Will It Lens? Table of Contents

[big_bad_al]

Comments

Lensing a solar panel

[anonymous]

Perhaps it would just melt the panel. Too bad, that.

What a wonderful way to spend lunch time.

Re: Lensing a solar panel

[anonymous]

i once melted a cheap solar panel's cover just from an incandescent light bulb.

for cooking, maybe you could distribute the heat more evenly by boiling water in a container and setting a second pan in/over it? cheaper than a copper plate. could make ganache for dessert...

making ice cream with liquid nitrogen is fun too...

Re: Glass

[big_bad_al]

If the glass is clear, it won't absorb any light, so it won't heat up. But if it's somewhat opaque, like a beer bottle, it might work. "Traditional" glass is silicon dioxide (aka quartz, aka sand), which melts around 1996 K. If we can't melt copper at 1356 K, we have no hope of that. But I don't actually know what tinted glass is made of; perhaps the tinting material melts at a much lower temperature. I'll add beer bottles to the list.

Rob Cockerham's Light Sharpener

[anonymous]

This is in similar vein but potentially higher-powered:

http://www.cockeyed.com/incredible/solardish/dish01.shtml

Re: Rob Cockerham's Light Sharpener

[big_bad_al]

Livejournal emails me when people comment on my blog. Your comment was caught by my spam filter (presumably due to its title). Well done!

I hadn't seen that before, but it's a pretty cool project. Thanks for the info!

Real Genius

[anonymous]

You guys got to reenact one of cinema's greatest moments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VTy9ESXnoQ

So unfair.

Fun with a Fresnel

[cculhanepsm]

I recently ahd the opportunity to play with one as well.

Yes it does melt glass.

We actually used a lens about the size you have to separate soldered pipe joints and actually soldered copper fitting with it for a thermosolar water heater.

Re: Fun with a Fresnel

[big_bad_al]

Ooh, I'll add solder to our list of stuff to try. Nice idea!