DIY Advanced Solar Oven! Fully Insulated "No Turn" Solar Oven! (real wood, glass and mirror!) 350F+
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- DIY Advanced Solar Oven! Hi temps! Fully Insulated! No Turning! Large Capacity! and solidly built! (made w/real wood, real glass and real mirror!) 350F+. this video shows the full build of my most advanced DIY solar box oven yet! The video breakdown... first 3 mins showcases the oven (w/talk through, temp tests and cooking). then a 10-minute "Time-lapse Assisted" Fast Full-Build (from 3 - 13 min. marks) *and then wraps up with the facts/stats pages, a list of parts (lumber, glass, mirror, hardware, paint etc...) some final design thoughts, cooking and storage idea. The idea in designing and making this one was to try to make one of the best ones ever made. a few of its features... 1.) it's a "No Turn" design for ease of use. because it has a long low-profile shape w/large rear reflector there's very little shadowing... therefore you almost never need to turn it (only once every 6 hrs or so). 2.) it's Fully insulated (back, bottom and both sides). high temps are achieved in part by fully insulating the bottom, back and both sides using a large amount of "very densely packed" insulation. the insulation used is the strongest on the market (with highest R value) that is made *while also being "food safe". it's a green fiber blend made up of ground up newspaper, cardboard, straw, sawdust etc. note: you should not use foam or fiberglass insulation. foam won't handle the heat. it's only good to 150 or 160F and don't use fiberglass for obvious reasons (plus the R value of fiberglass is lower than what i used, so it's not as good for that reason too). this along with the permanently installed real glass on the top and the front, a large glass mirror reflector and thick caulking and heavy weather stripping combine to make it a solid high output unit. 3.) it's weight and a very low center of gravity allow it to handle high winds easily up to 40mph. 4.) made with a glass top AND a glass front for maximum sun exposure and no slanted top so no wasted heating of the space above the pots (the glass sort of hugs the pots to center the heat around them). 5.) super easy construction. it's all rectangular shaped pieces (no slanted cuts, no curved cuts, no angle cuts). 6.) super solid - all real wood, glass and mirror for maximum reflectance and heat retention (no plastics or polished aluminum and definitely no cardboard or tin foil). 7.) all caulk used is FDA rated food safe and good to over 500F. 8.) it's large cooking area (28.5" by 12") holds 3 big pans and is the largest space by far of any solar oven on the market 9.) can be left outside year round. i'll be leaving this one outside year round (covered by a tarp when not in use). 10.) lastly (and possibly most uniquely) the way it opens is one of a kind! with most solar ovens the glass-top IS the door. (but that allows for a lot of heat to escape) with mine, all the glass is permanently sealed up and there are no doors on the back or sides of the unit. so how does it open? the whole oven (minus the cooking platform) tilts back! since the oven only opens at the bottom and since it's heavy and sits on heavy weather stripping, this allows for a nearly complete trapping of the heat. (and when it is opened, much heat is still trapped in the top part for minimal losses). every aspect of this oven was thought thru to make it one of the most powerful and durable ones out there. additions to it could be to add removable side reflectors (for times when you don't mind turning it) or double panes of glass for additional heat. if you like the vid. please rate sub and share!
UPDATE: i just posted a video (on 06/01/2021) of my latest 'high temperature solar oven' here's the link • DIY Solar Oven! - High... . it's lightweight (at only 4 pounds), and folds down small (into itself) when you're done using it. the reflectors are made of reflective 'mirror-like' mylar. the oven has 12 reflectors that focus the sun (to reach temps around 375F/190C).
Very impressive design! I designed one made in a similar style but using metal for the sides, and a steel base plate underneath the pot area to absorb and hold heat for keeping foods warm for hours even after the Sun has set. However, using metal was more expensive, but I think it'll last longer if I wanted to keep it outdoors. (I can also shine one of my satellite dish reflectors on the side for extra heat if needed..enough to easily cook pizzas). The crux for me was figuring out the glass. I've had both tempered and non-tempered glass break from sheer heat so it definitely helps to design it to be able to replace the glass easily just in case you get some bad glass.
What amazes me is all the naysayers and trolls that claim this is impossible or doesn't get hot enough to cook foods safely...despite people doing it virtually every day around the world lol. Solar cooking isn't always about the hottest temps....but also length of time. Even with meat, as long as you are getting temps over 130F you can cook it safely...just cook a little longer. This is exactly how slow cookers and sous vide cookers work to provide safe food.
