| With the rising costs of powering our homes, more | | | | bottle and curve each outward so that the 2 sheets |
| and more of us want to know how to build DIY solar | | | | don't have direct contact with each other. |
| panels. They can be constructed very easily and are | | | | Clip an alligator lead on top of each sheet and attach |
| very beneficial in the long run. | | | | them to your meter. The positive terminal of the |
| The materials required to build DIY solar panels | | | | meter should link to the unheated sheet, while the |
| include two ½ square foot sheets of copper | | | | negative one should link to the sheet that was |
| flashing, micro-ammeter, 2 alligator clip leads, sand | | | | heated. Liquefy about 2 tablespoons of salt in a few |
| paper, table salt, tap water, electric stove burner or | | | | cups of water. Dispense into the plastic bottle until |
| hot plate, large clear plastic bottle, sponge, towel and | | | | the water's surface is around an inch short of the |
| tongs. Clean your copper sheet with sandpaper then | | | | sheets' top parts. |
| wash with water, soap and sponge. Dry with a towel. | | | | Finally, put the bottle under the sun and observe the |
| With tongs, put the copper on the hot plate and | | | | meter. It should gradually increase up to 50 |
| heat for 30 minutes. You should see a black layer of | | | | micro-amps. Place the bottle in the shade and the |
| oxides on the copper. Cool at room temperature for | | | | meter should descend to under 10. As you can see, |
| about 20 minutes. Rinse in water. Place both the | | | | it's not that complicated to build DIY solar panels. |
| heated and unheated copper sheets into the plastic | | | | |