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FS: Free Energy Solar Oven
By Derek, Section Classifieds Posted on Wed May 17, 2006 at 04:52:46 PM MST
Hand built solar oven kits

I have my own personally designed style of solar oven that is both inexpensive and highly effective. I worked for over 7 continuous months on this project. It is used for cooking directly with sunlight. The oven gets 360-400 degrees! I have a kit for sale on ebay, here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZjumpinQ5f12

FS: Free Energy Solar Oven | 17 comments (17 topical)

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by stop4stuff on Wed May 17, 2006 at 11:30:44 AM MST

does the wooden casing carry any kind of warrantee against burning?

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by SmoggyTurnip on Wed May 17, 2006 at 11:40:47 AM MST

7 months continous?

.
The sooner you start the longer it takes.

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Derek on Wed May 17, 2006 at 11:44:38 AM MST

Well, I did sleep during those months occasionally. =) But it was a LONG long project, which I've worked on about 6 days per week on average for the past 7 months, so a LOT of hours into it to make the best possible solar oven at the least possible price.

The wood will not catch fire or anything, it doesnt even really get warm, since there are 3 layers of insulation between that and the actual oven. I think combustion point is like 450+ degrees anyway. Its 100% safe though, no fire hazards at all.

I've enjoyed using it every sunny days we've had, cooking chicken, salmon, biscuits, pot pies, hot pockets, hot dogs, and a bunch of other things here and there. Whats really nice is how it doesnt really burn the food like an oven or microwave. And you have to flip meat maybe once, and otherwise its hands free cooking.

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by whatsnext on Wed May 17, 2006 at 01:31:42 PM MST

"Its 100% safe though, no fire hazards at all."

Famous last words.
Looks like a pretty nice oven though so never mind the lame attemot at humor.

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by wdyasq on Wed May 17, 2006 at 11:46:45 AM MST

even at night....

Ron
Adventure is just bad planning." -- Roald Amundsen
[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Derek on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:06:51 PM MST

Think it through, it works with sunlight.....

It'll hit cooking temperatures on even cloudy days as long as either the sun shines a bit in between clouds, or if theres still just enough light shining through so you can see your shadow.

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by kenputer on Wed May 17, 2006 at 02:55:42 PM MST

It's better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth again and remove all doubt!

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by Titantornado on Wed May 17, 2006 at 03:34:56 PM MST

What is with the berating on this board lately? Solar ovens made from wood and cardboard have been used for years. Some of the best ones even use newspaper for natural material insulation. Even if there was a remote possibility of fire, it's outside, and your biggest loss is the meal you were cooking. Surely less dangerous that the giant bomb people have in their backyards called a propane grill.

Really, I think the unnecessary cynical comments need to be cut back. If you think it's a bad idea, just voice you're concern if you wish, and move on.

Rod

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by craig110 on Wed May 17, 2006 at 03:16:29 PM MST

Nice design. (And any kit that lists duct tape as a required item gets my thumbs-up!) The cooking area sounds small, though. What is the largest thing that you've cooked?

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by Derek on Wed May 17, 2006 at 04:49:53 PM MST

I've actually cooked two chicken breasts and a slab of salmon at the same time and still had room to spare. So its a bit small, but actually plent enough room to cook.

About the duct tape or clear tape, heres the thing. For the reflectors to all fold up, hinges are $3 each, and you'd need 8 of them, so add $24 just for that. And then the problem of it folding once over is ok, but you cant fold it twice over with hinges. So this is why we use the duct tape, clear tape, or aluminum tape there. I've found that it works well because it allows the connecting areas to bend easily.

I do agree, if you dont like it, thats fine. But there has to be a reason, not "just because" type of deal, haha. Especially if you've not tried it. Yeah, solar ovens have been around for a long while. The only commercial one is like $200+? Cardboard doesnt last, and to get 360-400 degrees, it takes a lot of materials to hold that. For starters, tempered glass is a must, which is a good amount of the cost there. If you go out and buy all of the material thats in this, you'd be spending $120+ actually! I get bulk discounts and buy a lot of the stuff wholesale.

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by craig110 on Wed May 17, 2006 at 05:09:46 PM MST

Not bad at all! Two chicken breasts and a slab of salmon is more than I was imagining. I'm willing to give it a try, so I'm your current ebay bidder. Good luck with your sales! (I mean after I get mine... ;-)

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by Derek on Wed May 17, 2006 at 08:06:00 PM MST

Well hey, I'm glad you like the idea! =) The actual base cooking area is 11" by 8.5" if I remember right. Of course its triangular shaped, so its just sort of odd, but works well that way. Better than square because its one less surface area for heat loss. I think you'll be quite happy with it, I've enjoyed the ones here I've made quite a bit. Always a bummer if its not sunny though, haha

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by Phil Timmons on Wed May 17, 2006 at 08:28:22 PM MST

Hey Derek,

Looks nice.