So, hats off to you. You are making the world a better, greener place, and inspiring a younger generation to think scientifically as well as about sustainable energy alternatives. Not to mention you get to have some serious fun and enjoy great food! :-)
p.s. I do recommend using safety glasses around these type of reflective surfaces to keep the retinas from getting flashed and causing permanent damage. I use Grade 5 welding glasses that look like sunglasses...found on Amazon.
I hear you about the safety glasses.. but you can nullify the effect of retinal flashes by simply putting a shade sleeve over the mirror when checking on the progress of the solar oven.. just approach the oven from the backside, slip it over, and you are good.. then you only have to deal with the clear reflective glass. because the sunlight will reflect to a degree off of the glass surface..Another caution is to make sure the mirrors reflection doesn't accidentally cast in the direction of roads and windows when opening or in operation
Same here, my oven is also made from metal and there's an additional 4 kilo aluminium plate under the pot. That thermal mass holds the heat very well, even if I open it briefly or a cloud passes by.
demostrat yours
I love it when someone comes up with a plan to make people's lives easier, thank you Mr Solar Oven guy for making this video.
This is by far the most useful, efficient solar oven design I have ever seen!
hi and thanks!
But it is Durable.
Mine is going on five years old.
Not 100% like this. But this video was my basis for it.
And it sits outside all year next to my house.
If I was to make a new one. I would use plywood for the wood. I used the 6 inch fence pickets.
Also mine is much bigger
Inside is 18 inches tall 18 inches deep and 24 inches long. .
There isn't much I can't put in it.
Oh sides I used blown insulation. 2x4 thick.
I never did put a mirror on it.
The one I originally bought got broke on my way home. And it is 200 mile round trip to get one. And I kept forgetting to get one march to December range 200-275 during the day. December to March most the time 125 to 225. below freezing 50 to 110.
Great project! I built one similar but not as nice as yours. One thing I did you may want to try is that on the surface where the pans sit, I placed a rectangular ceramic tile painted black. Same paint as you used. The thought behind that idea was that here in Florida we do get many sunny days but we also get many passing clouds. So when the sun is blocked by a passing cloud the heat absorbed into the ceramic tile will then radiate the heat back into the box, thereby minimizing the amount of heat variation when the sun is blocked by clouds from time to time. I never tested this theory scientifically (measurements), but in practice I was satisfied with the results. When the sun was blocked, it seemed the temp. drop seemed slower and when unblocked the temp rose up in minimal time. It's inexpensive and if not satisfied, you can always remove the tile.
I like this plan. Seems legit.
What is the worst temp you've reached on perhaps a cloudy day?
@@RexAlfieLee I don't remember ever trying to cook on a cloudy day. On a party cloudy day, between 150-200F depending on how long the the sun was exposed. Good to warm up things but not to really cook.
Cool idea! Although the bottom of the plate would be cooler than the top. It has the opposite effect when you do it this way in the oven.
Tux I believe thats a good improvement idea.. the heat retention will probably last much longer using tile.
Love it.. I would love to see the mirror be removable for storage purposes.. perhaps on a hinge that you can fold it down and latch it to the oven itself. I love the way you left the front open with the glass. I have been looking at different ways to make my own and this is the very best video I have come across. ever.. I will certainly try to use some of your ideas, mainly the open front concept, in my build. Thank you so much for sharing .. you did a great job!
I made oven based on this design and made the mirror reflector removable using lag screw to bolt combo with wing nuts. the screws go thru holed in the base of mirrored section and tightened down with wingnuts. the mirror can then be stored inside oven. My oven will not go above 275 deg F so far. May need to created a better seal around the edges of the oven along where it opens and closes
The best diy solar oven ive seen so far. Even better then most comercial ones. And not that difficult to construct. Brilliant 👍👍👍
I love this design,
Simple to build
Simple to use
And..... Very important..... simple to store.
Love it
The only change I will make is to hinge the mirror so it lies flat on the glass top (as a lid) for easier storage.
A great design, thank you
I made a copy of yours out of pallet wood and fibre glass insulation. I used a piece of stainless steel that I polished instead of the mirror. I made a slot for the stainless so I can take it out and store it in a slot that I made under the base. It cooks great. I’m going to line it with insulbreak insulation that is removable for cleaning to see if it improves the efficiency.
