DIY Satellite Dish parabolic mirror solar death ray (2018)

This video is about building a DIY Satellite Dish solar parabolic mirror death ray. Using an old satellite TV dish I resurface and clean it before applying reflective foil duct tape to make a parabolic morrow death ray. I'm trying to make one like GreenPowerScience and Eric Jacqmain did on YouTube.

EricJacqmain
He used 1000’s of tiny mirrors mounted on a mini satilitte dish.

Greenpowerscience

[SimpleTek]

Please tell me what you'd do to make this

[PwrTrumper]

I think this video should have all thumbs up because unlike the other videos, it's actually realistic and shows the pitfalls of trying this yourself.

[spudgn]

The focal distance is farther than tested. That should smoke up some wood quick. You are inside or below the focal point.

[d.jensen]

We've got a dish that receives signals from two satellites in two different equatorial slots. So the dish isn't a perfect parabola. It is deformed intentionally to optimize this use case. That could be the same situation with yours.


Also, the reflective surface of the tape you are using is not specular - or rather it's somewhere between diffuse and specular. You'd get better results with a real mirrored surface.

[williamwalter]

Hi Simple Tek,      Might try again April 21st, May 21st, June 21st July 21st. Might just be a matter of sun angle. My 2 cents, will work between May and July when sun is strongest. A bigger dish and deeper curve may also be needed for Oak Point. Oh, haha, Google maps see your converted swamp land. Looks good from space. Cheers,       Bill

[jzerothree]

Thank you for learning through trail and error for us!

[wassimalsabbagh]

What makes you think it failed?! it didn't fail actually, all what you have to do is to set it to the sun direction and at the perfect distance at the SAME time

[resilientfarmsanddesignstu]

A far better way to make a “death ray” or better yet, a solar stove or a solar furnace is with a Fresnel lens. These can be purchased or obtained from old TV sets but can even be made from the flat reading magnifying lens obtained from the dollar store. If you get a good Fresnel lens, you can melt metal, glass and even rock (if you place your sample at the focal point in a fire brick lined pit). You can also make a decent solar lens out of a stretched clear plastic tarp with some water on top. Buy a thick plastic tarp. Cut it square. Install grommets in the corners. Roll up your tarp. NEVER fold it. Take it camping. Suspend the tarp in direct full sun from four posts with ropes. Make sure all four corners of the tarp are the same height. Better yet, build a frame for the tarp then suspend that. Add water to the top of the tarp. The tarp will deflect under the weight of the water to form a perfect parabola. To adjust the focus, tighten or loosen the ropes. Place your pot of water or rotating food (NOT your head or hands) at the focal point beneath the tarp. Your food will cook. Enjoy! 😉

[cbc]

if its an offset dish, the focus point is not in the center.