Fresnel Lens for cooking/boiling water

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July 30, 2012 - 6:10pm

Irksome

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Fresnel Lens for cooking/boiling water

Has anyone considered, or even better, followed through with purchasing a Fresnel Lens solar 'oven'? I'm considering this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170859924873#ht_5595wt_1163

If anyone has researched this, I'd love to hear of any alternative vendors. This guy puts up some very informative information, and his product sounds good, but I have been unable to find anyone else selling Fresnel lenses of this size.

Since I live in San Diego, and the sun is bright at least 80% of the time, this seems like a very inexpensive preparedness tool.

Thoughts?

July 30, 2012 - 11:11pm

Strongsidejedi

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fresnel lens

@Irksome - I found a fresnel lens at Staples. It was the size of a notebook piece of paper and sold as a magnifying lens for paper. I bought the plastic lens and a transparent piece of acrylic and sandwiched the lens in the plastic.

I now have cheap way to instantly have fire started during the day time.

Fresnel lenses are extremely powerful and quite impressive.

August 11, 2012 - 12:23pm

tmosley

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Wow, did you see that

Wow, did you see that parabolic mirrors by the same seller? You could use those to make a solar forge!

August 12, 2012 - 6:32pm

Irksome

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yeah

he's got some cool (well, hot) stuff for sale.

I'll be buying the fresnel lens, framed. I'm also thinking of buying a roll of his reflective film. Seems to me that reflecting the sunlight up to hit the bottom of a frying pan on a metal grate would be better for cooking than hitting the food from the top.

Once I get it and play with it I'll post an update.

August 13, 2012 - 5:37pm

tmosley

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Hitting the bottom would even

Hitting the bottom would even out the heat, as it is absorbed and re-emitted by the pan. This would be like cooking something on a stovetop. Coming from the top cooks it directly, like an oven. Different solutions for different applications.