What is the highest temperature you have been up to?
220C. I used 6 x 30cm sq acrylic mirrors and it was a 40 C day. I have a parabolic oven made from an old satellite TV dish and acrylic mirror tiles that I use to distill water it gets far hotter but I think is dangerous to cook with because it’s awkward to monitor the food and prevent it from burning and catching fire!
For added insulation, use thinner pieces of wood and don't smash the insulation. Wood is actually a poor insulator (r-value is about 1 per inch, whereas fiberglass is about 3 per inch). Good build and lots of ideas you've given us!!
Not 100% sure, but slightly smashing the insulation may be beneficial. Insulation has a tendency to settle, leaving gaps. It would be interesting to see though, which worked out better. Give the type of insulation he used, it may be more likely to settle, based on the propensity of those materials to collect environmental moisture.
Gaps in insulation aren't a bad thing
Use mineral wool batts and you don't have to worry at all
@@joeychagnon3427 I'm not sure where you heard that gaps in insulation aren't a bad thing??? Thermal insulation has one job. To slow the transfer of heat from one side to the other. If you have a gap, that means that the heat can more easily transfer.
@@joeychagnon3427 That's not true at all. It's one of the problems in homes, you can see the gaps formed over time at the tops of walls in thermal imaging. Those gaps allow thermal transfer at an accelerated rate, leading to heating and cooling losses. Gaps bad.
great work in design, manufacture and simple, well edited video with no annoying music, screaming or unnecessary waffle which is all too common in DIY project videos - totally want to see what else you've made now. We're living off grid, so this kind of thing is what we'll be using for cooking almost every day - and in fact to keep hot water as well.
hi and thanks. i try to make the videos as watchable as possible without all the non-sense. feel free to check them out. my only vids that are a little hard to watch are the very early ones. i didn't know much about editing in the beginning. i know what you mean about the unnecessary waffle. what gets me is all the videos out there that say they are about a certain topic and then they never even get to the point - or they skip over everything that is important and instead they just talk 'like crazy' about nothing.
I really like this, and might build one. If I do, I think I'll put the mirror on a hinged plywood back with another hinged piece on top so I can lay them down and cover all the glass. Put some tool box style latches on the flap that folds over the front, and you have a nice package for transport, say, to a campground.
I've looked into many solar ovens for building one but this one you've built is truly Super that I want to make. Love it!! Thank you so much for sharing your idea & blessings in all you do.
hi and thank you too!
@@desertsun02 .. Will let you know when I've finished the project.
This is going in my future projects playlist! Love this build...it’s simple to make, yet durable and made to last.
Thank you so much!! I used your concept at a solar oven competition and won 400 bucks! Thank you!
sweet!
Looks great! Simple design, all good quality materials, effective design !! 179 degC is unbelievable!! Wow
Thank you! Cheers!
This is a great ! The weight is enough to keep moderate winds from blowing the oven around, over, etc. and should keep it stable at 40 MPH winds, which would make it ideal for the part of the southwest that I live in. This looks heavy enough that I can use it outside and not have to find a place for it inside when not in use. Very professional looking design. Looks like it will bake bread if you keep an eye on it.
Wow...i think its really nice to have a friend like you. You are a genius.
I would add copper or aluminum as a oven liner for more thermal mass. Tamping down the insulation was not a good idea. The air pockets are your friend. Very inspiring!!!
I LOVE your designs! The water(evaporative) cooler you designed is still working well for me, now into it's second season. I built it using an 18-gal sterlite container, a water cooler pump and a 6" desk fan. I got an extension cord so it can be plugged in across the room and I hooked it up to a timer so it comes on to cool my fiver's bedroom so I can sleep at night. Thank you again for a great design!
I'M from the island of Barbados, and I've learnt so much about solar systems of all kinds from watching your channel. you've made everything so easy to understand in order so viewers to build for themselves... Many thanks!!!
hi there. i'm glad my videos and channel have helped you 👍😎
I love his concept but I would seal all seams and paint all exposed wood flat black to absorb more Rays and help protect from the elements
It's very cool that you're putting your ideas to action and showing all of us, who can then implement parts and refine others and share thoughts with each other. The oven looks really nice too; not throw a pizza in that beast and get this party started!
