Solar power Coffee pot

Hi Guys & Gals;

I had a crazy thought (and a way to help promote solar). could someone
out there design (and tell me how to simply build) a solar powered
coffee pot. Is it possable? Can it be done easily and cheeply? Maybe
using one of those trough solar concentraters? This would be an
interesting project, could someone help get me started (or do it
themself as I am very lazy Ha Ha).

Keeping the pot in the focal point of a solar concentrater would be
easy enough (whith a small holder), but getting it brewed is what I
can't figure out.

Happy thinking
Glenn

I guess I could build a coffee warmer, that way energy would be saved
by not having to keep the coffee pot pluged in all day (I drink alot
of coffee).
 
E

Ecnerwal

Jan 1, 1970
0
Look at the recent postigs and websites mentioned in postings about
parabolic dish cookers, or just google on solar cooking and look for
parabolic dish designs.
Keeping the pot in the focal point of a solar concentrater would be
easy enough (whith a small holder), but getting it brewed is what I
can't figure out.

Chemex, stovetop percolator. Must be a youngster if you've never met
these basic coffee appliances. A camping store should have something if
your local department store does not. Any well-stocked general store
will, too, but those are a scarce breed tese days.

Mind you, coffee is even more important on a gray, rainy morning.
 
R

Roland Mösl

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi Guys & Gals;

I had a crazy thought (and a way to help promote solar). could someone
out there design (and tell me how to simply build) a solar powered
coffee pot. Is it possable? Can it be done easily and cheeply? Maybe
using one of those trough solar concentraters? This would be an
interesting project, could someone help get me started (or do it
themself as I am very lazy Ha Ha).

Why so complicate?

This would be a part of a 12 V DC solar power system

Photovoltaic, charge regulator, 12 V Buffer battery
and a car coffee maker on the other side.

Nothing special, You could put any 12V equipment on the other
side including a car adapter to operate a notebook
 
A

Anthony Matonak

Jan 1, 1970
0
Roland said:
Why so complicate?
This would be a part of a 12 V DC solar power system
Photovoltaic, charge regulator, 12 V Buffer battery
and a car coffee maker on the other side.

See: "Can it be done easily and cheaply?"
Compared to the cost of a sheet of foil covered plastic (or cardboard)
the 12V system is very expensive.

Anthony
 
M

Melodie de l'Epine

Jan 1, 1970
0
[email protected] a écrit :
Hi Guys & Gals;

I had a crazy thought (and a way to help promote solar). could someone
out there design (and tell me how to simply build) a solar powered
coffee pot. Is it possable? Can it be done easily and cheeply? Maybe
using one of those trough solar concentraters? This would be an
interesting project, could someone help get me started (or do it
themself as I am very lazy Ha Ha).

Keeping the pot in the focal point of a solar concentrater would be
easy enough (whith a small holder), but getting it brewed is what I
can't figure out.

Happy thinking
Glenn

I guess I could build a coffee warmer, that way energy would be saved
by not having to keep the coffee pot pluged in all day (I drink alot
of coffee).




Put your coffee in a thermos. That way you don't need to keep the
percolator plugged in all day. Works fine in my office, for tea and
coffee. Our old thermos keeps it hot for a couple of hours. Evene the
next morning, it's still warm.

Saves a lot of energy over a year
Melodie
 
C

Chuck Yerkes

Jan 1, 1970
0
Steve said:
I use one of those stainless steel vacuum thermos bottles. They work really
well for retaining heat or cold. On sale at Wal-Mart.


Waita sec.

You talk about the importance of resource preservation, etc. Then you
shop at walmart! With historically miserable corporate behaviour
regarding ecology (not just who they buy from, where they put their
store, no concern that a 10 acre sheet of parking lot dumps all that
rain onto areas that can't handle it, etc, etc.) and miserable
employment practices.

You local Ace franchise or generic hardware store will have a coffee
thermos. It might cost you 10% more. That money goes to people in your
town (employees, owners, landlords) who then spend it back in your town.
 
S

Steve Spence

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you try to get that detailed, then you will only make everything you
need, and not purchase anywhere. every company has practices that benefit
the company, and often are at cross purposes with humanity and the
environment. We make the best of what we are offered. Wal-Mart happens to be
the only place in town carrying stainless vacuum thermos bottles. The
employees, managers, and landlord of the land that Wal-Mart sits on are
local folks.

--
Steve Spence
Renewable energy and sustainable living
http://www.green-trust.org
Discuss vegetable oil and biodiesel
powered diesels at
http://www.veggievan.org/discuss/
 
C

Chuck Yerkes

Jan 1, 1970
0
Steve said:
If you try to get that detailed, then you will only make everything you
need, and not purchase anywhere. every company has practices that benefit
the company, and often are at cross purposes with humanity and the
environment. We make the best of what we are offered. Wal-Mart happens to be
the only place in town carrying stainless vacuum thermos bottles. The
employees, managers, and landlord of the land that Wal-Mart sits on are
local folks.

Are local folks making close to minimum wage with little job security
and few benefits (like the right to organize to represent as a group
before management). I've certainly seen union abuse, but I've seen the
opposite too. McD's and Walmarts egregious anti-union efforts warrent
watching (at the same time, I'm rooting for a local food store where the
employees indicate that they don't want a union, who's employees make
good money and get benefits, but where the supermarket union is paying
people to stand outside and picket. Representing nobody (management,
workers) inside the store.

So where there is walmart, there is an alternative.

They do not warrant being lumped into an "they're as bad as any other
company" category. They are worse and deserve being viewed in their
own category of retail predators. Workers make some money, but local
suppliers generally don't. My hardware store hires local folks to deal
with building out shelving, dealing with plumbing and lighting. The
walmart has regional folks who handle it or they ship replacment parts
from 1000 miles away. They benefit the communities in the elast
possible ways.

Cheaper? Good, cause people are unemployed because of them.
That $6 chair isn't cheaper than a $10 equiv when you have no jobs
or the only jobs aren't a living wage.
 
Hi Guys & Gals;

I would like to say thanks to everyone that participates in this news
group. The conversation is (almost) always uplifting, thought
provoking and educational (I am still a newbe).

I do appreceate you all taking the time to answer my questions.

Glenn

PS. I am on the anti Walmart small business side
 
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