Solar Death Ray 10,000 suns 48" DIY Giant Archimedes Parabolic Mirror Reflector

[@EdgeRetro]

Your generosity in sharing is unparalleled. You're the king of highbrow lowtech!! Thanks yet again!!!

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

This video took 40+ hours to produce/edit/voiceover. My higher production quality videos never seem to get many views compared to simple stuff? Oh well, it was a good experience.

[@boa9535]

GREENPOWERSCIENCE: it is a great experience on my end, too.

[@Ben-gg9in]

Hi GreenPowerScience, how can i get something to burn at 10,800 degrees F? Thanks!

[@HOLLYHOUSE11]

I think I love you.

[@johnconrad5487]

@@HOLLYHOUSE11 HE ALREADY HAS A WOMAN. SO BACK OFF WITH THE 'LOVE YOU' STUFF.....

[@HOLLYHOUSE11]

@@johnconrad5487 sounds like Maybe you need a nap.... And some Jesus or something... Or a cocktail... Relax.

[@hansbraun2726]

you are such a great asset to anyone learning in the fields you cover. Thank you and keep up the awesome work😊

[@bingosunnoon9341]

Really good video, full of useful tips. Excellent low cost collector. I made one of these reflectors forty years ago. Used commercially available ground and polished stainless sheet circle sheared. It worked OK, never measured it but I'm sure it would melt lead. College project in Phoenix. It was already 140 degrees on the roof of the engineering building.

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

The mylar has held up for 4 weeks so far with a vacuum. And when the vacuum is removed, the reflective surface is flat and near distortion free so it seems to hold up without expanding. The mylar can accept tight stretching when making. This prevents sagging.

[@dfox344]

I believe that in ancient times someone suggested polishing shields and using the reflected energy of the sun to decimate an approaching fleet of wooden ships. I see now how this could have happened. Great video. Thank you for sharing.

[@justinklenk]

Archimedes!! 👍

[@executivesteps]

How far away are the ships? How big were the reflectors? We’re they flat or slightly concave. The story is theoretical possible but practically not likely.

[@dfox344]

@executivesteps obviously someone had the knowledge or else it wouldn't be history. Unfortunately, we weren't there but it was unlikely that it was a fiction writer testing the waters.

[@lonelyneuron]

Thanks a lot Dan, for taking time to answer. I take your solutions very seriously. Amazing and affordable.

[@cosmefulanito5933]

Metric System please.

[@hughjanus7131]

Learn imperial sir

[@a_asp829]

No​@@hughjanus7131

[@whatsupwalbany9218]

convert it yourself

[@a_asp829]

Yes ⠀

[@BastianQPagh]

Si units rise up

[@TheKingofRandom]

Awesome video Dan. I love how you present your ideas on applied sciences and the results of your experiments from even 6 years ago! I'm always learning something new from you brother!

[@intermouse]

Whaa

[@flireferret3050]

F

[@masakikiriko13]

King of Random,salute,RIP.

[@o0Noctuabundus0o]

F

[@forloop7713]

8 years ago

[@warrenscott2044]

I like this concept ,it is the method that I have been looking for..Back in 1992 I polished an 8 ft diameter Cband satellite receiver dish to be used as a solar collector .The polishing of this dish took a long time and the reflectivity was only around 75% at the best .It did set lumber on fire.

[@DivineMisterAdVentures]

Okay - one trick you missed (besides using decent plywood for a back) is once you have it stretched, to go ahead and do a pass with a hair drier. I THINK this will remove the last vestiges of creases - unless the blanket was heat-pressed, which I don't know why it would be. Mylar is apparently a good memory material and returns to its original shape with just a bit of heat. The sun won't heat that mylar up, but hot air will.

[@philcampagna1680]

Entertaining and informative. I can see so many potential applications for this.

[@phillytechclub7089]

Love your Experiments ! Started watching years ago. 🔥 I have to make a solar water distiller to make drinkable water and also to cook with. This is the way 😎

[@owenstiles1287]

P

[@JD-iu2xh]

Gotta love this guys "fashion sense". Truly a Florida Man!!!

