Solar Oven - First Issue

This is our first solar box oven ever. Here is an account of a day of cooking in winter (Feb 24/08) in Ontario Canada. Enjoy!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• oven
• sun
• cooker
• green
• box

[AjnaChakraB1]

So overall, it took 6 1/2 hours? 9-3:30? I'm doing a presentation for one of my classes and figured I could throw in this example with the rest of my information. Nice work overall, this project has turned into a trial and error experience for me as well. Much easier in third world countries with high temps. A little more difficult in places like Canada or VT for ex.

[hipofalcon]

@AjnaChakraB1 - overall it took 6-1/2 hours, but typically depending on what you are cooking it could take less time. I would say on average, a 4 lb roast beef or chicken would cook in about 4 hours, but if you leave it in longer, there is no real issue. It's not like you are "wasting" fuel. Bread bakes in less then 2 hours and cakes and pastries in less than an hour.

[margot980]

Really good work here. The late great Adele Davis advocated long slow cooking, so the 350 goal isn't perhaps a priority, providing you start first thing in the morning.

I wouldn't cook anything near did you say extruded styro foam insulation heated. Must be better and more benign ways to insulate this oven.

I think at this point (0) I go with solarchuck for cardboard.

Really interesting. Keep us posted.

[hipofalcon]

@margot980 - Thnaks for the comment. If you take a look through my videos at the "Solar Oven - 3rd and last rial - a success!", you can see that I ended up using corrugated cardboard for the insulation and worked out all of the bugs by then. For the record, I agree that the long slow cook is best, but in some cases, you need the higher heats for things like cakes and cookies - nice to have it both ways. This oven has hit a temp of 366F as a high, but cooks very well on lower temps. Ken.

[solarchuck]

I teach second grade in the United States and my class makes a solar oven every year. Most of my ovens are constructed of several layers of cardboard.....which works extremely well. Cardboard is cheap and is readily available. I also use ONLY tempered glass, since my oven temps have climbed to 420 degrees F. On January 5, 2009, the outside temp was MINUS 8 degrees F and I still baked chocolate chip cookies in a 300 degree oven.

[Anothercoilgun]

The Sun is just awesome.

[katherine3486]

Glad I found this... Will get my husband to build us one!. God bless and happy cooking!

[MrMissAlien]

keep kooking! Nice!

[amcanmike]

Im going to build one ,this looks like Hamilton,Ont,,where did you get plans,solar.com you said? let me know any info to help.thanks

[MrMissAlien]

Thanks!! Good job!!

[msskippy7781]

I have succesfully burned my food in a solar oven but the good news is It was only the top layer and did not affect the rest of my dish I too have struggled with what to use for insulation.It should be something that does not put out Toxic fumes I am thinking about coating the outside of my oven with papercrete.

[iulian28ti]

very good video man ;)