How to Create Solar Energy Using Homemade Methods

The most identifiable photovoltaic cells are the factory-made silicon panels that are becoming increasingly common around the world. However, it does not take sophisticated techniques to harness the energy of the sun. Photovoltaic cells can be made in any garage or kitchen using copper sheeting and salt water.

Things You'll Need

• Glass jar Tape measure Clean copper sheet Sheet metal sheers Electric burner or substitute Tongs Plastic scouring pad or scraper Electric wiring with alligator clips Salt Pitcher Wire nuts

Instructions

1. Measure the circumference and height of your jar.

2. Cut two pieces from the copper sheet. Make sure the sheet is free of green copper corrosion. The sheets should be just a quarter inch less than the height of the jar and an inch less than half the circumference. For example, if the jar is 12 inches tall and has an 18-inch circumference, cut the sheets to be 11.75 inches long and 8 inches wide. This way when you later place them inside the jar, they will amost reach the edge of the mouth and not touch each other.

3. Use the tongs to safely place one of the two sheets on the burner. Heat it to a red-hot state using an electric or gas burner. A blow torch can be substituted if that would be easier. A layer of black oxide will form on the top side of the sheet (the side that is not being "cooked").

4. Remove the black oxide with a plastic scouring pad or scraper. This should be done gently, since the point is to get rid of the black stuff and leave the useful red oxide underneath it in place. This red oxide is one of the reactant materials in the solar cell.

5. Place the oxide sheet and the second, unheated and still-normal sheet into the jar. The facing of the sheets does not matter, so long as the red oxide gets good contact with the salt water, and they are not touching in any way. Then clip them to the sides of the jar at the jar's mouth with the alligator clips.

6. Mix a supersaturated saltwater solution by filling a pitcher with warm water, adding salt, and stirring. Any kind of unadulterated salt will do, so cheap table salt is best. When the salt stops dissolving, the water is supersaturated. A quart of water should be able to absorb between two-to-three tablespoons of water, depending on the water temperature.

7. Fill the jar to between two-thirds and three-quarters full of saltwater.

8. Place the jar in full sunlight. The sunlight and the two copper sheets will produce an electrochemical reaction within seconds, and will continue to produce electricity so long as the jar is in the sun.

9. Run the wiring to a device for hook-up. The easiest to use is a small, 5- to 10-watt light bulb. Splice the wires to their mates inside the bottom of the light fixture using wire nuts.

Tips & Warnings

• A solar cell of this type is suitable for powering low-demand devices, such as small light bulbs, clocks, small fans and small pumps. However, most appliances other than light bulbs will need an inverter to convert the current from DC to AC. The cells can be scaled up or down to produce more current, and individual jars can be networked together to produce a higher combined output.

• This cell design is perfect for a science experiment, but you will need to refill the jars on a regular basis because of evaporation.