FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

These FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) should answer most of your concerns about solar cooking and solar cookers.

Can I use my solar oven in the winter?

Absolutely. Remember that the most important element in using a solar cooker in the winter is the brightness (or intensity) of the day, NOT the outside air temperature (abbreviated OAT). Often, a 30 to 40 degree, low-humidity, clear day will permit food to cook faster than a 95 degree day with high humidity. Solar cookers have even been used very successfully in the base camp of a Mount Everest expedition where the temperatures are often well below zero. As you know, more cooking hours are available in the summer than in the winter. You can start earlier in the summer and cook from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. During the winter, cooking is sometimes limited from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the northern latitudes. Here in the northwest corner of South Carolina, I have cooked from 9:30 AM until almost 4 PM in the middle of winter (December and January).

How often do I need to turn my solar cooker for it to be effective?

How often you need to align the solar cooker depends on what you are cooking, when you're cooking it, and the temperature you want to maintain. If you adjust your solar oven every 30 minutes, you will maintain maximum heat. I adjusted my box type solar oven every 30 minutes when I first got it, but quickly learned that I could still maintain 300 degrees plus in the winter by just turning it once per hour. At noon the sun is high in the sky and moves quickly past the optimum focal point, hence the need to refocus more often. Later in the day you will not need to refocus as often but the temperature won't be as high. The GLOBAL SUN OVEN® is equipped with a built in Levelator, which keeps food level and avoids spills while being refocused.

How often do I need to stir the food?

Stirring is usually done to prevent scorching is not necessary when cooking in solar ovens because of the fact that solar cookers generally do not develop hot spots. The temperature of the food will rise slowly and evenly. It's almost impossible to burn food in a solar oven. With conventional ovens and stoves, I burnt the food, even after stirring. I have stirred a pot of food about half way through the cooking, but it isn't necessary.

How long will my solar cooker last?

Wow! That's a hard question to answer, but I'll do my best. It really depends on several factors:The durability of the materials used to make your solar cookerWhether those materials hold up to moisture, heat, coldHow well constructed the cooker isIf you made your solar cooker, and used aluminum foil and cardboard, don't expect it to last more than a season or two. However, if you made your solar cooker out of heavy duty materials, made sure it was well constructed, temperature and moisture resistant, it should last a few years at least. Some commercial solar ovens can be expected to last up to twenty years depending on how well you care for it. Keeping your solar cooker clean and serviceable will help it last the longest time possible.

How much does wind affect my solar cooker?

If you mean, will wind affect the cooking temperature, the answer is yes, and no. Depending on the type of cooker you use, the reflectors, and the exposure to the wind, solar cooking temperatures are generally not affected very much.

However, I have had my solar oven blow off of the card table I had it sitting on due to a wind gust. Think of the reflectors on your box type oven as sails and prepare for that. The answer for me is to tie down the solar cooker to the card table or secure it to the ground. Wind will also bounce the reflectors around some but will not affect the amount of light coming into the cooking chamber.

Secure your solar cooker on the ground using whatever method you find that works the best while not hindering your ability to turn the solar cooker as needed.

How hard is it to aim my solar cooker so that I get the most efficient cooking?

Aiming your solar oven/cooker is very easy. I usually set my solar oven on a card table, parallel to the sides of the table. Then I use the shadow from one of the front legs of the card table to point to the back leg. It's kind of like using a sun dial. Use the shadow to gauge when to rotate the cooker (in this case, I rotate the card table instead of the solar cooker).

In the winter, your solar cooker needs to be tilted forward also. The goal in tilting the solar cooker, especially with solar ovens, is to make sure there are no shadow falling into the cooking chamber from the top or bottom. A slight shadow from either side is okay. Turn your solar cooker so the sun is ahead of the focal point so that you don't have to turn it again for an hour or two.

How big does my solar cooker have to be?

You will be surprized at how small your solar oven can be and still reach high temperatures. With a box type, many solar ovens are less than 12 inches wide by 12 inches long (inside diameters). Some of these are only six to eight inches deep, but many are deeper to accommodate taller pots.

If you're thinking about a reflective panel cooker, 36 inches across will usually provide sufficient heat for most cooking needs. This type of solar cooker usually has reflectors in front, on the sides and behind the cooking vessel.

Are recipes for a solar cooker different than a conventional oven?

Solar cookers are usually compared to slow cookers. In that respect, recipes for slow cookers are very similar to recipes for solar cookers.

About these frequently asked questions:

Every effort has been made to make sure that we give you the most accurate answer possible. However, keep in mind that these are more or less guidelines or rules of thumb. We cannot be held responsible if you do not use good judgment or common sense when using a solar oven/solar cooker. Please be careful anytime you are around hot items, including the cooking vessels, food, steam, cooking implements, and other items/devices.