Page 1 of 6 High Quality Solar Grill Instruction Manual and Solar Grill Users Guide. High Quality Solar Grills Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved FOREWORD: First of all, congratulations on joining solar grill owners all over the world who are using their solar grills for cooking, camping, water purification, and even heat! You are about to build the most versatile solar grill you can own without paying a fortune! SIMPLICITY There are only two main parts to your new High Quality Solar Grill. These are the Tripod Camping Grill, and the Solar Concentrating LENS. The tripod provides a stable, adjustable grill surface, while the LENS provides all of the FREE Solar Heat! Let's take a look at these in more detail, but first, a word about: SAFETY Safety is our highest goal. Use caution when operating this or any grill. Cooking involves high heat. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of fire. This is not a toy. Use only with responsible adult supervision. By building this grill you agree that we will not be held liable for it's misuse. Now let's dig in! THE TRIPOD GRILL A tripod grill is a simple, yet elegant camp stove design that allows you to use any clean burning fuel as a heat source. It just so happens that this type of grill is PERFECT for solar cooking! There are several brands of tripod camp grills available.
Page 2 of 6 Ozark Trail offers an inexpensive Tri-Pod Grill and Lantern Hanger with 4 piece folding galvanized steel legs, top plate and chain assembly, and a seventeen inch grill surface. This design allows for easy adjustment of the grill height, which is essential for controlling the cooking heat. These are available in many larger retail stores, such as Walmart, for less than twenty dollars, and in many camping supply stores. They take about five minutes to put together the first time, and about 30 seconds when you have done it a few times! If you must construct your own tripod, we recommend you do not use any parts made of flammable materials, as the lens produces very high temperatures. THE LENS To make the Solar Concentrator LENS, you will need a satellite dish of about 2-1/2' to 3' feet in diameter. We built our kit around a Channel Master part#3040865. The dish is 39 1/2" wide X 29 1/2" tall, with a focal length (distance from the lens to the receiver) of approximately 18" and an effective aperture (The area of the front of the dish) of 33". Any satellite dish of similar size should work as well At full sun, with a solar insolation (amount of sunlight available) of 1,000 watts per square meter, the lens aperture receives about 550 watts of power. The important detail is that the lens must fit between the legs of the tripod with room for Lens angle adjustments. The lens may be oval or round. A relatively shallow dish with a focal point of approximately 18" inches works well for cooking. The dish must have a solid surface such as plastic or sheet metal, fiberglass, etc, with a rim around the dish edge. Used satellite dishes are often found lying by the side of the road when they are no longer needed, providing you with a free solar concentrator lens, and giving mother nature a much needed break! If you don't see a freebie lying around, try the classified ads. Ask your neighbors too. Also, many satellite television services sell dishes for around $25. You don't need the mounting hardware. Just the dish. LET'S BUILD THE LENS: Step 1: Preparation. Now that you have found a dish, make sure the concave, or inner, surface is smooth, clean, and dry. We are using two half dishes to demonstrate two methods of coating the dish with reflective film. Do not cut your dish in half. The reflective material that we are using is sold as a polyester emergency blanket, the kind used by hikers, campers, mountain climbers, etc. These are sold at department stores and camping stores, usually for less than five dollars, and have enough material to build two grills. Thicker films will also work but require more time and effort to apply. Sand the inner surface of the dish with a heavy sandpaper such as 40-80 grit. This will smooth out the surface for better reflectivity. Finish sanding with a 120 grit paper for good adhesion of the solar film. If you want to paint the back of the dish, sand it as well. Apply a light primer, then sand lightly once more. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, and make sure the primer works with, and is safe for use with, plastics. White paint looks very Hi-Tech on the back of the dish. You could even paint a picture on the back! Step 2: Coating the LENS. There are several ways to coat the lens, using pie slices, straight strips, or one large piece of film. We recommend the one piece coating. It is the easiest and fastest way to apply the lens coating, and offers superior weather resistance. Make sure the prepared inner surface of the dish is clean and dry. Use a quality spray adhesive, following the manufacturer's instructions on the can for a "permanent bond". Make sure the adhesive works with, and is safe for use with, plastics. Use the "scratch test" to determine which side of your film is the top protective layer. Using a sharp knife or razor, scrape a small area on an unneeded corner of your of your film.