[@arthurmunoz3597]

Pretty stright foward and great instructor skills, that you Mr. Rojas.

[@skybike89]

Very well produced, thank you for taking the time to make this for us.

[@drobgyn5615]

R u still alive bro 10yrs later

[@PhilippinesDarrellCheeks]

Thanks Dan, I live in the Philippines and this is going to be a big help in helping those in the villages to cook. I am home (USA) for the holidays. I just want to make sure I get the right blanket.

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

Thank you for the nice comment. I thought this video would have been a bigger hit. Almost 9 months and total video views = what someone burning a cell phone gets in 2 days. Our videos are getting buried in search results for some reason. 94% of the views were driven by our website, or FB page and our KZbin homepage. Only 1,800 views from YT.

[@georgecrabtree2013]

Your paintings were fantastic! I had no idea you both were so talented!

[@966396631]

Very knowledgeable and obviously sincere dedication to the art and science of the craft!! generous sharing of hard earned expertise. Thank you.

[@sykoteddy]

It's always fun until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious! I absolutely love Denise reaction at 08.15

[@arminvonnamberch3489]

8:15

[@colinmartin2974]

Very nice work, this can also be used with an old font (cast iron) radiators, mounted in a frame and a clear plastic cover to protect the radiator from the cold air. filled with water and connected to a storage tank of 200lt - 400lt. by fitting a pressure release valve and a central heating pump the water in the tank can be heated to 40-50 deg during the day. this tank can be placed in line with the other tank electrically heated to supply your bath or shower etc. by placing the new tank vertically and feeding in cold water at the bottom and taking the hottest water from the top, to feed your electrically heated water tank.. your ability to supply hot water is now doubled as you will be feeding the normal tank with hot water or well warm water rather than cold water direct in from underground.. result is you can take longer showers, fill a bath tub and still have gallons of hot water left.. the amount of electricity required every day to reheat the tank will decrease. and you save a fortune....

[@jounik8980]

Money cannot be saved, but nature and electricity can

[@Stain3610]

Hi Julie, im unsure about the electrical part myself, but the shut off valve / vacuum 's function is to change the focal length, ie: focus/ concentrate the light, so yes to use this to cook, you'd want to focus the suns light on the pot / pan, you will need to do the vacuum / shut off valve bit. The electrical part probably just makes the surface a bit more reflective, but maybe not 100% necessary

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

The first surface mylar will oxidize if placed on the outside years of exposure. Place the conductive first surface side, inside and mist with enamel paint. This seals the aluminum exposed surface and it will last years without turning golden yellow. The mylar is inexpensive so the front can be re-stretched every year or so with extreme usage. I have mylar flat mirrors that have sat in the rain and Florida humidity for years and they are still good.

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

Yes, then a thin spray of enamel paint to preserve it. The two I made are sitting outside in FL weather, while the humidity is lower than summers, they are both holding up well.

[@srinivassiddarth]

Your contributions to experimental science involving green energy are highly commendable and thanks a lot for sharing all your beautiful and practical videos. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❤❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

I will have a video on a round mirror. I just made one in 15 minutes:-) It is like a drum and a near perfect parabola/spherical shape. The mirror flat is distortion free, vacuum it casts really good images on the wall. May be a first surface telescope option too. Will test with the moon tonight if the clouds go away! With a little trick, the wrinkles go away.

[@Research0digo]

Tesla's great grandson. :D

[@anderwan]

I was so totally expecting Dan to make all of Denise's 2 foot long hair stand on end with the charged mylar!

[@alejoramirez5846]

Six minutes and 5 commercials, just take away the desire to continue watching this great video

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

Les has a good TV show, the water bottle trick and clear plastic water lens would be a perfect fit. Happy Holidays!

[@davidbostock6776]

Your videos are great. I like that you put numbers to your projects and for this one show the square version has practicle precision. If I were to do one I think a 6 or 8 sided one would be almost as easy to build. Probably round over the inside edges with a router. For me practicle solar reflector applucation will be soil / mulch sterilizer of 55 gallon steel drum with aluminum foil over scavanged coroplast reflector. Don't know if Anyone has done this or not, seems obvious. Another low cost / low fabrication / universal parts availability solar cocentrator design uses a 4'x4' piece of masonite cut in a spiral with aluminum foil glued to it attached to 1x2 crosspieces cut to angle the around 2" wide spiral into a fresnel reflector. Use search term - steenblik spiral fresnel - redrok is an interesting hit. I think wind will be less of a problem with this design than solid designs.

