A sturdy plastic housing is covered with a transparent plastic lid to transmit visible light. The black aluminum plate (23 cm x 16 cm) inside is removable so its mass can be measured. The temperature of the plate is measured with a 10 kΩ thermistor attached to the bottom of the plate. The supplied cable connects the apparatus directly to a PASPORT Temperature Sensor. Or, the thermistor can be read with an ohmmeter and the temperature can be calculated with the supplied conversion chart. The amount of energy transferred to the plate can be calculated. Also, the maximum temperature reached and the rate of heating can be investigated with or without the plastic cover. The attached rod clamp is used to adjust the angle of the box toward the sun.

Using a PASPORT interface with a temperature sensor and stand (all sold separately) allows for easy outdoor collection