Updated information on solar box cookers

Amazingly, people still link to this information and I hope it helps someone in some way. However, the oven never did REALLY work up to my expectations. A lot of time and effort were expended relative to the amount of food cooked. I did pass the technical writing class though, and work in technical writing at this time. So if this information gets you through a class project, congratulations. [15-MAY-2005]

List of updates:

1. Update number five, cardboard reflectors wore out.
2. Update number four, new links.
3. Update number three, construction note.
4. Update number two, performance on July 2 and 3 of 1999.
5. Update number one, links to new article on solar cookers.

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Update number seven

I'm still amazed by the popularity of this information; it was cited in academic papers? So, I moved it to my new web host and created a redirect from the old one.  [15-MAR-2008]

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Update number five, cardboard reflectors wore out.

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Update number six, whole oven is worn out.

The foam insulation is crumbling, the reflectors were already gone.  [18-AUG-2000]

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Update number five, cardboard reflectors wore out.

After two summers of use and two winters of storage, the cardboard reflectors covered with foil have worn out.  Maybe this summer I'll try a commercial oven.  [28-FEB-2000]

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Update number four, new links.

The solar cooking archive has a new home, www.solarcooking.org

I looked a new solar oven site:  members.aol.com/qstowell/Solar.htm
The builders use a wooden ribbed parabola that looks like it might be more durable than the one I made. 

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Update number three, construction note.

I have started using large band clamps to secure the reflector around the inner box.  When the instructions were written I nestled the inner box and reflectors in another larger box.  I like the band clamps because require less storage space.  I dislike how the band clamps make it impossible to open the oven once they are wrapped around the reflector and inner box .

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Update number two, performance on July 2 and 3 of 1999.

The solar box cooker I built works well only in the mid-day of summer, when the sun is straight overhead.

The food has to be in the oven by 2PM in order to cook fully before sunset.  I put one cup rice in at 3:19 PM and it did not cook completely.  I started it the next day at 2 PM and it was completely cooked and a little browned by 4 PM.

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Update number one, links to new article on solar cookers.

Petri Konttinen wrote his masters thesis, Solar Cookers for Use in Namibia, as a candidate for a Master of Science in Engineering.  The thesis combines work for the Laboratory of Energy Technology and the Laboratory of Industrial Psychology at the Helsinki University of Technology.  The thesis is in three parts:

• Beginning of the thesis project, Solar Cookers for Use in Namibia.
  http://www.solarcooking.org/fi/petri.htm
• Thermodynamical review of solar box cookers
  http://www.solarcooking.org/fi/petrithe.htm
• Field study of the project in Namibia
  http://www.solarcooking.org/fi/petrinam.htm

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