Frozen pizza is often appx 12 inches in diameter. Sounds like depth of this is 11 7/8ths. Probably okay to squeeze it in there. Otherwise might want to modify the dimensions to add a little more room.
@@tubsun or the pizza ciuld be cut in half before putting it in the oven. I'm curious to how crispy it'll come out after cooking.
Desersun02 Thank you very much from Greece.. You edited very good the procedure and the ideas are really interesting. At last a good and honest do it yourself video. You are helping the world to be a better place..
You said it so well, I agree with your opinion.
Thank you very much👍 I'd love to attempt to make one of these😊 I hope I can pull it off. You've given me everything I need to succeed
Thanks for sharing this project. It looks like a good permanent thing for outdoor cooking.
Or when they shut dn our power grid! Self sufficiency❤️
wow thank you for sharing i loved watching your tutorial. what a beautiful oven, so spacious and so neat. I love the way you included step by step and the sizes of the wood pieces and the prices, you didn't leave anything out. professionally done video love it. thank you again.SUBSCRIBED
thanks for the kind words and thanks for subbing!
I have a possible suggestion to prevent heat loss. I built something similar by accident in my garden. I was trying to build a cold frame for my seedlings, which was basically a painted plywood box with a hinged glass window for a lid. I set it right on the ground and piled dirt around the sides for insulation, then stapled thin strips of dish towel along the crack under the window lid. This literally cooked my seedling on a chilly late winter morning. I opened the box and billows of steam came out and everything inside was literally cooked, so I guess it went above 212. I was thinking that might work in your design too, to put wide strips of cloth all around the base plywood so that the lid is compressing against it. Mine was not built nearly as well as yours (since it wasn't MEANT to cook my plants!), but with just those cloth strips, it was able to get above boiling in winter.
This would explain the ceramic cloth seals we have on our wood stove glass door.
Dude, you never cease to amaze me. Nice job brother!!!
Wow! I love how it opens! Very clever.
Thank you! ✔
Great job. I'm happy to see someone producing instruction in building a Solar Oven out of materials other than cardboard. Those solar ovens made out of cardboard might be OK for use in an emergency survival situation, however they are basically worthless for any long term uses of more than a couple of times, as they are very prone to flimsiness in construction and will quickly fall apart especially from the moisture content of the steam which is produced while cooking. Also in your case, and for your information ("FYI"), for the possibility of even greater heat temperatures, and heat retention, you would probably have been better off making the inner panels out of aluminum (or any other metal), as metal gathers heat faster, and overall holds heat retention far longer than wood. However, making the outer walls out of wood is just fine, as it is both cheap, very sturdy, and does not get hot enough to cause burn injuries to children, adults, or animals of winch might accidentally come in contact of those surfaces. I do like your concept of two sides being made with glass, as it cuts down on the necessity of having to construct multiple solar reflectors for all four sides which saves money. - Just saying. - Keep up the great work. Thanks for a job well done.
hi there. thanks for the comment. if you want aluminum interior just tack down a few strips of aluminum flashing onto the wood. that and extra mirrors may boost it super high
@@desertsun02 "WOW" ! - Thanks for the comeback. I really didn't expect a reply so fast, or even one at all. Once again, "WOW" ! - However I do have a question. Maybe I missed it, or misinterpreted it, but what was the thickness of the glass you used? was it 1/4 inch thick or just plain 1/8 inch thick window glass, or was it specially tempered high temperature glass made for stoves or what? - Oh, while have your attention, I would also like to get your permission (if possible), to build one using your method, as I don't want to infringe upon your design without your permission to do so. and I have been searching for one for years like the one I saw years ago in a popular science magazine during the 1960's which was of such solid construction. Once again, Thanks.
the glass is just the standard 1/8". since these don't get over 400F no need for hi temp variety. i've found the thicker glass actually blocks out some of the sun. no need to get my permission. i make the videos in hopes that people will make the projects. if possible try to add to it and make it even better.
@@desertsun02 OK, sounds great, will do. Thank you kindly for the information sir. Also FYI (if you are interested in viewing such things), I have my own Non-
Profit organization (including a face book page pertaining to it of the same name). It's called the "Veterans Flag Retirement Cavalry". My organization does Flag Retirement ceremonies, and conduct Flag Etiquette classes for our local schools, scouts and communities, and we are sponsored by both the VFW, VFW Auxiliary, and two of our state Senators.
