There are extensive guidelines available online for making your own solar panels. And it is possible to make your own working solar panels for your home, which is far less expensive than purchasing panels and having them installed professionally. There are also various kinds of solar panels, from simple to complex. In addition to a reliable set of guidelines, here is a list of low-cost materials you will need for a simple solar panel.
1. Copper flashing – This can be purchased from the average hardware store, and costs around $5 per square foot. You will probably need about 1/2 a square foot per unit.
2. Alligator clips – You will need two of these. They look something like the clamps on the end of jumper cables, and are available at hardware stores.
3. A micro-ammeter that is sensitive enough to read currents between 10 and 50 microamperes. This can be purchased at an electronics store.
4. Heat source – You can use a regular electric stove or hotplate for this. It is used to heat the copper flashing to produce an oxide layer.
5. Plastic bottle with the narrow neck cut off, or wide mouth glass jar – You will be bending and inserting the copper plates into this.
6. Saltwater – You will need a couple of tablespoons of table salt mixed with hot tap water.
7. Sand paper – You will use this to clean the copper sheets before heating them. You can also use a wire brush.
8. Metal shears to cut the copper flashing
Some of these materials can be scavenged from friends’ workshops, recycling centers (with permission), or even your own garage.
The copper sheet is cut in half, and one half is heated on the electric stove burner until it turns black. As it cools, the black oxidation flakes off. This sheet and the “clean” copper sheet are bent and tucked into the bottle or jar. The alligator clips are attached to the copper sheets and then to the micro-ammeter. Salt water is poured in, and the unit is placed in the sun. Basically, you have constructed a solar battery.
It’s important to assess your own energy needs before beginning such a project. How much you can save depends in part on how much energy you use. If your home-made solar panels only cover a small fraction of your daily energy consumption, you will need to make many more to cover your home’s energy use, which will not be as affordable as someone whose energy needs can be met with only a few panels.
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