This shows how to make and test a solar cell using a sheet of copper. These solar cells are basically sheets of copper with a layer of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) on them. The cuprous oxide is a semiconductor. You won’t get much electricity from it but it’s fun to make!
More details can be found at
http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/sp_diy_homemade_solar_cell.htm
- http://rimstar.org
Duration : 0:3:20
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@ShawnHydedotcom …
@ShawnHydedotcom Yup, for PV, colder is better. I tested this a few years ago using a cheap small solar cell I bought at Radio Shack. I know of at least one product that does much what you say but uses air flowing behind the solar panels to take away the heat and at the same time uses the heated air to help heat a building. Google “solarwall pv/t”.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@RimstarOrg I did …
@RimstarOrg I did see a video where they used standard solar cells that had been placed in a waterproof case then submurged in water. this increased the power output by 9.2% It seems that cooler they are the more effecient. You could easily make a hot water heater and solar panel in one to really gain the most effeciency.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@ShawnHydedotcom I …
@ShawnHydedotcom I didn’t measure voltage but one report on the web gives output of 12.5 microwatts (50 microamps x 0.25 volts). Taking into account just the time with the burner on, around 0.5 hours, that’s 0.5 x 1200 watts = 600 watt hours. 600 / 0.0000125 = 48 million hours to break even, roughly 5500 years! That’s why I said at the start of the video, they don’t produce much but are fun to make.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
doesn’t this take …
doesn’t this take more electricity to make then you are getting in return?
what is the outut in watts?
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Maby its not the …
Maby its not the greatest solarcell, but its still a good light sensor.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Try this and look …
Try this and look for bubbles forming on the plates. You may be also seperating the hydrogen and oxygen (electrolysis).
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@8giorgos8 It can …
@8giorgos8 It can be done without the salt water but it’s very difficult. You also wouldn’t need two panels, only one. One wire would be soldered to the copper itself. The other wire would be in good physical contact with the outer surface of the cuprous oxide – doing that is the hard part. For an example, google “Fun With Homebrew Cuprous Oxide Diodes” and on the first page that comes up, search that page for the word photovoltaic.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
would it work if …
would it work if you put a wire connecting the 2 panels instead of salt water
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@09robinsona Look …
@09robinsona Look up “Solar Cell” on wikipedia and you’ll see there are more types of solar cells than just silicon. Cuprous oxide isn’t used these days due to it’s extremely low efficiency but it does work. It was one of the first materials to demonstrate the photoelectric effect. Search google for “cuprous oxide solar cell”. As for a coin battery, I think you need two different metals.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
umm….solar cells …
umm….solar cells are made with two layers doped silicon. Even if that works, that’s not really considered a solar cell. plus i think you just made a salt water battery, other wise known as a coin battery.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@hall274 Thanks! …
@hall274 Thanks! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
amazing! hope to …
amazing! hope to see more…thank you so much!
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@RimstarOrg That’s …
@RimstarOrg That’s an interesting website. Will come back to it again. I have a radio license, so I’m interested in the radio stuff on his site, too. I understand about the time issue.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@field16 To make …
@field16 To make cuprous oxide diodes, see here hpfriedrichs period com. I recently found that page and read his great book too (Instruments of Amplification.) So far it’s harder to do than it looks. Re the RSS, it’s just a question of finding the time.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@RimstarOrg So your …
@RimstarOrg So your video experiment also showed us how easy it is to make Cuprous Oxide, which you could also use for other applications, like diodes. I would like to see how you make your own diodes. Good idea. If you put an RSS feed on your website, I would subscribe to it.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
@field16 You’re …
@field16 You’re welcome. Coincidentally I’m back at trying to make cuprous oxide diodes so if that works this time I may place it in the sun to see what happens – though that’s not the reason for making the diode (that’s for the testatika stuff in the non-conventional energy section on my website.)
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
I thought about …
I thought about doing this same experiment myself until I learned that the power output is so small. But thanks for doing this to show others what it’s about and to help teach some of the basic theory of solar energy.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
You’re welcome!
You’re welcome!
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
thank you!
thank you!
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Can you tell I …
Can you tell I tried to keep from showing as much of it as possible?
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Agreed, unless I …
Agreed, unless I can get a cuprous oxide diode to work.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
nice kitchen
im …
nice kitchen
im just joking:)
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
other than using it …
other than using it for teaching, I see no practical purpose especially with the corrosion from the salt water.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
It’s been a while …
It’s been a while since I’ve read anything on what Stubblefield did. I’ll have a look again.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:01 am
You may want to …
You may want to PLANT these two copper plates in the ground (no need for oxde coating). Youmay get from that enough electricity to light a few led lights.
Research “Stubblefield” in google if you feel like it.