Life off the grid in the SW Texas desert. An experiment in sustainable living. NUMBERS AT THE END OF EACH BLOG POST: temp at 8PM,high temp,low temp,rainfall,wind conditions(CalmBreezyWindyGusty). YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFieldLab
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Solar Jiffypop FAIL! First attempt on the hot plate but didn't get enough heat transfer although the center of the plate read over 700°. Second attempt I eliminated the hot plate and went for it with just the pan. Ended up with a blow out. Lots of variables that still need to get dialed in - temperature, focus, jiggle speed. I will succeed...game on! News Theme by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Actually I think you should have stopped the shaking and taken it away from the dish when it was first puffed out. Every last kernel does not have to be popped. If I leave it in the microwave too long it will burn too. Yours worked but you left it on way too long. Why? And why does it have to shake. I do not shake mine and it still pops just fine.
Ingenious apparatus. Might want to take into account that carbon steel begins to plasticize (yield) around 650 deg F. If the aluminum Jiffy Pop pan begins to oxidize, it can burn right through carbon steel (thermite without the magnesium). Hang in there.
Out on the desert - I use the more primitive method of burning a piece of free firewood. Juniper wood works well - or even sotol trunks - if better wood is not available. Juniper wood is so hard - you just drop a rock on it to break it into smaller pieces! Once you get that old fashioned fire going - it does not take long to get your popcorn ready to eat. Yum - Yum!
As I said in the description, I was not getting enough heat transfer through the hot plate so I removed it and tried cooking the Jiffypop directly. I didn't have time to re-jig the shaking mechanism so I just went for it to see what would happen. The key is finding the sweet spot of diffused focus by changing the distance of the popcorn to the reflector. As it was - I was pretty much dialed in to the exact focus point which was way too hot and way to concentrated on a small area...the temperature being about 750°.
yep - but if you look at a conventional stove - either electric or gas - they use a "stand-off " grid as a de-facto "diffuser"... like your own gas stove you currently cook with.
Your jiffy-pop would probably pop fine on that stove... any idea what the temp is on your gas stove at grid?
On survival shows they start camp fires with a small mirror and the sun. You have that big thing and all that sun. Seems to me that it could be pretty dangerous with all that sun, some freak accident. Wouldn't want to see the desert burned down, a lot of good people out there. Shouldn't there be some way to cover it safely when not in use.
Skin cancer is such a big problem in Texas. Your invention is bringing in even more rays. The sun turns the skin to leather that is not reversed. This involves some careful thinking.
Solar Jiffypop FAIL! First attempt on the hot plate but didn't get enough heat transfer although the center of the plate read over 700°. Second attempt I eliminated the hot plate and went for it with just the pan. Ended up with a blow out. Lots of variables that still need to get dialed in - temperature, focus, jiggle speed. I will succeed...game on! News Theme by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Artist: http://incompetech.com/
ReplyDeleteWon't be long now. Meanwhile, you can always subcontract to Starwars Missle Defense.
ReplyDeleteOops.
ReplyDeleteActually I think you should have stopped the shaking and taken it away from the dish when it was first puffed out. Every last kernel does not have to be popped. If I leave it in the microwave too long it will burn too. Yours worked but you left it on way too long. Why? And why does it have to shake. I do not shake mine and it still pops just fine.
ReplyDeleteIngenious apparatus. Might want to take into account that carbon steel begins to plasticize (yield) around 650 deg F. If the aluminum Jiffy Pop pan begins to oxidize, it can burn right through carbon steel (thermite without the magnesium). Hang in there.
ReplyDeletedamndest thing I have EVER SEEN!
ReplyDeleteOut on the desert - I use the more primitive method of burning a piece of free firewood. Juniper wood works well - or even sotol trunks - if better wood is not available. Juniper wood is so hard - you just drop a rock on it to break it into smaller pieces! Once you get that old fashioned fire going - it does not take long to get your popcorn ready to eat. Yum - Yum!
ReplyDeleteMaybe a diffuser lens at focal point below pan?
ReplyDeleteYEP.. or like a a gas or electric stove grid.. with gaps instead of solid plate
ReplyDeleteAs I said in the description, I was not getting enough heat transfer through the hot plate so I removed it and tried cooking the Jiffypop directly. I didn't have time to re-jig the shaking mechanism so I just went for it to see what would happen. The key is finding the sweet spot of diffused focus by changing the distance of the popcorn to the reflector. As it was - I was pretty much dialed in to the exact focus point which was way too hot and way to concentrated on a small area...the temperature being about 750°.
ReplyDeleteyep - but if you look at a conventional stove - either electric or gas - they use a "stand-off " grid as a de-facto "diffuser"... like your own gas stove you currently cook with.
ReplyDeleteYour jiffy-pop would probably pop fine on that stove... any idea what the temp is on your gas stove at grid?
Yes, Jiffypop cooks fine on my gas stove top. That is the easy way...
ReplyDeleteOn survival shows they start camp fires with a small mirror and the sun. You have that big thing and all that sun. Seems to me that it could be pretty dangerous with all that sun, some freak accident. Wouldn't want to see the desert burned down, a lot of good people out there. Shouldn't there be some way to cover it safely when not in use.
ReplyDeleteSkin cancer is such a big problem in Texas. Your invention is bringing in even more rays. The sun turns the skin to leather that is not reversed. This involves some careful thinking.
ReplyDeleteArchimedes death Ray! Don't point that thing at me!
ReplyDeleteBe careful of the beard in the wind.......
ReplyDelete"I will succeed. . . "
ReplyDeleteThat's the spirit!
Well, the pop corn may be a temporary failure but the good news is if enemy forces attack from the air you have the death ray set to go!
ReplyDelete