Pretty neat. I made a simple one to melt beeswax. I wouldnt have packed the insulation in. It actually is better loose. It is just in there to slow air convection. Packed in it allows conduction of heat.
Not everyone has power tools of woodworking skills. You should make them and sell them!
Wow, this is a very unique build. Thanks for sharing, I'm going to try and build one.
sweet!... i was thinking of taking some temp measurements in this hot summer sun. trying to break the 400F mark.
Thank you for showing what it can do first
Simplest solar cooker , truck inner tube and a large glass. Place tire on plywood spray paint board black. Put pot in top with glass creates perfect seal.
I am looking for this kind of sustainable energy for a very long time, Dude, why is your video so hard to find? Thank you, Thank you and more thank yous!!!!
Utterly brilliant. A waste free advancement on the concept. Superior to the solar ovens I've seen.
Great design. Came here after warching nare hagens, and certainly dont regret it
Like the build, to reduce weight, use 1x instead of 2x4, also use some hinges. One set to hold the top to the base and another for the mirror, so it can be rotated and allow the reflective angle to be concentrated into the box. Also putting a hinge on the mirror would allow you to close it and protect all the glass when not in use.
Showing ambient temperature (outside temp) and some sort of clock, even with the faster video speed, would show how quickly and efficiently the unit works.
I feel like opportunities to further insulate were lost by his framing decisions? J could definitely be wrong, it seems that if instead of using such thick spacing pieces, he reduced the volume of insulation available. Additionally, in the interior walls were coated with reflective coating or even just aluminum foil or sheet metal (leaving the platform/bottom black) would also have increased the heat threshold while probably decreasing the time it took to get to said heat?
I really like the visual idea of the clock and two thermometers!
excellent build! Im still intrigued by solar cooking. Nice unit!
hi there and thanks
Después de mirar decenas de diseños y experiencias con hornos solares, este me parece uno de los mejores, que manera tan sencilla de optimizar aspectos clave para el funcionamiento del horno. NOTABLE...Felicitaciones.
Cristián Moya, traduce me todo por favor, no entiendo inglés, y que es eso que pone, lo que refleja el sol, es espejo, o es aluminio?? Dime por favor, gracias de antemano, shalom 🌿🌸
Brilliant! Love the layout and the materials used. Two things though - insulation is more effective when not compressed like you are showing in the video. Also, you can use Boric acid powder added to the home-made insulation to make it more fireproof. (Although it's enclosed in your construction, so not as necessary.) Thanks for sharing your build!
hi there and thanks. just to clarify on the insulation and it's effectiveness. it's not homemade - it's actually store bought (home depot/lowes sell it). some insulation may need to be loose-packed but with this type the R value (effectiveness) actually increases quite a bit the tighter you pack it. it's about a 3.8 loose and reaches over 4 (per inch) when packed.
@@desertsun02 Thanks, what's it called?
@@desertsun02 Thanks for this clarification. I was also thinking that it should have been packed looser. I didn't realize that this type of insulation works better packed. Great build! I'm going to try it.
I've been wanting to make one of these for a while now. I moved to Arizona, so I have plenty of sun to get up to the 400+ degrees. And it keeps from hearing up the house in the summer time!
Great Project. I have tried a small box stove but this is awesome. I am going to try it. Thanks
شكرا استاذ على هذا الفرن واختراعك الرائع جدا
لك مني كل التحية والإحترام واتمني لك التوفيق
بكل اعمالك امستقبلية🇩🇿😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
hi there. thank you 👍
Wohooooo. I did the solar oven by myself!!!! The only thing I made different is that I painted black all the wood...believing it will help to keep the whole unit hotter. Now I will start to cook soon to see how it works.
It's heavy though.
Ah bravo! J'étais en train de chercher des solutions simples... et je vois cette merveille esthétique... et fonctionnelle.
Je vais donc opter pour du beau, et du pratique... avec sans-doute, une orientation possible du ou des miroirs.
Salutations d'un français en Floride depuis peu.👍😉🙏
Tbh, so many of the Solar ovens/cookers out there are over complicated and inefficient, which is why I developed an easy vacuum insulated system (not tubes, and I can put a pot in there).
I still gave a like because it is a good design for these more traditional type solar ovens/cookers.
Best video I've ever seen, I can't wait to build one. Nicely done.
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing.
thanks! - i'm glad you liked it
This is awesome. I live in fuerteventura with shit loads of sun. This is pure genius.