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

All mirrors are 2 way mirrors. All glass mirrors when coated have a first surface side but grey paint is added to cover the aluminum for protection in household mirrors. Get a good mylar blanket and stretch it flat. The side with the most light will be a mirror, the darker side = cloaked 2 way view. You need a brighter side like cop movies. Detectives in a dark room, interrogation is a well illuminated room. Either side will work, the light makes the difference. Swap the light swap the effect.

[@CyberMacGyver]

Dan, you my favorite backyard genius... still 👊

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

Thank you Cyber MacGyver. 👊

[@soulsaucegoodwin319]

I second

[@vorox7658]

I third

[@dr.rajasaurusandunclebonec6526]

Archimedes would be proud

[@Tailss1]

This is one neighbor you don't want to piss off, especially on a sunny day.

[@ibewgypsie]

Yeah that barrel comment, well.. use the top 8-12 inches from a plastic barrel, use the Mylar blanket as this time, on the open back side make a air tight diaphragm of a stronger material like a pond liner, a lever connected to the center, a hand grip, squeeze the handgrip and lever to focus, on the opposite side a loop handle to steady aim.. instant focus mirror. Real-death ray. Add a HID LED and you got a hand held stage light. What a cutie.. (and I mean Denise) I enjoy the videos.

[@CB-kl5ew]

I have been looking, looking, looking for cheap reasonable solution for a green energy stainless steal boil tank. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!!!

[@Paxmax]

Haha, love the reaction of wife, doesn't get mad but will probably get even soon! That is the spirit.

[@michaeltheoret8913]

It would have been even funnier if Her hair stood up and got all fuzzy .

[@JohnSmith-nh3bc]

Gonna try that stretched mylar mirror in my aquaculture 3 in 1 root electrified hydroponic enclosure. Thanks man！

[@steealsfreek]

What about doing a cone copper coil that tightens with the beam. Increased surface area might increase output

[@toamaori]

flexible glass with a mirror finish similar to what corning has developed would be an ideal material to experiment with

[@reginaldhuckstable9797]

Phenomenal video. Great quality and very well put together. Keep it up

[@ericbarnes3829]

Consider the shape of the square lens vs the round. There is little parabolic shape on the square.

[@robertszymanski717]

Watching this reminds me of a 1961 Adventure/Fantasy/Sci-fi ", Atlantis the Lost Continent". A dictator mad scientist has a giant mirror covered with crystals is powered by the sun and shoots a giant laser like Ray! Cool sci Fi effects! He fights with the hero in the movie and gets zapped into a skeleton by his own device that's swinging side to side by an Earth quake......

[@scootermadman4325]

Another Fantastic production! Thank you for this and all your videos.

[@V8VRUte]

as soon as i get paid, im going to the hardware shop, i just made one of these stretching it over a medium bowl, managed a slight parabola by putting it in the freezer for a few mins and then was able to light a leaf with heavy cloud cover, i want to make one i can pull a propper vac on now

[@jacobopstad5483]

Something I've been wondering about for a while now is whether this would work with reflective plastic packaging from things like potato chips. If so, it would be a great way to repurpose it since supposedly it can't be recycled.

[@0penEyesAndMind51]

That is mylar, it works! 👍

[@jacobopstad5483]

@@0penEyesAndMind51 Oh, thanks!

[@federicomachon8841]

A BIG THANK 😊 🙏 I live in guatemala this will be a LOT of help

[@corpsie666]

Yet another awesome video. :) I hope you two are still involved in the art world too.

[@chimpchowder5774]

That's an awesome idea. Bet if you did that to the top of a 55gallon drum you could easily cook with the focal point!

[@godblessamadi3269]

thanks for transfering this great knowledge i love physic power

[@rldabomb33]

Will it work to heat up a pool?

