Ecological, economical, healthy food rich in natural flavours! Making your own Home made solar cooker At first glance, it's a compelling approach. Capitalising on the enthusiasm for free, renewable energy, many online tutorials have emerged. However, while the idea may seem commendable, it's essential to fully understand the specificities and precautions to consider when planning to cook with the sun. Security, performance and material selection are all crucial factors that need to be mastered before embarking on the adventure. In this article, we take stock of the Handmade solar cooking solutions to guide you and help you form your own opinion.
According to tutorials, it's relatively easy to make a homemade solar oven. It only requires a bit of free time, being at least a little handy, and the financial investment is extremely low. We would like to point out that the solutions below are sourced from the web.
The principle behind parabolic solar cooking is extremely simple. A parabolic dish equipped with reflectors concentrates solar energy onto a single point called the focal point, where the dish is placed.
To make a homemade parabolic cooker, you simply need:
The most commonly adopted method involves using a simple satellite dish lined with aluminium foil.
For DIY enthusiasts:
Although constructing a homemade solar parabolic dish may initially appear simpler, particular attention must be paid to the stability of the device.
With this type of solar cooker, rays are reflected into an airtight box covered with a glass pane. The food is then cooked by the greenhouse effect.
A box-type solar oven can be easily made from:
This type of solar cooker reaches temperatures of around 150°C. However, for such performance, the box must be perfectly Waterproof and isolated.
These devices, even if handcrafted, can reach very high temperatures. For example, the Sunplicity develops no less than 230°C in ideal weather conditions.
However, while the latter is equipped with an ingenious aiming system that allows anticipation of the sun's movement and a deep parabola, not all models on the market are. Handmade creations are of course devoid of these.
For Safety reasons and to take advantage of optimal heating quality, it is then paramount to them reorient every fifteen minutes.
Indeed, thanks to the concave shape of the Sunplicity parabola, the focal point is kept within its concave surface. In the case of a parabola lacking depth, such as that of a satellite dish, the focal point lies on the surface.
If the parabola is incorrectly aligned, the solar rays will be reflected away from it. Any element placed (dried herbs or a tea towel, for example) on their trajectory will then be able to ignite in just a few seconds.
Constructing your own solar cooker from a DIY satellite dish is therefore formally ill-advised.
Understanding the workings and dangers of solar refraction in video
Even though no cases of food poisoning have been reported to date, cooking meat still requires a certain degree of vigilance.
Indeed, undercooked meat can cause dangerous infections, particularly in pregnant women.
If you find there's a lack of power, don't hesitate to extend the cooking time or use a traditional cooker.
When cooking in the sun, never handle your satellite dish without appropriate sunglasses. Underestimating the sun's rays would be a grave mistake. If Icarus burned his wings, you could well seriously damage your eyes.
Whichever model is chosen, building your own homemade solar oven requires a good understanding of the materials and their specific properties, as some can be detrimental to the quality of the cooking.
We recommend you avoid all products containing formaldehyde. It is a volatile organic compound. It is commonly used in the manufacture of certain glues, varnishes, paints and in plywood.
For box-type models, be mindful of the synthetic glass you will be using. Polystyrene, for example, burns poorly and emits toxic fumes.
Finally, if you really wish to enjoy a Eco-friendly cooking method, refrain from using materials derived from the petrochemical industry, such as polystyrene or polyurethane, including self-adhesive mirror films.
In summary, while building your own solar oven might seem like a good idea, it remains that many online tutorials appear somewhat fanciful. Especially if you want to cook with a product. durable. However, it is true that certain products marketed with exotic origins are far from meeting safety or environmental requirements. So, good idea or simple marketing ploy?
In any case, if you want to enjoy a Eco-friendly cooking method, Economic, Powerful and durable entirely serenity, you can consult the page dedicated to Sunplicity.
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