subject: The Best Guide for Building Your Own Solar Panels [print this page] The Best Guide for Building Your Own Solar Panels
Solar energy is a good way for you to lower power expenses by using an ever-constant energy supply, sunshine. Solar power panels are generally expensive to buy, therefore sometimes it is preferable to construct them at home. Constructing solar power systems is not easy, so you should be sure to have the appropriate equipment and tools necessary for the task.
Solar cells are usually created from silicon, however, you may also make them from cuprous oxide. This specific element is one of the first elements that was discovered to have a photoelectric effect, triggering electrical energy to flow through a material. When building residential solar panels, you will need a multitude of different products for the task, such as copper, clip leads, a micro-ammeter, and metal shears. These materials can be found at most hardware retailers. A number of home items are needed also when making solar panels, for example tap water, an electric stove, table salt, and sandpaper.
Beginning by cutting the sheet of copper using the metal sheers. Thoroughly clean your hands first to remove any oil or grease. It's also advisable to clean the copper with a cleanser to remove any dirt. Making use of the sandpaper, carefully rub down the sheeting to eliminate any kind of corrosion or sulphide accumulation.
Place the dried and clean copper on the electric cooker and put it on its strongest heat. As the metal starts to warm up, you should see lovely tones and rainbow colours starting to form on the metal. Red, purple, and orange patterns will quickly cover the surface.
Once the copper begins to get warmer, the colours go away and a black cupric oxide coating replaces them. This burnt layer will eventually flake off however, revealing the colorings beneath. When the burner begins to become red hot, your entire sheet of copper should be lined with a heavy dark colored layer. Allow the metal cook for around 30 minutes, since a heavy layer will be able to flake off quickly.
Remove the plate and cool it to room temperature prior to endeavoring to wipe off the dark colored coating. Carefully wash the metal until the whole black coloring is taken off. Slice one more sheet of copper and bend both pieces into a plastic container, but always keep them from coming in contact with each other. The cooked copper must be connected with the negative alligator terminal, while the latest one should have the positive terminal.
Combine very hot water and table salt into the plastic container. Place the blend in the sunshine, and you ought to see a moderate range of micro-amps in the current reader. Copper is a semiconductor, so you effectively have a functioning solar cell produced from scratch.
