Several problems that may have contributed to the inability to boil:
- Pot not in the optimal focal point. I need to be able to either move the dish or the pot more flexibly to align the pot with the focal point better.
- Apply more mirror to the dish
- Large quantity of wrinkles in the mirror
I think I really need to improve the range of the dishes motion so that I can aim directly at the sun. Then, I could mount a hanging hook at the focal point and know that I can get the focal point there. And, then I should probably consider applying "real mirrors" instead of the wrinkly mylar.
7 comments :
Don't worry too much about the wrinkles in the mylar, or maybe just smooth them out a bit. Adding more mylar to the rest of the dish will help, but the main problem is how to point the dish directly at the Sun, and then keep it pointed there.
The Sun will pass a bit lower each day this month as it crosses from horizon to horizon, so you will need up/down control in addition to left/right control.
It might be easier to mount the dish on a post that is at a 45 degree angle (pointing North). Then you would only have to find the height of the Sun for the current day, and track it with a simple left-to-right motion.
Wear sunglasses when using that thing.
My comment never was recorded on the smoking mylar article so I'll try again. Instead of boiling water, I'd like to see some type of natural bug enticer used on top or around the edge of the thing. Thereby making a natural, solar powered bug zapper, no electricity required! Has anybody seen huge Mars yet?
Re grapevines and Capri: You know you could plant only one or two rows around the house or on your best view side, and if done right, sort of like a tromp l'oeil, could look like it is a large vineyard that carries on down hill or over the rest of the property. Or a beautiful arbor covered with grapes. Don't underestimate the power of a beautiful row of lavendar either. There are many here, lining the entire yard, but big full plants that make an entire outline in bloom during the season, gorgeous. Moi
Moi,
Don't tell me you've been sucked in by the false suggestion that Mars will be huge (or close) this month. Check out the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day web page from a few days ago: They say Mars will NOT be close this month.
The article you found is two years old, so Mars was close two years ago, and it wasn't huge.
Why do you want to indiscriminately kill bugs?
I got the Mars info from a latino mujer, so that figures that she's be a day late and a dollar short. I don't want to indiscriminately kill bugs, I will discriminate. The ones that come around me and my solar burner and picnic will die. All others may roam free, in fact, can I give them your address? Too bad about Mars, I was hoping to catch a lift. Moi
Haha! Great comments.
It's funny that you should mention bug-zapping. I was noticing, while pasting on the mylar, that many bugs seemed to be fooled by the mylar and just flew right into it. At the current power level, though, I'm won't be zapping anything quickly. I was able to roast a polish sausage so that it was hot enough to eat. That's messy though; it dripped grease all over the dish.
Sunglasses? How about a welders hood?
I'll have to consider how to make best optical advantage of what grapes I'm able to obtain. I'm definitely going to have them in place by the next growing season.
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