Radio Shack Solar Cigarette Lighter

This gadget was sold at Radio Shack back in the 1980s. It's a good demonstration of how a parabolic dish concentrates solar energy to a central point. Increase the size to boil or pasteurize water, cook food, generate steam to run a generator and more.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• collector
• concentrator
• parabolic
• parabola
• energy
• passive
• radio
• shack
• cigarette
• lighter
• satellite
• dish
• generator

[HondosPlace]

I have a couple of these from 30 to 40 years ago. I think one came from Radio shack and cost about a buck.

I got two different styles, years apart. One was a circle like yours, that looked like a small saucepan lid. The other was more oblong , maybe 3x5 inches and it looked like a tiny TV dish antenna. Both had a folding center piece to hold a cigarette of char cloth. They worked really great if kept clean and scratch free.

[starfawnoni]

Hey, I used to have one of those. They were great, used it for years. Went back to Radio Shack and wanted more, but they said that they did not have anymore. I was dismayed. I had bought about 50 of them from Radio Shack, at $1.00 each and gave them out for gifts. inexpensive but practical. Wish I could find more of them. Even at a few dollars each, makes a perfect gift, and very useful. Loved them. Used them to start fires when we went camping also. worked great.

[7188181]

@crimsonchin203 Well, youtube is a gathering place for the idiots of the world and there's no way to know your level of stupidity by a drive by post. You should put disclaimers when you make stupid posts so people will know what you "ment".

[crimsonchin203]

@7188181 dude, it was ment to be dumb.. OMG, i hate how people come fuckin say shit, like i obviously didn't know the fucking answer. like REALLY?? motherfucker. It's OBVIOUSLY says SOLAR. Damn, thanks Captain Obvious for ruining my day.

[7188181]

@crimsonchin203 wow, what a dumb question.

[crimsonchin203]

So what if it is a rainy day?

[Grando7260]

need one for lighting bowls!!!

[JHaircutt]

i had one used it when i traved the usa , wroked great if the sun was out

[afrisbeetom]

the windier it is, the better they work