Great idea ! Just one suggestion. The side walls need not be wood or metal. Side walls of glass itself will be better and give addition 50℃ boost. Not sure if epoxy glue can hold at that. Aluminium corners can be used to bolt the glass panes together with silicone as sealant.
It will look like a giant record player.
I just saw this, apparently I’m late to the party! 😂 I love all the thought you put into this and am definitely going to make one! Thanks!
EXCELLENT engineering!!!!..... Very impressive!
hi and thank you!
This wa so satisfying to watch from every..... angle. LOL. Great project and video!!
That baby is Nice! I'm on it! Something Told me to keep that piece of mirror and plywood!!! Annnd those 2×3 scraps. Guess I can spring for the silicon. 😀 Very nice. #married to a glassman👍
sounds like you are all set. 😎✔
@@desertsun02I sure am!
Nice looking function! Very cool, clean design 👍🏻
hi there and thanks ✔🙂
What a great oven. I wish that there was a method of accessing the pot without opening the whole oven to check the cooking progress or to add spices to the food while it cooks. If the glass front could be hinged so that you could open and slide the pots in and out.
Excellent! I'm going to make small mods to mine. I'm thinking a metal base that will stay hot longer than a wood base.
It would be cool if you built one lined with bricks (instead of insulation) and enclosed with glass and then compared them.. That would be more expensive because of the glass; maybe build it on a half scale..? I'm interested to know if the insulation, which also keeps heat out, is very efficient with solar ovens. I think keeping a thermal mass warm might be more efficient. Just a thought.
OMG!!! YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for sharing.
I've been watching your videos. I'm just in awe. Every video is incredible.
wow thanks.
Ficou lindo esse forno solar, saudações do nordeste do Brasil aonde o sol e muito quente mais as pessoas não conhecem essa tecnologia do fogão solar.
Nice build! Thanks for sharing!
hi and thank you!
amazed with ur craftmanship sir! actually i am making parabolic concentrator while researching i read your typical parabolic thorough have max 200ish concentrator ratio, so if u cut mirror into 200 smaller maybe u can reach something like 400 C
i am going to attempt to do this. I think it is a fabulous endeavor. Dear creative mind - Desert Sun 02
Excellent project, i will try to built very soon. thank you very much. Lalitpur, Nepal
You are most welcome 🙂
I love your diy solar oven. I will make this. Thanks for the video!
So creative. I built my first solar box oven over 25 years ago...
Two questions...
First, I did not notice what type of weather stripping you used.
Second, should we paint the wood to help eliminate expansion and contraction issues?
Thanks for all you do...
Thanks for sharing this excellent build. I've watched allot of these solar oven DIY videos and this one is the winner by far. I think I will build one, but I am going to use black (or painted flat black) ceramic tyle lining the inside for some added thermal mass.
@@peachluck333 Sorry, I just saw this today. I did build my oven and a rolling stands for it. I put ceramic tile on the floor of the oven. I live in Michigan and sunshine here is not what it is in the desert . My highest temp so far is 240F. The ceramic tile helps to maintain heat when the clouds roll by. I also hinged the reflector so I can take advantage of the suns position when it is a partly cloudy day, which it is more often than not in my state. The hinges also alow me to fold the reflector down for storage with a grill cover outdoors. I have cooked bacon wrapped pork rounds on it and they were very juicy and tender. I also built drying shelves to put inside and have dried mullein leaves for tea.
Awesome oven, considering building one and maybe put it to use our here in the high desert.
hi and thanks! sounds great! 🙂 ✔
That's really a nice oven.
hi. and thank you!
Wow! Looks amazing. Thanks for the step-by-step. I wonder if wool insulation could be used.
I'm sure wool would work great. You may want to mix in some cedar chips so critters don't make it their home though
Very nice build.
Thank you for the information.
That is really a nifty solar oven.
I'm going to give this project a whirl, it's just about within my limited novice DIY capabilities. I had a few questions desertsun, or anyone else who has knowledge about solar ovens, and has a moment to respond?
- It's heavy, so keeping it outside makes sense. Would it not be better to weatherproof the wood, even if covering with tarpaulin?
- Would the interior work better if it had a reflective mirror-like surface?
- What alternatives are there to the green insulation material bought? I don't seem to have anything like that near me (I'm in France).
