Date:         Mon, 24 Apr 1995 08:50:27 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         nrubin@s1.csuhayward.edu (Martha Rubin)
Subject:      another neat camping toy


Here's another weird/unusual camping toy that may intrigue some
of you.  I ran across the ad for it in a boating magazine several
months ago, and had the product literature sent.  Haven't seen 
the actual unit, so can't vouch for how well it would work.

It's a solar oven, and following are some specifics:

5 lbs, about the size of a bread box
folds down to 3" high for storage
cooks nearly anything an oven will cook with solar power
has no moving parts and won't rust
one color only:  white
inside of the box is insulated and there's a black drip pan
there's a reflector which reflects the sun into the box,
     and a plastic lid to help retain the heat
pots used should be a dark color
temp in the oven will go as high as 240 F, with the average temp.
     for a single med. sized pot usually being around 200 F
2 pots will decrease the temp about 25F, which will of course 
     incread the cooking time
temps can be as low as 170F and still be effective for cooking
best times to cook between 9 am and 5 pm in the summer
clouds and wind will increase cooking times
if cooking for several hrs., just set the reflector to where
    the sun will be at mid-day
use smallest pot possible.  also, thinner pots work faster then thicker
cut food into small pieces
helpful, but not necessary to warm-up the oven about 15-20 minutes
will cook faster if a baking rack is used to circulate heat
no need to add water ot meat or veggies
cookies take about 1.5 hours, and there's no need to cover them

they include several recipes, plus some suggested cooking times:
1-2 hours:  eggs, rice, fruit, veggies, fish, chicken (pieces)
3-4 hours:  potatoes, root veggies, beans, other meat, bread

meat loaf:  1.5-2 hours
med. roast:  2-3 hours
fish and veggies:  1 hour

asides:
tmps inside the pots used for cooking can be as much as 50F higher
than in the oven.  Most germs can't grow above 120F, and 
pasteurization kills germs at 150F.  Cooked foods can be safely
stored in the solar oven for a couple of hours as long as the temp.
stays at 120F or higher

ordering info:
Blue Water Sailor's Solar Oven
Dragon Point Thermal Corporation
1300B Lake Washington Road
Melbourne, Florida  32935
1.800.483.8399
1.407.254.2997
1.407.255.7711
fax:  1.407.254.4773

price:  $149.00 (yowie zowie!)
-------

If anyone already has one of these, or orders one, would they
please post their experiences?

Thanks,


/martha rubin     <nrubin@s1.csuhayward.edu>
    '81 westy (puke-eggnog).  And no, it doesn't have a shower, toilet, hot
         water, laundry, or  dishwasher, but I'M WORKING ON IT, OK!?
    '80 bug convertible (stock triple-white)
    '73 or '74 Thing/Safare/Trekker/181 "wannabe."  If you hear of one in
         in need of a good home/restoration, etc., let me know!
      [previously owned]:  early '60's notchback (1500), '78 rabbit