New idea on solar cooking

[Mac J]

http://www.gosunstove.com/

This looks cool!

 

[Almost There]

It sure does...how does the price compare to other solar cooking set-ups.

I like it's shape and size compared to some of the big box like ones I've seen, it looks like it would store a whole lot better in a van than the others.

 

[Mac J]

The use of a tray instead of a pot seems to make sense to me in regard to cooking times as the solar heat doesn't have to penetrate so deeply. I don't know if it's more or less expensive than others but then it is so different than other solar ovenns it would be hard to compare pricing.

 

[karl]

It's cool, but no where near $270. cool.
I believe I'll continue with wood and propane until I can't get either.

 

[SoulRaven]

This brand may be new, but the idea has been around for a while.

About 10 years ago I picked up a unique fresnel lens job on Ebay. It was about 8.5" x 11" and mounted in a stand up adjustable frame, similar to some of the adjustable dresser top pedestal mirrors. I think it was under $20.00

You used it in conjunction with a small mirror, laid on the ground, and an adjustable campfire cooking tripod grate. You could use either a cast iron frying pan, or a cast iron dutch oven with this thing, and you could adjust the temperature by raising or lowering the grate.

You could cook anything with that thing, even fry up steak & potatoes! It seems to have sprouted legs somewhere along the line, but it was hands down the best solar cooker I ever had, and one of these days I may try to build a duplicate. It was as versatile as a single burner camp stove as long as the sun was out.

I think the fresnel lens types are going to be a good answer in the end, not the great big ones that melt metal, just small ones, better suited for cooking. I really liked being able to use a frying pan or a dutch oven, AND adjust the temperature. It was just as fast at cooking as a campstove would be.

 

[Seeker]

Agree Fresnel lens if it could be turned down or defocused and still heat would be the way to go.

I saw a youtube videos on the lenses from projection TV's burning stuff.  Well about a month ago saw one sitting out for the trash and grabbed the lens off the front.  I am amazed at how quick I can start a fire or melt crap. 

May try to carry it in the van if I can figure where to put it.
A SEEKER

 

[sushidog]

Looks cool for hotdogs and sausage, but not too great for pizza's, cakes and such. Plus you have to eat (or at least cook) an early supper, no?

It reminds me of the TV commercial about the guy who wants to make hamburgers shaped like hotdogs. Maybe he could use something like this to cook them.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7FKh/experian-the-hamburger-hot-dog

Chip

 

[Mac J]

$270 on Amazon and good reviews on their site. I'm a little wary of a review that talks about baking a cake with this thing though. I personally wouldn't care for the cooking in a tube aspect but to each their own. It's not like it would be easy to cook a pot of chili where you would want to stagger cooking times for different ingredients or give it a stir every now and then. Of course, there are tradeoffs in everything.
http://www.amazon.com/GoSun-Stove-Edition-Portable-Efficiency/dp/B00KLKJB72

Guy

At closer look gsfish, you'll see that the mini is only $65.00.

 

[Mac J]

It's cool, but no where near $270. cool.
I believe I'll continue with wood and propane until I can't get either.

At $65.00 for the mini oven (on closer look at the site) I think it stands out as a great hiking accessory.

 

[jimindenver]

The tubes get hotter and cook faster but I agree about the size. I also think cleaning the tube would be a hassle.

I love my solar ovens except they take up a lot of room when not in use. I was going to make a parabolic out of a satellite dish but figured out it would not do much. They need to be bigger the same as using a lens does. I wouldn't have room it the trailer for this either but I think it's a better way of using the tubes that results in a stove top type of cooking.

 

[highdesertranger]

I took one of those Fresnel lens's out of a flat screen projector tv. my o my don't leave that thing unattended out in the sun. it will light a 2x4 on fire in about 1 minute, it would start smoking almost instantly. now I just need to find a practical use for it. highdesertranger

 

[Milk Hauler]

Nifty lil cooker. I plan to make my own real charcoal (chared wood) cook with this. Its the worlds most efficient charcoal cooker. Wood has been on earth as long as the sun. If u scrounge a little, its free like the sun.

 

[surfer]

Hey Off Grid,
do I understand correctly that the lens is on a pivoting stand that shines lite on the mirror that reflects the lite to the bottom of the pan that is hung on an adjustable tripod? And the closer the pan is to the mirror the higher the temp? Any other clues on how to make this work; video, instructable, diagram?

To all,
Check out your nearest Dollar Tree. I bought an 8x10 lens just before the RTR. Yes, for $1. Might work?

GOTTA MAKE THIS WORK!

 

[jimindenver]

The lens set ups I normally see are huge, so are the parabolic dishes. In solar be it PV, heating or cooking, footprint is king. A small lens can start a fire it is so hot but so can a match. use either to try to cook with and it's gonna take a long time. you have to collect and concentrate a lot of light to do any good quickly. Use a big enough one and it is pretty much like cooking on a stove.

 

[SoulRaven]

Hey Off Grid,
do I  understand correctly  that the lens is on a pivoting stand that shines lite on the mirror that reflects the lite to the bottom of the pan that is hung on an adjustable tripod? And the closer the pan is to the mirror the higher the temp? Any other clues on how to make this work; video, instructable, diagram?

To all,
Check out your nearest Dollar Tree. I bought an 8x10 lens just before the RTR. Yes, for $1. Might work?

GOTTA MAKE THIS WORK!

I just  had to play with it, I found that a circle of light on the bottom of the pan about maybe 4 inches in diameter was about right for my cooking needs.  Smaller than that was to hot, and larger lowered the temps rather quickly.  About 5 inches diameter was similar to simmer mode.

It could be slow to heat up, but pretty consistent once heated.  It did require re-aiming about every 15-20 minutes as the sun moved.

All in all it was a fun gadget to play with.

I'm not sure what magnifying strength the one I had was, but I know they come in different strengths, so that could make a difference too.

 

[SoulRaven]

The lens set ups I normally see are huge, so are the parabolic dishes. In solar be it PV, heating or cooking, footprint is king. A small lens can start a fire it is so hot but so can a match. use either to try to cook with and it's gonna take a long time. you have to collect and concentrate a lot of light to do any good quickly. Use a big enough one and it is pretty much like cooking on a stove.

The problem with those big ones I want to cook, not melt the pot....

 

[jimindenver]

The problem with those big ones I want to cook, not melt the pot....

 I wouldn't worry so much about melting a pot down, most of them are made to take the heat.