If possible, I will look to adapt the mirror so that it can be tilted. No desert sun over here, so I think it would be more efficient to concentrate it more directly.
Thanks again, inspiring video.
…peut être de la « laine de verre » comme isolant ? ( je parle français comme vous).
Beautiful design! Bravo! Hello from Tenerife!
hello and thank you 🙂
Very nice! I wonder how hot it could get if you put a giant fresnel in front of it?
Also, I don't know much about installation of the green fiber insulation, but I just wanted to point out if you pack it too tight it will decrease in insulating ability.
fresnel lense seems like a good idea
WOW!!! Amazing product design, GREAT detailed explanation, DETAILED sizing, product and cuts information and Awesome video production!!!!!!!!! JOB VERY WELL DONE!!!!
THANK YOU SIR!!!!!!!!!
Hi buddy. Thanks again. I was out of sight for a year or so. Your solar oven is the most advanced home made device. I would like to build one following your guidelines (if it is ok with you) I am from Panama 🇵🇦 and we have plenty of sun 🌞 all year around! Thanks again for sharing!!!!!!
July 24 going on 5 years and the cooking I built from your output is still outside and doing good.
The only thing I've had to do was reseal around the plexiglass with silicone.
It seems like I have to do that yearly.
I know I had a different name back then. But it keeps 200 to 275 from half hour after sunrise to after hour before sun set. And half hour before sun set to hour after it's still 200 plus in summer.
I also make a d
Pour over ground coffee. All I have to do is put water in night before and morning it ready.
Bread takes all day. But it a soft moist bread.
Though it should. I can't get it to slow cook beans.
To me it should be called a slow microwave. Because it good to make things warm just put in a few hours before and let set.
The pro/ con is they don't remove moisture
This from one in the solar continent it simple design by far outshines every other design and it's cooking multiple pots outshines every other in the solar system shine on don't let them eclipse you.🌞🌞🌞
Great build. It sits outside like a BBQ.
That's the best looking homemade solar cooker I've seen but does look kinda heavy tho. Why black inside? Wouldn't reflective material all directing heat to the black pot make the cook area hotter? Seems that's where you'd want the heat.
Black absorbs heat. Should be using black pots.
.Well I finally after many months got my truck running again.
And finish building my solor oven like this. Mine however is taller.
Oven area is 21x24x21 WxLxH. I had to use plexiglass instead of glass because each time I got glass, well it broke.
Runs at continue 150 to 170 F. Has gottten to 200f plus ( not much over 200).
A lot more durable then the box one I had made before.
I however do not have the reflector on top. Which would likely make it run hotter. I originally had planned to. But since my truck was down it never came about.
The wooden part ( painted) has sat outside since last year. And once, about a month ago, I finished building it. It has sat outside. I pained mine red inside and out. For no reason other then it was a darker color at the store.
For the last week plus I have been using to dry mesquite beans pods.
I have baked bread in it a few times since I finished it. Can't get brown rice or beans to cook in it. Which is a problem I had with the cardboard one also.
Over all I'm happy with it. But wish I could cook rice and beans in it.
I'm thinking I may add a bottom reflector along with top when I can.
I thought I may add.
I used 1x6 dogear 6 foot fence and 2x4s with attic spray in insulation ( non fiberglass) and plexiglass.
I sealed the inside, where the insulation goes, with silicone for Windows. And ended up also using to seal plexiglass.
I did notice about once a month while in use. I will have to replace where the two pieces of plexiglass meet. I notice a leak in part. Then 2 days later I notice the other half was leaking. So in the future, next month, I will just replace the whole edge at once. One $5 tube will last the whole season with most not used. Cheaper then any propane I would have used.
I don't remember total cost. But it wasn't much. I'm going to over list materials. Because I used some after I was done building all but the glass part.
(12) 1x6 dogear 6 foot fence ( it's 4 high)
(3) 2x4 8 foot
(1) plexiglass ( I cut both pieces from it)
(4) pieces of glass 24x24 ( didn't use they all got broken before I used then both times.)
(3) tubes of window silicone, not chalking (I don't remember but I think it only used 1 total. )
1 quart barn red outdoor paint. ( still had a lot left over after I used. a pint I believe would have done it and still had some left)
The blow in insulation I had bought when I made my cardboard one the year before. Both just dented the bag of it. Unfortunately after making the wooden one I forgot and left it outside and the wind got it.
