Pressure cooker on a parabolic cooker

by Stephen
(California)

It worked very well until I forgot to go and refocus the cooker. As the sun shifted, the focal point burned off the handle of the pressure cooker. That was a $100 pressure cooker. No more pressure cookers on solar cooker for me.

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Jul 20, 2020
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pressure cooker handles NEW
by: Harry Spruit

If yuo are using all metal handles, don't touch those things with your bare hands. Use heat resistant gloves, pliers or some other device that doesn't burn your hands. Working with parabolic mirrors or Fresnel lenses can be dangerous. And wear sunglasses with these devices to avoid looking into the concentrated light beam.

Feb 12, 2015
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What Nathan said!
by: Anonymous

I've had this same problem. Didn't think of the foil trick, good suggestion. Or paint the handle bright white, that should similarly reflect heat and prevent damage. Plain latex paint? Special paint for plastic? Not sure what's needed, but experimentation will guide you...!

Nov 18, 2014
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Parabolic burning your plastic handles
by: Nathan

I too have had many handles get burnt by the focal point of a parabolic when the focal point makes its way from the bottom of the pan to the side and then to the handle :)
I found it best to use all metal handles if I can, but when I don't have such then I found it useful to wrap the plastic handles with some aluminum foil and this protects the handle and does not burn it up, but rather it just reflects the sunlight right off of the handle.

Hope this might be helpful.

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