall with its build quality I paid $200 for mine shipped from USA to UK paid vat and a friend shipped to Spain in a container for free with other gear.

    If your going to buy one now is the time $ to euro is brill, wont last forever though,

    200$ its pretty expensive I got my for only 75$ at kill-bill.info. Its is very durable and made from the highly reflective waterproof material. the only issue you can't have such big temperature, usually it is around 100-110 C, but I will tell you the truth you don't need a hight temperature in solar oven, because when you got 165 during the day it means that you can't leave your food for a while, if you don't take it out immidiately after it got cooked you will have your food burned to coals! With 100 C you can safely leave it for 2 days, without food being destroyed! Actually after purchasing one I got another one so I can fully transfer my family to gas-electricity free cooking!
    · Share on Twitter
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    Some clarification to Sampo's post:

    Location is important to consider. Sampo is in Israel. If you tried leaving your food in the oven for days in other places around the globe you might not want to eat it - or the stuff you'd find growing on it. :p

    For the metric-challenged among us, 100C is 212F. 165C is 329F - quite a normal oven temp for many things. :D
    · Share on Twitter
  • snuffy
    snuffy Solar Expert Posts: 72 ✭✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    We like our Sun Oven. You have to watch the wind though as it can be blown over and damaged.
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #14
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    I'm in Palestine actually :-) The amount of time you can leave your food depends upon the climate generally. We have sunset at around 8 pm, so my food stays warm till around 9 o'clock andf then it is night so the temperature gets a lot colder in desert climate, so food just doesn't get spoiled ofcourse leaving it for more then 3 days is not a good idea, but 2-3 days is perfect
    · Share on Twitter
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #15
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    Later I will post some photos on the great solution against wind I'm using
    · Share on Twitter
  • Mariner777
    Mariner777 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #16
    Re: Global Solar Oven

    I just got one of these and tried it for the first time today. Its a global sun oven. The glass lid did not appear to sit flush on the oven lip due to a twisted lower hinge. I didn't notice at first so I put in my whole chicken and potato roast at dawn, covered it with a black towel as it was a glass container. I put a yam and a regular potato on top of the black towel. I pointed the thing south and ignored it. Came back at 2pm and the temperature was only 100 C though I thought it should have been considerably higher. I tuned it again around 4 pm and the T never got above 100C. At 9pm the oven was still very warm. The bird came with a thermometer and alas it did not pop out after a whole sunny day in the oven. The yam was cooked but the regular potato was not. I am currently trying to finish the bird off on a propane stovetop in a ceramic dutch oven. I hope it was the hinge and the poor seal of the lid - though there was condensation on the glass after I turned it at 4pm as some liquid spilled out so perhaps its not sealing that poorly. Will keep playing around I think for yams and lentils and stuff this thing is great for meat it might not be safe. Maybe I just havent got the hang of it yet.
    · Share on Twitter
  • MM73
    MM73 Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭
    #17
    nigtomdaw said:
    I was hoping some members may have one of these units and or homemade units and would be interested in thier comments.
    We made our own box type solar oven here in Portugal and it works surprisingly well. We documented the build process for those who are interested to make one of their own - https://reclaimdesign.org/diy-solar-oven


    · Share on Twitter

Categories