I got to play with several variations of solar ovens at Mayfest in Fort Worth a few days ago, cooking chocolate chip cookies. These things really do work. :) :)

Maybe it was covered in the discussion or ebay ads, but I did not see this .... does this one load from the back or through the "front" (the reflector/concentrator side)? All the ones I played with loaded on the front, and that made them a little awkward. I was thinking that yours is set up to open in the back? Seems like a good idea.

Have you considered some sort of "auto-tracker" (to keep it pointed at the sun) for your design?

btw, I spent a little time in Shelbyville last year. Nice town. And good luck on your solar oven business, too.

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by Derek on Thu May 18, 2006 at 07:42:18 AM MST

Really, you were in Shelbyville? Very cool! We actually have a very large downtown building, 1 block east of the theater. Pearcy's Taekwondo is the main business I run, maybe you remember seeing it. And then I used to have an airsoft and paintball store right next to it, but I've since turned that into a martial arts supply store. Our building is about 5,500 square feet, so one of the biggest downtown buildings. My shop for building the solar ovens is another room in the back thats about 800 square feet. Stop by sometime if you're ever here again!

As far as the opening. There is a knob on the glass which you take out the entire glass unit as the door. I really would have rather done it from the back, but here was the two problems with that. For one, that means your black surface would have to be in front of the food, which is ok for cooking still, but then if its too close, the glass would crack every time. The aluminum I have figured gets about 500 degrees, and dissipates quickly, so the oven only holds 400 degrees because of heat loss, which is mostly through the glass. But the second thing is, there is about 1.5" of insulation, an air gap, then the wood box, which makes putting a door on the part completely impossible and a hassle.

The tracker is the next accessory that I will come out with for this, which I think will be a quite easy project actually. It really doesnt have to be adjusted up and down so much (thats only seasonal), so only left and right is a must. I'll be working on that this summer. And then I should also hope to have some passive solar heaters for this fall and winter. I'm just learning about wind power now, but have a lot of knowledge as far as passive solar type stuff. =)

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#16)
by Phil Timmons on Thu May 18, 2006 at 09:10:43 AM MST

Yeah, stopped by Shelbyville for a project on the dam. Nice park, there, too.

I do not recall your playground exactly, but I do think I recall a psintball place downtown. Dunno, just a real nice, clean downtown from what I recall. I have considered setting up shop in some small town/downtown area, too. Seems real pleasant. We would probably turn it into a house/business location sort of thing. Guess I am a little concerned if we would be good neighbors or not. Sometimes I do some welding and grinding for some projects, and I would not want to be a noise nuisance.

The front v. back opening solar oven was just my pondering after having played with a few different models. Sort of guessed that back opening must complicate things because everyone seems to use front opening. I have thinking about taking an old (1960's / 1970's) oven and cutting the back out and sort of creating a mirror/sunlight "funnel" into the back. Put a pivot tracker under the center of the oven. I guess I would have to have a drop door on the sunshine side (back of the oven) to "shut off" the sunlight when someone opened the oven door so it would not blind them.

As far as RE type stuff in your part of the world, if I were where you are now, I would be thinking REAL HARD about solar stills. For fuel grade alcohol. You are in the middle of corn country and there is also a direct market for the product (ethanol).

[ Parent ]

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by bob golding on Thu May 18, 2006 at 08:08:53 AM MST

hi derek,
like the design,but as i am in the UK postage costs would be prohibative. are the thinking of selling plans? something like the green windmill. http://www.greenwindmill.com/plans_and_kits.htm
i know his design is patented but i doubt anyone would steal your design, well i wouldnt.

bob golding

Re: FS: Free Energy Solar Oven (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by Derek on Thu May 18, 2006 at 10:39:59 AM MST

Well lets check with DHL on their international pricing. Its 20 pounds heavy, so go from there. I used to ship quite a bit of airsoft stuff internationally, and it didnt cost too much really. Figure it coming from Shelbyville, IL zipcode: 62565 in the USA and see how much it would be. I might be able to take on some of the shipping costs for you too since you're a member here too.

[ Parent ]

FS: Free Energy Solar Oven | 17 comments (17 topical)

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