Solar Furnace...why aren't these more common?

[Bullion_Bob]

I've also heard you can light a fire by polishing the bottom of soda can.

Seems strange this is not a more common way to produce energy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cayLrascLm0

[Awoke]

A bigger version of the Parabolic camping mirror. There is a thread on this. It's amazing.

[Silver Shield]

So cool

[Book]

Seems strange this is not a more common way to produce energy.



http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles8375.jpg

:)

[Dogman]

Once upon a time truck headlights had metal reflectors, and they made kick ass solar furnaces. Small but got very hot. Too bad the sun does not shine all of the time, solar powered refrigerators that use no electricity(like rv's use but solar instead of a gas flame) and solar powered air conditioners that use very little electricity would become more popular.

[Shami-Amourae]

I own a Global Solar Oven. I just bought it and haven't had a chance to try it out yet. Maybe I should try sometime and show you guys how it turns out:

Overview of Global Solar Oven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P7ZNwpi_G4

Global Solar Oven cooking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSHL39DMD9k

Homemade version/cooking in winter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47rpRAA86eo

[Dogman]

Seems strange this is not a more common way to produce energy.



http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles8375.jpg

:)


Using a solar furnace to heat a thermal mass that can be used to store the heat for later use, night time and bad weather is the problem that is being worked out now. That is the one weak link in a solar system, weather and nighttime dark for energy systems. In time methinks the problems will be solved.

Edit: Not referring to solar cell/battery storage.

[Bullion_Bob]

Yes, it obviously gets cloudy outside. I actually had to look that one up on Google to make sure.

The point being when it's not, there is tremendous potential, and it's a passive object with extremely low maintenance.

Add in reactive substances, and there are a lot of possibilities.

[Twisted Titan]

I JUST FIELD TESTED MY SOLAR SHOWER BECAUSE MY WATER HEATER DIED ......I WILL GIVE A FULL REVIEW. LATER BUT SUFFICE TO SAY EVERYBODY NEEDS SEVERAL OF THEM IN THEIR PREPS

[Ponce]

The one in the video? anyone knows how it was build? how does the sunlight reflects to the top of the mirrors, or whatever is there, where is it coming from?..........

I build my own fully enclosed solar oven for cooking and it even has a solar fan so that the air will circulate inside and cook faster.......the solar fan is one of those that you placed in a car window to keep it cooler.

Like I posted before, also made a solar heather box to wam up the house in winter, it will not elevate the temperature but it will keep it at the temperature as when you turned on the solar fan to make it work better.

Also made a solar water collector, you can placed anything moist inside (even shit or piss) and it will give you clean drinking water back, no longer have it because I used the double pannel glass for the solar heather.