Home Made Solar Panels Video Course

DIY Solar Water Heater

Many of us know about some ways we can generate some or all of our home electrical needs by using homemade solar panels and wind turbines. But many people didn't realize that another easy to do home project is a diy solar water heater. Did you know that your water heater is one of the biggest energy sucking appliances in your whole house?  Think about how much money you can save if you can harness the power of the sun to heat your water instead of having to pay for it.

First, start by determining what type of water heating system will work best for you, your daily hot water needs, your climate, and your budget. There are actually many styles available so do a little research and find the best type for your needs.

After you've chosen the best type of heater for you, the next  thing you have to do is get a comprehensive set of plans or a manual that will walk you through the process in a clear step by step manner. These plans and manuals are readily available online. Once you've done your research and bought a good set of plans, take a look at all the materials you'll need as well as familiarize yourself with the steps before you actually get started.

Decide where you will position your new sun powered water heating system. Of course, the position will depend to a large degree on the style of system you've chosen.  If you will be mounting roof solar panels, take into consideration how much room you have on your roof and how many panels you'll be able to mount.  You should keep the panels to the back part of the roof since many people don't like the looks of them and you don't want to make your house look unappealing to the neighbors or potential home buyers.

Using the sun and wind to help provide the energy you need for your home is a growing trend. And why not? It can save money and have less of an impact on the planet, what could be better?  If you really want to save money you can take the concept one step further and easily build your own diy solar water heater system.  It won't cost you much money but can save you boatloads over the life of the system.

For more home renewable energy projects visit the power4home website.

How to Make a Homemade Solar Cell

Making homemade solar cells is actually pretty easy and anyone can do it with some readily available materials. Here is a rundown on the process:

1. Cut two 4"x3" squares of copper flashing with tin snips or metal shears. Wash the copper thoroughly to remove any dirt or oil deposits. Take some fine grained sandpaper and rub one piece of copper on both sides until it has a bright sheen.

2. Put that piece of copper aside and take the other piece and lay it across one of the electric burners of your stove. Turn the burner to high and leave the copper piece on the burner until the top of the piece has a thick layer of material on it. This layer is called cupric oxidization and it will take 30 to 60 minutes to form. Turn the burner off and let the piece of copper cool.

3. Wash the piece of copper gently under running water. This will remove a lot of the cupric oxide particles. Don't scrub or bend the copper since that can damage the bottom layer of cuprous oxide, which you want to stay intact.

4. Gently bend both pieces of copper so they fit inside a jar, touching the jar sides. You want to keep the pieces of copper from touching one another. Keep the side with the cuprous oxide facing inwards.

5. Clip an alligator lead to the top of each piece of copper. Connect the lead to the negative terminal of the ammeter and then to the cuprous oxide copper piece. Connect the lead from the clean piece of copper to the positive terminal of the ammeter.

6. Add enough hot tap water to the jar so only one inch of the copper plates and the leads are above the water level. Mix in 2 tablespoons of salt, stir thoroughly until the salt dissolves. Don't get the leads wet.

7. Put the jar in a window or anywhere you can a constant source of bright light. You can register the amount of light your cell receives by watching the readings on the ammeter. Place your hand between the jar and the light source and you can see what that does to the output.

This is a fun experiment to do but please don't think that your homemade solar cells are going to power your t.v. You will need much more sophisticated cells to provide you with that kind of power.

Find out how you can  power your home with solar or wind power by visiting power4home.