Sharon wrote:
>Would enjoy hearing about what kind of oven you got, and any things
>you've learned so far that make it easier to use.
The solar oven is called "sun oven" and claims to be popular
in 30+ countries. Considering how easy it is to use i am
a believer.
There isn't much needed to make the oven work. I've built a
few and this one has solved all of the problems.
It has a temperature display which is very useful and the pot
is on a balance so it is always level. Pointing at the sun
isn't very precise and it easily gets over 300 degrees on a
sunny day. The sides are insulated so it holds the heat even
after the sun has moved.
I've been told the real test is to cook a pot of beans and
see how long it takes and how many times the oven has to
be aimed at the sun. I did this first and had to make
adjustments about every hour or two. It was much easier
than i expected.
Let's see what else... the top is glass so you can watch it
cook and it has built in leg for adjusting the sun angle.
The whole thing folds up and is portable (very light).
My favorite thing to cook is Mexican rice. You put rice,
tomatoes, and chili into the pot and let it cook for
about 4 hours. It is easier than cooking on a stove
and you don't have to worry about over cooking. It is
ready when you get hungry.
It does take awhile to boil water which can be a nuisance
if you are in a hurry. On the other hand it is possible to
boil water all the time and have it ready. Since the energy
is free i boil water to kill weeds between the paving stones.
Why not!
Some other ways to use the oven might be:
1. camping trips.
2. Emergency oven for power outages.
3. picnic's
4. extra oven for family dinners
It may work as a food dryer but i haven't tried it.
Hopefully, i rambled around and covered the question that
started all this. Have you used a solar oven before?
jeff
Dave Barry on solar energy...
I suggest you locate your hot tub outside your house, so
it won't do too much damage if it catches fire or
explodes. First you decide which direction your hot tub
should face for maximum solar energy. After much trial
and error, I have found that the best direction for a hot
tub to face is up.
We will have solar energy as soon as the utility companies
solve one technical problem -- how to run a sunbeam
through a meter.
