IV. Final StepsAt this stage, you are ready to put food items or water into the cooking vessel or jar, and put the lid on securely. (See instructions on food cooking times, to follow.)Place a wooden block in the INSIDE bottom of the cooking bag. I use a piece of 2X4 board which is cut into a square nominally 4"X4" by about 2" thick. Then place the cooking vessel containing the food or water on top of the wooden block, inside the bag.Next, gather the top of the bag in your fingers and blow air into the bag, to inflate it. This will form a small "greenhouse" around the cooking vessel, to trap much of the heat inside. Close off the bag with a tight twist tie or wire. Important: the bag should not touch the sides or lid of the cooking vessel. The bag may be called a "convection shield," slowing convection-cooling due to air currents.Place the entire bag and its contents inside the funnel near the bottom as shown in the Photographs.Place the Solar Funnel Cooker so that it Faces the SunRemember: Sunlight can hurt the eyes: Please wear sunglasses when using a Solar Cooker! The Funnel Cooker is designed so that the hot region is deep down inside the funnel, out of harm's way.Sloe leaves[Image: 08.jpg -- Photo description: This is a close-up photo of a black canning jar, sitting on top of a block of wood. The wood and the jar are sitting on the ground, inside a clear plastic bag, which is full of air, like a balloon and tied at the top so that the air in the bag keeps the bag from touching the jar.]Put the Solar Funnel Cooker in the sun pointing towards the sun, so that it captures as much sunlight as possible. The design of the funnel allows it to collect solar energy for about an hour without needing to be re-positioned. For longer cooking times, readjust the position of the funnel to follow the sun's path.It helps to put the Solar Funnel Cooker in front of a south-facing wall or window (in the Northern Hemisphere) to reflect additional sunlight into the funnel. A reflective wall is most important in locations farther from the equator and in winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, put the Solar Funnel Cooker in front of a North-facing wall or window to reflect additional sunlight into your cooker.
At this stage, you are ready to put food items or water into the cooking vessel or jar, and put the lid on securely. (See instructions on food cooking times, to follow.)
Place a wooden block in the INSIDE bottom of the cooking bag. I use a piece of 2X4 board which is cut into a square nominally 4"X4" by about 2" thick. Then place the cooking vessel containing the food or water on top of the wooden block, inside the bag.
Next, gather the top of the bag in your fingers and blow air into the bag, to inflate it. This will form a small "greenhouse" around the cooking vessel, to trap much of the heat inside. Close off the bag with a tight twist tie or wire. Important: the bag should not touch the sides or lid of the cooking vessel. The bag may be called a "convection shield," slowing convection-cooling due to air currents.
Place the entire bag and its contents inside the funnel near the bottom as shown in the Photographs.
Place the Solar Funnel Cooker so that it Faces the Sun
Remember: Sunlight can hurt the eyes: Please wear sunglasses when using a Solar Cooker! The Funnel Cooker is designed so that the hot region is deep down inside the funnel, out of harm's way.
Sloe leaves
[Image: 08.jpg -- Photo description: This is a close-up photo of a black canning jar, sitting on top of a block of wood. The wood and the jar are sitting on the ground, inside a clear plastic bag, which is full of air, like a balloon and tied at the top so that the air in the bag keeps the bag from touching the jar.]
Put the Solar Funnel Cooker in the sun pointing towards the sun, so that it captures as much sunlight as possible. The design of the funnel allows it to collect solar energy for about an hour without needing to be re-positioned. For longer cooking times, readjust the position of the funnel to follow the sun's path.
It helps to put the Solar Funnel Cooker in front of a south-facing wall or window (in the Northern Hemisphere) to reflect additional sunlight into the funnel. A reflective wall is most important in locations farther from the equator and in winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, put the Solar Funnel Cooker in front of a North-facing wall or window to reflect additional sunlight into your cooker.