Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Solar Powered Cookers
On the PBS TV show, "America's Test Kitchen", they featured solar powered oven models, with the comment that it is a evolving technology. They
concluded that some of the models did OK with cooking certain selective items, i.e. high moisture, slow cooking like stew, but heat stability
sensitive items like rice, bread, etc. did not turn out well.
Do any Nomads use a solar powered oven?
[Edited on 8-10-2009 by Gypsy Jan]
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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Solar oven
We have this old fashioned kind and it works great. We've never had a bad meal from it but I guess that's because we are careful to choose just the
kinds of food it's made for.
One of my Mexican neighbors could not believe we use it. When I explained how it works he said "No fire. And you eat the stuff? You gonna die"
[Edited on 8-10-2009 by Osprey]
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Johannes
Nomad
Posts: 110
Registered: 9-29-2006
Location: / Loreto/Kenmore,WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: I love it in Loreto
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Look at
<http://www.solarcooking.org/>
and how to build them
<http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooking/cooking.htm#SolarStills>
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Johannes
Nomad
Posts: 110
Registered: 9-29-2006
Location: / Loreto/Kenmore,WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: I love it in Loreto
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http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooking/cooking.htm#Coo...
of cause, but the other link, making drink water, is interesting too. They are both on the same page.
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rocmoc
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 5-25-2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Member Is Offline
Mood: Live today like it maybe your LAST!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
We have this old fashioned kind and it works great. We've never had a bad meal from it but I guess that's because we are careful to choose just the
kinds of food it's made for.
One of my Mexican neighbors could not believe we use it. When I explained how it works he said "No fire. And you eat the stuff? You gonna die"
[Edited on 8-10-2009 by Osprey] |
We have the same Solar Oven. It works great!
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
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BAnn
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 3-7-2009
Location: Silver City NM-San Felipe South Campos
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny
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I have the same oven (Sun oven). I have cooked rice with no problem. We full time in our fifthwheel and the oven is the best thing I ever bought! I
use it most days of the week. Our summer home has hook ups but I still use it there. And for the Baja it is the best thing going. What makes the oven
so great I bought it at a auction for $4.00 and it was new!
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Osprey
Your neighbors probably think that you are practicing daylight bruja medicine!
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Guess it doesn't do well for popcorn before bedtime???
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BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
Member Is Offline
Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Guess it doesn't do well for popcorn before bedtime???
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probably have to pop it at noon and wait for the evening forum fireworks shows.
These are cool looking cookers, I have some friends living off the grid here in WA and this would be GREAT for them. Might like to get one me-self,
except I' just googled it on ebay and there ain't nuthin less than $250!
BAnn get's the prize for Best Yardsale Find!
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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No good buying those cheapy solar ovens. You'll discover, as many others have, they only work well with bigger, hotter suns. Kinda like 110 vs 220 --
that would be Alpha Centuri or further out.
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BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
Member Is Offline
Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
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so, not so good for Washington latitudes?
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Mexray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1016
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: California Delta
Member Is Offline
Mood: Baja Time
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Can you pickup Dish TV Sat signals with those things...
...or maybe you could use it for a signaling mirror if you're lost in the Outback...
I guess they'd be OK at high noon...but Propane and Charcoal work much better when the sun goes down!
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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That http://www.builditsolar.com really has a lot of information pertinent to living in Baja.
[Edited on 8-11-2009 by udowinkler]
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
Member Is Offline
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Here's one made this year with scraps and some foil. It tends to reach 200-250 F through most of the day in winter. We cook meals in a large crock pot
and let it cook for 4-5 hours starting early, say 10AM.
Foil on wood
Stored turned away from the sun when not using.
Adjuster
Microwave plate for cover
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65408
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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How does it do at night?
Seriously, I used to sell a solar cooker back in the early 80's... focused the sunlight from a fold out dish onto a grill where a sauce or fry pan
could be placed... Made hot dogs on it.
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Bajajorge
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2604
Registered: 10-13-2005
Location: Topaz Lake, NV/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Guess it doesn't do well for popcorn before bedtime???
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Just go to bed earlier.
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ecomujeres
Nomad
Posts: 299
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Mulege, BCS & Oakland, CA
Member Is Offline
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We have used a number of home-made solar cookers for years while living on the beach near Mulege. It even worked in Oakland, CA in the summer when we
were lucky enough to have the sun poke through the fog.
The basic design incorporated several nested, cardboard boxes, a lid made of thick glass and foil covered cardboard collectors.
A great starting place for home-made ovens can be found in the book Heaven's Flame.
http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Flame-Guide-Solar-Cookers/dp/0...
There are also lots of designs and tips on the internet.
We regularly cooked rice, beans, stews, chicken legs, and even excellent brownies. On really good days, when it was clear and the wind was down, the
oven would reach and hold at 350 for at least two hours, but it consistently held around 325. The trick is to reposition as the sun moves to keep the
temp up.
A must for most foods is a covered dish (dark colored adds to absorption of heat)
Brownies do best when the dough is not very deep in the pan.
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