[@yachtsteve]

Thanks for the introduction to solar death rays. Now to find someone to use it on🤭

[@FinanceLogic]

Of course you already know this but you're on the new Doomsday Preppers right now. That's pretty cool; I've been watching your videos for years. Thanks for recording them.

[@rightsidelanechoice7702]

If you look into re felting a pool table from a company called Game Cloth they have an instruction form on attaching the cloth at given points to give it consistent grain and be equally tight in all areas.

[@PhysicsExperiments_dot_org]

Dear GREENPOWERSCIENCE Is you mirror really a good parabole? Or is it maybe somewhere in between parabole and spherical shape??? Schlierenphotography requires a good parabolic mirror. But those mirrors are very expensive. Could you please run a test with your mirror to see if you can achieve Schlierenphotographie?

[@ChesterofBanora49]

Thanks for all your inventions and projects Dan ! I really enjoy your channel .....good stuff Much more honest and down to earth than Myth B.....s :)

[@bloodsweatandtearsforeverl9833]

Please focus the beam with a secondary magnifying lens, that's the part Archimedes neglected to mention

[@DownTheRabbit-Hole]

Note: Silicon is a waxy rubber gasket that never completely seals to any surface. I recommend using polyurethane if you want a permanent aittight seal.

[@JouniKyyronen-nv1ep]

Best reflector solarpanel. U can easily take seawater and boil it to make driving water in pipe

[@evolopterus]

What an AMAZING channel!

[@Louis2282]

back in 1978 when on holiday in the states i bought a pocket sized parabolic mirror, about 3 inch, it was a cigarette lighter.

[@RikiFaridoke]

Amazing, it is can be boiling any water in a bottle.

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

:-) Almost everyone wants to learn how to build stuff in 30 seconds or less. Tricky task.

[@catfishjones85]

Uhhh, that was a Tim Russert painting. That's the coolest thing I've ever seen. I would buy that.

[@utenzil]

I would like to create a parabolic mirror based swimming pool heater to extend the swimming season.This is for a pool in US mid Atlantic region where sunlight is fairly abundant in the early summer and fall, but because the temp drops at night the water stays cold. I'm thinking of something that focuses the light on a set of black pipes. There would be no pump, I'm thinking the water could get very hot and cause flow thru the pipes.

[@AtheneBitting]

Most fun couple on the planet, i am convinced.

[@edstewbob]

Excellent detailed instructions. Thank you very much.

[@terriecotham1567]

Thanks for posting as those could be used in numbers to make hot water and cook in the summer just thank no smoke from fires or if in a base type camp could be used as a weapon very ease Possible it could be used to heat water in parts of the world and make steam to power small home sise type generators or alternators or to recharge batteries used at night when the sun is down In parts of the world, this could produce hot water, steam power and it would be free energy and offer no real harm to the world, water or people as long as they use a few ease safety rules Love the video and the art as well thanks for posting

[@piercecottingham]

I can only imagine this guy feels like a kid at the playground. I'm going to start getting into it too

[@pgalaxy]

Greetings, I bought one of your lenses, arrived safely- but have not worked out how to use it to make a fire, can you provide some explanation please?

[@anfonyl]

Damn, check you out, with your fancy editing and high quality production :P Fascinating video Dan.

[@shwethakashyap5207]

Wow! You've explained it so well!

[@WhatAWondWorld]

It is interesting. Excellent method! Thanks

[@readerbenjamin]

lmao. "You can make your own seizure ray".... had me laughing. Good stuff!

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

Still amazing. Dan you ready for my idea? Tires car truck who cares they're free racing tires are the lightest , bind them together bailing wire. You want to make a long tube out of the tires.cap the ends with sheet glass. Those tanks refrigeration companies can't find a way to dispose of should work as a inner tube cut the top and bottom off join them with epoxy , welding would work but very expensive. Or how about pex tubing filled with glycol , a little pump to flow in the floors? Or maybe a bed ? Large sheets of stryofoam $12 sheet covered in mylar , 2 mil 100'X 48" ~$31. If you want cut the beads on the inner side of the tires once wire holds tires together run a bead in the gap , spray foam silicone maybe inflate a bicycle inner tube. Using the collector and the tire a good temperature should be had reducing dependence on other fuel sources. Would make a hell of a french bread oven ? Drill hole in tire for pex tubing to be directed , cut the beads running the tube should be easier once pex tubing is in stuff core with styrofoam chunks , news paper , or make a oven out of the space. Horizontal, vertical your option.