I choose to use the fence wood because I didn't want plywood to separate. And they were cheaper then 1x6s.
Also. As I had said it runs 150 to 170. That is sun up +1 hour to -1 hour sun set. Not turning. Turning from sun up angle to sun down angle I achieved the slightly above 200F. Turning more then the two faces did no more.
So moving it once during the day, 10ish, I recieve a little more during high sun times.
I prefer just to set for noonish and just do the 150-170. This way i can set it the night before and next evening my bread is done.
Which is a nice moist fresh bread with no real crust.
I make 3 to 4 loafs
4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 cup water.
Found that clear lids on pots works best for cooking bread like this.
Black or metal lids cooked it a lot less.
Replace the flour and sugar with velvet mesquite flour. For a very strong bread. Has a molasses taste.
Skip the yeast with either and you make a dense bread.
And as a FYI. With the mesquite bread. Let it air dry in pieces for a day makes a dog food. My dogs go wild for it. And yes it is safe, coyotes eat the pods and beans often. High in Protein, zinc and some other good stuff.
Thank you for sharing. I’ve just finished making one of these ovens to see if they work here in Europe.
Simply brilliant!!!!!! Greettings from Peru. I am subscribing.
Awesome! Thank you!
The only part that you did not insulated was the glass if you put it double layer will make the green house effect. I like your project 😃👍👍 hi from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
hi there and thanks!. i've tried using 2 and even 3 panes of glass but when i use even 2 of them the temps go down. i guess it blocks too much of the sun. i haven't figured out a way to insulate the glass or top area.
Very nicely done! I dig it!
I confused about the high pack of the insulation as well, bc I always taught insulation need to be loose for air. I am open to learn, I was always dealing wid fiberglass before.
Loose insulation works, compacting it removes all of the air (the actual insulator). Likely only 40% of the rating of properly installed fiber insulation.
Your instinct is correct. I read about a study of walls with batting vs walls with no batting. Both walls were carefully constructed to modern vapor barrier standards, insuring virtually no air infiltration. I don't recall the numbers, but there was virtually no difference in R value. As long as there is little air infiltration and the "dead air space" not badly compromised, batting in the walls is not very cost effective. A batted roof showed a bit higher R value than the non batted roof, and was deemed more worthwhile doing. Batting is intended to dampen air movement in the leaky old pre Tyvek walls.
If anyone doubts that the more the dude packed in, the more he defeated his purpose, just imagine continuing until finishing with a hydraulic press to make it rock solid. If you are sealing a space absolutely airtight *any* amount of batting will increase heat conduction, no matter what kind of batting is used. To *further* reduce conduction, one pulls a vacuum on that airtight, dead air space, removing more heat conductive particles. E.g., Packing batting tween the walls of a Thermos, before pulling vacuum on the bottle, will *not* increase efficiency.
Agreed. It's definitely confusing. Unless someone has special non-conducting insulation..
Price ? Want to buy
Sandhya Khurana build it yourself, that’s the purpose of the video. You don’t want to buy one of these cause it’s not built properly.
A couple hinges and a latch could make this thing relatively easy to pack down and store.
Wonderful! Thank you!
Was there a reason you used solid wood instead of plywood for the sides? Quality stable wood of that dimensions, is hard to come by here. I was thinking of using 12mm ply and constructing my own ‘SIP’s maybe 70mm of foam insulation. Very strong, and very light.
I love the design, just looking to modify it a bit to suit the materials I can buy locally.
This is the best looking Solar oven I have seen, far better than most commercial ones. It was the looks that was putting my wife off having one.
Thank you.
This is incredible. Thank you for sharing!
I'm soooo copying this design for van life. Its a real setup as opposed to so many horrible inefficient designs. It looks like a traditional BBQ which is what people want. I can see what you've done and I would use thinner wood and solid urethane insulation and a cast iron plate on the bottom. But the design is absolutely the best on the net...and this is already six months old or so...Its a rock star design and if I were you I'd patent it quick smart!
Thank you!
Lima, Perú
I'll do this project soon.
Love it 💘
Good job I like it very good good build
hi and thank you! ✔
thank you from NYC Japan sell a black stainless steel ,maybe America has it ,you buy some 4x8 sheets cut it for the inside ,go into business
Nice, I"ve been looking for solar ovens and stoves that are a bit more high power and advanced in design
Very nice!
Thank you! Cheers!