Household Fixes

Going green and already building your own solar panels? Good for you! You might be tempted now to build your own solar cells as well.

But you need to consider carefully whether you *really* need to do it. It’s nice to say, “I built my own solar cells!” but it’s quite time-consuming and these days they can be purchased very cheaply off of eBay.

The time involvement necessary to create one single solar cell is extensive, and it pays to remember that just one solar panel can have in the neighborhood of hundreds, if not of thousands of cells, depending on the size. So, think hard ” do you really want to commit the time and effort when it might be cheaper and most probably easier, to purchase them ready-made?

But if I haven’t convinced you to just buy your own solar cells, here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

1) Copper sheet – half a square foot should do. 2) Two clip leads. 3) Micro-ammeter measuring between 10 and 50 microamperes. 4) Either an electric stove, or some type of heating plate to put on your gas stove. 5) A large jar or plastic bottle. 6) A few tablespoons of salt. 7) A bucket of water. Sandpaper. 9) To cut the copper, you’ll need metal shears.

First, clean the copper sheet with the sandpaper and wash both it and your hands before proceeding. Then, cut the sheet using the metal shears to the approximate size of your heating plate or stove.

Once you have your copper piece, put it on your heating plate and turn the heat to “high.” It should take 30 minutes to produce a blackened sheet, and then another 20 minutes for it to cool so you can handle it.

You’ll see black and red spots all over, after the oxide disappears.

Then, cut another copper sheet that’s approximately the same size as your first one and make sure that they can both fit into your plastic bottle or jar without touching.

Now, connect the positive terminal of your micro-ammeter to your “uncooked” copper, and connect the negative terminal to the copper piece that you heated up.

Combine the salt and heated tap water and pour it into the bottle to fill it just below the top of the sheets ” that should leave about a quarter of an inch of copper sticking out at the top.

Finally, test your new solar cell to see if it produces current in the sunlight. You should be able to see at least 10-50 microamperes of current if you did it properly.

Since copper is so inefficient compared to silicon, you’d need 80,000 square meters of these cells to power a single 100-watt light bulb. So I’d highly recommend eBay for buying cheap, manufactured silicon solar cells.

Tags: alternative energy, diy solar cells, energy, environment, Home, Home Improvement, home repair, residential solar power, solar cells, solar power
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Vinyl windows are a great way to replace older, drafty windows, and there are a number of advantages to choosing this type of window. For example, they are far more durable and weatherproof than the old wood style. It’s easy to install your own replacements, as well, saving yourself hundreds of dollars in installation fees.

Another advantage of this type of window is that they are available in a number of colors, so you can easily customize them to fit your home. That being said, there are a few things to consider when you are selecting your windows.

Type You have a choice between vinyl covered wood windows or pure vinyl ones. The wood will be harder and long lasting, yet the covering will help protect it and let you customize the look by choosing a different color than might be readily available in wood. However, this option is going to be considerably more expensive than the hollow vinyl type. Hallow vinyl windows are resistant to dents and quite long lasting. The downside with a hollow vinyl window is that it may warp slightly in extreme temperatures.

Color Vinyl comes in a wide range of colors, but not every company will carry all of them. You`ll need to determine which color you want before choosing a supplier. While most people opt for the basic white, you might have a white home with blue trim and wish to use the same blue on your window trim. Before you purchase, do a little investigation and find out which companies provide customized colors.

Measurement You’ll need to get exact measurements for your windows. Most older homes have warped or odd sized window frames and this will need to be taken into account. Make sure you choose a vinyl replacement window company that will be able to work from your measurements to create custom windows for you. Unless your house is fairly new, standard window measurements will probably not apply. If you arent comfortable with doing this yourself, you can ask a professional to come in and do the measuring for you.

Price Obviously, as with all home renovations, the price is going to be a consideration. Companies differ in the prices they offer, so shop around and compare prices. Always compare similar products when doing price comparisons.

Style There are so many different window styles, and you are free to change things up. If your old, multi-paned look didn`t work for you, try a single pane or even a double hung window instead. Installing replacement windows in your home means that you can change everything and get it just the way you like it this time.

Choosing your vinyl windows means you will need to take into consideration a variety of factors, including the size and shape of your original windows and how you want to change them. Price and color is always a factor, as well, so check out what is available through several companies before making your final decision. Always visit the retail location before buying in order to see the samples on display. This way you know exactly what you are getting into.

Tags: a, b, business, f, family, h, Home, home & family, Home Improvement, home repair, home;improvement, home;repair, i, o, patio doors, replacement windows, v, vinyl windows, vinyl windows manufacturer, w, windows
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Decorative window films are plastic coatings that are applied over windows or other glass surfaces. They are designed to give the look of etched, stained or frosted glass. They are very affordable, visually appealing and useful. Great solutions for any home or office and an excellent value for money.

Window films offer the attractive appearance of very expensive etched or stained glass, but are very easy to install and maintain. And if you ever desire a new look, they can be very easily changed.

Today you can choose from two basic types of window films – adhesive-free and adhesive based. In the past there were only adhesive based, but today it is recommended to choose adhesive-free. They are much easier to install and remove than adhesive based.

Installing an adhesive-free window film is a very easy do-it-yourself project. All you need is a knife to cut the film to your specific size, a spray bottle, a squeegee and a 15 to 30 minutes of your time.

Opaque window films can help you solve any privacy fears. The best thing about these films is that they block of unwanted views, but still make the window translucent so that the light can come through. A very simple and cost-effective way to increase privacy.

Window films are also one of the most inexpensive ways to block your home’s interior form the sun’s damaging rays. Sunlight can cause irreparable damage your interior. Not to mention the damage UV rays can cause to your skin.

They also help maintain a lower and more constant temperature and are a great environmentally friendly solution against heat.

Window films offer numerous advantages; from decoration, solar control, to security and privacy. A very inexpensive option that no homeowner should overlook.

Tags: diy, Home, Home Improvement, home repair, interior design, window films, windows
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