[@stevenlovell3300]

Excellent work Dan

[@shermdeazy]

In a SHTF situation, this would be a great defensive weapon

[@nalday07]

Fantastic! I got a new project for my weekend!

[@abhishekrale2630]

48 inches...very thoughtful of giving measurement in inches for the rest of the world..

[@GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

It is less than 1 mil. Thicker mylar works but does not stretch well. Look for mylar blankets. They are cheap and thin.

[@noutram1000]

If you were to inlay some sort of circular former into the square frame before suction it would form a circular concentrator albeit with a smaller area than the square -would there be any advantage to a circular concentrator? (E.g. more precise focal point perhaps...)

[@Selijot]

😅😄 Congratulations Dan 👍👍👏👏

[@boblewis5558]

Would it not be an idea to make longitudinal reflectors so that the bulk of the parabola lies along the length of a long narrow box and having a short focal length then place one or more of these BEHIND pipes containing suitable fluid (not necessarily water, but if so with a dosage of antifreeze for winter). Heating from solar is WAY more effective and efficient when the heat is collected directly rather than using solar PV for electrical heat. Thoughts? Suggestions? Other uses?

[@luctheriault4792]

I’ve been wanting to try something like this. So many questions.. focal length variability, auto trackers (raspberry Pi), hydro turbine power source? Multiple mirrors focused to increase temperature.. melt aluminum for casting art pieces? Guess I’ll subscribe to get some answers.

[@codyi5232]

The Rojas reflector should be mass produced and distributed . Fire and fuel was the catalyst of our evolution. Amazing times .

[@7pines77]

I wonder if you were to leave some slack in the Mylar instead of stretching tightly, then vacuum . would you have a concave that would give a more focused light?. I’d be interested in trying to make a heat treating oven or forge using this technique

[@gavinfahrenfort9497]

Excellent project thanks

[@Kibaoftheleaves]

I want one of these to light up my bedroom with sunshine and give my cat a sunbeam to lay in. Can this work for that without setting my cat on fire?

[@roidroid]

i recommend a fire retardant treatment for the cat

[@rogue_spirit]

+roidroid lol

[@seededsoul]

You can use a flat mirror (or mylar on a flat board) to have no risk of fire, just to your eyes if you look at the sun too much.

[@pabal0]

Chicken chow meow?

[@starofeden9277]

you funny...either fried cat or its eyes burned blind

[@TrentTationnaiseXization]

Hulahoops n mylar. Thanx Dan!

[@evannicholls4784]

Myth busters need to watch this........they will have to do one of their shows

[@gilbet]

This type of reflector- a parabolic mirror made from stretched, vacuumed mylar is called a Rojas Mirror, named for its inventor Dan Rojas.

[@YonKris-v2s]

Have you ever made yourself a variable cross polarized pair of sunglasses basically just two polarized films with the second one adjustable from parallel to perpendicular the parallel to the ground ones are on Brown lenses on the sunglasses you're wearing and the other ones that are adjustable. These will help protect your retina your eyes from sun damage

[@jeffreycoronel6595]

heat can be stored to thermos collection as water heater or could turned into mechanical energy or steam energy

[@luisrodrigueziii7316]

What an amazing experiment!

[@JohnSmith-nh3bc]

AWESOME FISH ART BRAU!

[@THEinSEnDeaieri]

You two are amazing.

[@rubenbaldassarri8005]

Pensar que esas cocina solar las anunciaban en la revista Mecánica Popular hace más de 40 años

[@margaretneanover3385]

It's the spread of distorted rays from sun reflection that is interesting.

[@umwoods]

I’m curious if you have footage of the Mylar with electrical current running through it in the dark? Might be a fun short video :)