Page 3 of 6 Note that the protected side will be barely scratched. Place a small mark on this side of the film, using a marker pen. This side will face up, away from the dish surface. Lay your reflective material in the dish and cut it, leaving about an inch or two of extra material hanging past the edges of the dish. Coat the dish and/or reflective material with the spray adhesive, per instructions for a "permanent bond". Remember to note which side of the film will be facing up. We are using Duro All-Purpose Spray Adhesive with excellent results. When you are ready to apply the solar film, have two friends hold the film, glue side down, above the dish. Use wet, non-scratching cloth and slowly press the plastic down into the dish, moving in circles from the center out to the rim. Do not try to stretch the film, as this will cause air to be trapped under the coating. If you have a small wrinkle, don't worry. Just press the wrinkle down firmly to squeeze out any air, and keep going. It won't affect the grill performance much. Even a tear is no big deal as long as it is sealed against wind and moisture. Once you get to the outer edge, keep pressing the film over the edge of the rim. Once the adhesive is dry, trim the solar reflective material around the rim and cover the rim with a waterproof tape. Be sure to tape over the upper edge of the rim. This will help to keep the lens safe from scratches. You can also attach a handle to the rim for easy carrying. A garage door handle works well. Step 3: The LENS Supports. We will now make the three LENS supports. Use aluminum, steel, or other metal. Do not use flammable materials to make the lens supports. Cut three pieces, of the sheet metal, 1/16" to 1//8" inch thick by about 1-1/4" inches wide by 3" inches in length. Drill a hole in one end of each support, slightly larger than your tripod pole diameter, leaving about 1/4" of metal on the end and sides around the hole. Use a 3/4" hole for the Ozark Trail Tri-Pod Grill and lantern holder. Deburr the edges of the hole, and the supports with a file or sand paper. Bend the opposite end into an "L" shape about one inch from the end. As you can see, by the examples below, the exact shape of the supports is not critical as long as they function well. Now wrap the tip of the bent end in waterproof tape to cover the hard metal edges.
Page 4 of 6 Congratulations! You have completed the construction phase of your High Quality Solar Grill! Using the diagram and instructions, place the LENS supports onto the tripod grill and place the LENS on the LENS supports. GRILL SET-UP: 1. Assemble legs by sliding the tapered ends into the straight ends. Legs are in four parts. 2. Slide the HEIGHT ADJUSTING LEVER over the top (tapered) end of one leg. 3. Set up the Tri-pod by inserting the legs into the holes in the triangular shaped support plate. The flat surface of the plate is the top. 4. Feed the chain attached to the adjusting lever up through the guide hole in the support plate and then down through the opposing hole. 5. If you are using the flame grilling option, set up the Tri-pod over the fire pit, spreading the legs to create a solid base. If you are using the Solar LENS, set up the grill in a sunny area on level ground. Slide one LENS support onto each leg, as shown. Place LENS on supports, spaced equally around the rim. Warning! Be sure no flammable objects are on or near the grill! 6. The three support chains, which have been preassembled, should now be attached at equal distances around the grill surface using the convenient snap clips. Then, using the S-hook, attach this assembly to the primary support chain. 7. By raising or lowering the adjusting lever, the grill height can be adjusted to vary cooking temperatures.
Page 5 of 6 temperatures. 8. The tripod grill can be used as a lantern hanger by removing the grill assembly and hanging a lantern using the bail handle. 9. The entire tripod grill can be easily disassembled and stored in the carton for convenient transportation and storage. Well Done! Your Solar grill is now assembled. That was pretty easy! Let's align the LENS and get cooking! Aiming The Grill: 1. Point the front leg of the grill toward the sun, as shown. 2. Place the LENS on the lens supports. When the reflective surface of the LENS is facing down, it is in the "off" position. When the reflective side is facing up, the grill is in the "on" position. Do not leave unattended! 3. Place the mirror, reflective side up, on the grill supports. Your grill is now in the "On" position. Adjust the grill surface to it's highest position. Adjust the rear lens supports by sliding them up or down until the sun is focused on the center of the grill surface. Adjust the height of the grill surface until the proper HEAT CIRCLE circle is formed, usually about a 6" - 8" diameter spot of light that passes through the grill surface. Your grill is now aligned and ready to use! Note that the LENS is cool to the touch. Realign the grill as needed usually about every 15 minutes to one hour, depending on the size of the heat circle, the pan, and the recipe instructions. PRO SOLAR GRILLING TIP!!! Here's a handy Solar Grilling technique called, "Advance and Retreat". Because the heat circle will move in the exact opposite direction of the path of the sun, you can aim the heat circle to extend the time between lens adjustments. To use this technique, direct the heat circle past the center of your cooking pan, so that, as the sun moves overhead, the heat circle will move from one side of the pan, across the center of the pan, and then to the other side of the pan. This technique works especially well with a large, low temperature heat circle. Many recipes, such as rice, cous cous, and soups, can cook entirely without any further adjustment of the lens or grill surface! Now, that's what we call Master Solar Grilling!
Page 6 of 6 STORAGE When you are finished using your High Quality Solar Grill, gently wipe the lens with a soft, non-scratching cloth and mild cleaner, then dry the lens thoroughly. Cover the LENS to prevent accidental exposure to sunlight and to prevent damage to the Solar Reflective Coating. Fold up the tripod grill and store it in it's original package or other suitable container. Now your High Quality Solar grill is safe, and ready to cook when you are! WARNING! This grill is not a toy. Do not use without responsible adult supervision. Do not stare at the reflected light. Do not place flammable objects on or near the grill. Do not leave the LENS in sunlight unattended. The High Quality Solar Grill is built for versatility, ease of construction, durability, and efficiency. Once you have mastered the LENS coating process you may wish to try applying thicker, higher efficiency mylar type films. You may even consider plating it with chrome or another highly durable reflective coating. Like any Do It Yourself project, your imagination and building skills are the only limits. We hope you have enjoyed building the High Quality Solar Grill, and that it provides you with many years of useful service in a way that is both unique and fun!