Posted: 8/18/2013 8:33:31 AM EDT
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Well, as much for peppering as for a exercise in "see if I can do it," I made a solar oven. Plywood exterior with two layers of hard foam board insulation (from Home Depot-in 4x8 sheets with aluminum sides), then a galvanized interior box painted black.  Tried a few different schemes for reflective panels, and finally decided on this. It is a lightweight corrugated board from Hobby Lobby coated with some silvered paper from Hobby Lobby. I put them on the arms so that I could change the angle of reflection as the sun moves. I then put the entire thing on wheels so I would roll in and out of the garage and I could point it toward the sun easier.  The glass opening is one 1/8th piece of glass, then dead air, and a double sealed insulated piece of glass (two 1/8th pieces of glass separated by 1/2" and sealed). This mean three pieces of glass, but it was necessary as ALL the heat loss was through the glass (when I only had two panes). The hose in there is to attache to the pot I cook with, so the steam vents out the back to the outside and does not fog up the inside glass.  I cooked some chicken a week ago.  Left it in for two hours, and should have only been one hour, I burned the edges of some of the piece--and this was BEFORE I went to triple panes of glass insulation. I am hoping for over 350 oF. He is the 12 Noon temp today.  It normally hits its hottest at about 2 or 3 PM. Lost my sun (clouds moved in) at 5 minutes to two. I am confident I can do 350 oF. I was a very windy day today as well.  |