solaroven

Solar Oven 2.0

Here's my solar oven with Acrylic Mirrors. The mirrors are removable for storage, and maybe one day portability. It's a simple plywood box, lined with cardboard for insulation and a black aluminum box on the inside as the cooking chamber. The top is thin glass, which needs a better seal than a strip of duct tape (all hail mighty duct tape!) to keep the hot air in.

Note: I found that by simply running a strip of masking tape along the top of the cooker and the edge of the glass to seal the hot air in, I can get temps over 250F.

Click for pictures of the cardboard and foil Solar Oven 1.0

Solar Oven Field Test #1: (photos on right)

I cooked four hot dogs to an internal temp of 181F in roughly 40 minutes on 6/7/08.

Time Hot Dog (F) Oven(F)

11:45 53 113

11:50 75 150

12:00 114 164

12:05 125 175

12:10 143 188

12:15 156 194

12:20 167 199+

12:25 181 199+

12:20 167 199+ (thermometer only went up to 200F)

Solar Oven Field Test #2: (photos on right)

I baked bread rolls in 2 1/2 hours, at a max temp of 260F, on 6/8/08

Time Oven(F)

12:00 168 (Preheated with black ceramic tiles in the bottom)

12:15 183

12:30 201

12:45 205

1:00 213

1:15 222

1:30 231

1:45 246

2:00 258 So hot it's cool!

2:15 249 (clouds)

2:30 253

Click the images to enlarge

Finished Construction:

Field Test #1

11:45 hot dogs in cold oven, in the bottom right corner you can see the internal temp of the hot dog is 62F.

12:20 The cooked dogs

...at an internal temp of 181F. Wah-hoo!!!

Field Test #2

Preheating tiles and oven without mirrors - 167F

Dough dropped on hot black glazed bathroom tiles, brushed with a little extra virgin olive oil

Oven sealed up and starting to bake

2 1/2 hours later they're done and lightly browned

The finished product - Them's Good Eatin'!