How to Build a Homemade Solar Cell
- 1). Cut a square or short rectangle from the copper sheeting with the sheet metal sheers. This piece should be about the same size as the heating coil of the electric hot plate or stove.
- 2). Turn the burner to on and to its highest setting.
- 3). Place the copper square onto the plate, and leave it there for at least half an hour. The hot copper will react to form black cupric oxide on its surface.
- 4). Use the thongs to remove the copper sheet, and place it where it can safely cool. Turn the burner off.
- 5). Use the scraper to gently remove the black oxide. Using plastic scraper with minimum force will get rid of the flaky black oxide, leaving the desired red oxide beneath it.
- 6). Repeat Step 1 to make a fresh copper sheet.
- 7). Put the sheets into a wide-mouthed glass or heavy, clear plastic jug, placing them along the sides. The sheets should be bent to adjust to the curve of the jars walls, which should be easy as copper sheeting is very malleable. The sheets should not come into contact; if they touch during operation, the result will be a short circuit.
- 8). Attach the negative (usually black) alligator clip lead to the "cooked" sheet, and the positive (usually red) alligator clip to the clean, "uncooked" copper plate. The clips can be used to pin the sheets to the side of the jar, as well as making contact.
- 9). Mix up some salt water. You want the water saturated, so keep adding salt until it stops dissolving.
- 10
Half-fill the jar with salt water. - 11
Connect the wires from the alligator clips to either to a charge controller or a DC-compliant device, such as a light bulb.
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