How Do You Make A Solar Oven Using Glass?
Adding a glass cover to your solar oven will increase its efficiency by helping to keep the heat inside the unit while allowing your energy source–sunlight–to freely filter through. One of the most ingenious grass-roots solar ovens that utilizes recycled materials is the spare-tire solar cooker. Place a used tire on a flat surface or a piece of plywood. Line the inside of the tire with aluminum foil or other reflective material, such as a discarded windshield guard. Place your lidded cooking pot in the center of the tire, then cover the tire completely with an adequately sized piece of glass. You will find that in full sunlight, your cobbled-together cooker will generate a considerable amount of cooking power. Use a thermometer inside the oven cavity to gauge cooking temperature; if necessary, cover the glass with tinted plastic wrap or fine mesh screening to lower the temperature, or simply move the oven into partial shade.
A solar oven uses the heat of the sun to cook foods at temperatures between 225 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit. You can cook anything in a solar oven that you would in a traditional oven, but as with a crock pot, cooking will take about twice as long. A solar oven doesn’t add heat to the kitchen and can be left unattended outside for hours. Making a solar oven is simple and doesn’t require any unusual tools or skills. You can complete the project in under an hour. Center the smaller box inside the larger box. Fill the gap between the boxes with tightly crushed newspaper. This will help prevent heat loss. Line the inside of the smaller box with reflective material such as Mylar or space blanket material. You can use aluminum foil, but it will darken over time and need to be replaced. The reflective material doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. Hold it in place with glue. Use masking tape if you’ve used aluminum foil, so it will be easier to replace. Cover the piece of lumber with reflective
