How to Build Solar Ovens With Kids
Using solar power for cooking is simple and straightforward. Solar energy is gathered from a large area and concentrated by reflection into a smaller area. The focal point may reach temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit or more, adequate for most cooking.
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Things You'll Need
- Sturdy cardboard box (at least 18 inches by 24 inches with walls at least 12 inches high)
- Cardboard flat or construction paper board at least 24 inches square
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
- Duct tape
- Black metal pot (at least 1 quart-sized) with lid
- Dial-faced thermometer with range up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Large sealable clear plastic bag
- Water
Instructions
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A Sinple Solar Oven
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1
Wrap the cardboard flat (or construction paper board) with heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side up.
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2
Form this solar reflector into a funnel with the metal side on the inside and the bottom of the funnel tapering to an opening just large enough to hold the black metal pot. The top and most of the vertical side of the funnel will be open to catch solar energy.
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3
Place the funnel into the cardboard box, using duct tape to hold it in place and maintain the funnel shape.
Using Your Solar Oven
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4
Fill the pot at least half full of water. Insert the thermometer with the dial visible and put the lid onto the pot. Place the pot into the clear plastic bag and seal, ensuring you are able to read the thermometer.
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5
Place the pot at the bottom of the solar funnel and orient the oven for maximum direct sun exposure. Record the temperature as the pot heats and contrast this to the ambient temperature to show the effect of solar concentration and to understand the expected temperature performance of your particular oven.
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6
Cooking instructions are the same as with a conventional oven reaching the temperatures your solar oven achieves.
Many solar cooking enthusiasts use solar ovens as slow cookers, setting them up for 150- to 200-degree operation and letting soups or stews simmer throughout the day.
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Tips & Warnings
Discuss how using simple solar ovens can reduce the need for cooking fires.
For advanced classes, use river water in the pot and use a microscope to compare a sample of the river water with a sample of water heated to 150 degrees by the solar oven (pasteurized).
This experiment will not work on heavily overcast or rainy days.
