You think GoSun is only for the summer, but it's completely wrong. Many people think that you cannot cook with sunlight if it is snowing outside or if the temperature drops below freezing (40°F). But the fact is that GoSun's cutting-edge technology has challenged the long-held belief. If you love camping, live off the grid, or want a reliable backup solution for emergencies, this winter solar cooking guide is for you.
How Does Solar Cooking Work During Winter?
Solar cooking is not affected by the outside (ambient) temperature. Instead, it depends on the quality of sunlight and effective insulation.
GoSun solar ovens (for example, GoSun Sport and GoSun Fusion) utilise a special evacuated vacuum tube. The borosilicate glass tube is double-layered with air sucked out between the two layers to create a vacuum. The Hoover is a very good insulator. This means that even if icy winds are blowing outside or temperatures drop to as low as 10°F (-12°C), the heat inside the tube is trapped and cannot escape. Parabolic reflectors focus and capture sunlight into the tube, heating it to 550°F (288°C).
Interesting Fact: Sometimes food can cook faster in winter than in summer! That's because cold winter air tends to be drier and clearer, so more sunlight can penetrate without being scattered. Additional sunlight can be reflected off the snow on the ground, increasing the effective solar energy reaching the cooker.
4 Tips for Successful Solar Cooking in Winter
Here are some simple but effective tips to get the best results from your solar cooker during winter:
Give Extra Time to Preheat: In cold weather, the vacuum tube can take about 15 minutes longer to warm up. Preheat the oven before you put the food in.
Reduce oven door opening: Summer is a time when checking now and then should not be a problem, but opening the oven when it is freezing means that useful heat will be lost very quickly. Instead, look for steam coming out of the tube as a sign that your food is cooking properly.
Oven Storage Indoors: Store your GoSun oven indoors, in your house, cabin or garage, rather than leaving it outside exposed to the elements. Take it out only when you are ready to cook, so the tube does not start chilled.
Watch the Sun During the Day: In winter, the Sun is lower in the sky and sets earlier. To make the best use of the solar energy available, turn your cooker to face the Sun every 30-60 minutes. This helps to keep the cooking performance and efficiency at their best.
If you live in a place that tends to have cloudy weather, the GoSun Fusion is one of the best hybrid options available. It is powered by solar energy as long as there is sunlight. If the
Sun goes behind the clouds, or it gets dark, plug it into any 12V power bank or car battery and keep cooking without interruption.
Winter solar cooking doesn't have to be difficult; it just takes the right strategy and the right equipment. So when the temperatures drop next time, don't let the cold put you off.
Take your GoSun cooker out and enjoy hot, delicious meals powered by one of nature's greatest gifts - the Sun.
