How I built an electricity producing Solar Panel Several years ago I bought some remote property in Arizona. I am an astronomer and wanted a place to practice my hobby far away from the sky-wrecking light pollution found near cities of any real size. In my attempt to escape city slicker yuppies (you know the kind, the ones that like to blab loudly on their cell phone while they work on some business administration degree in a cyber cafe somewhere in Trendyland.) and their light pollution, I found a great piece of remote property. The problem is, it's so remote that there is no electric service available. That's not really a problem. No electricity equals no light pollution. I built a wind turbine to provide some power on the remote property. Here is a video of the solar panel set up and in use on my remote, off-grid property. Let me state up front that I probably won't be able to help you out much if you decide to build your own solar panel(s). So what is a solar panel anyway? After a while, I came to some conclusions: seller. Oops!
DIY Solar Panels For you to know how to build diy solar panels, it is important to first learn about the essential materials and components that you need to accomplish the task. You also need to understand the workings of solar energy. The Workings of Solar Energy Direct sunlight has about 1000 watts of potential energy per square meter per minute. How to Make Your Own Solar Panels at Home? You can easily make solar panels at home by using diy solar panels guides that are available online. Getting Started DIY Solar Panels Project You first need to learn how to create a solar cell since this is what makes up diy solar panels. DIY Solar Panels 2 alligator clip leadsSheet of copperA micrometer that has adequate sensitivity to read the currents of between ten to fifteen micro amperesAn electric stoveTap waterTable saltSheet metal shearsSandpaper After gathering these items, you need to do the following; Cut the copper sheet into a piece that is the exact size as that of your electric stove. Incoming search terms:
Our Simple DIY Home Solar Power System Bringing some of the benefits of electrical power to our off-grid home has been a hit-or-miss affair. Over the years we’ve tried some very simple approaches to lighting and small battery recharging for our flashlights, such as hauling a 12 volt car battery to a small rural school about a half mile away every time it needed to be topped up. This was time consuming and inefficient. But we didn’t want to lose the feel of our simple home by bringing in a large generator and the jugs of gas needed to run it, and the prospect of setting up a wind turbine or solar array seemed expensive and a technological eyesore in a natural setting. …developing Eartheasy.com using a dialup internet connection on a phone line strung through the woods was challenging… Today, with the help of a local expert on off grid home solar power and alternative energy systems, we have the best of both worlds. The cost of this complete solar system, in today’s pricing for the components, was less than $1000. 1. 2. 3. 4.
2KW DIY Solar panels made of pop cans for home solar heating At the end, the solar absorber is painted black and placed in the diy solar panels casing. The casing is covered with plexiglass that we attach to the frame and thoroughly corked with silicone. Polycarbonate / plexiglass is slightly convex in order to gain greater strength. You can see installed solar absorber without plexiglass in picture 18. Complete solar collector is shown on Picture 19, and finally, installed solar system can be seen in Picture 20. On YouTube you can see how our diy pop-can solar panels work. Important note: Our solar system is not able to accumulate thermal energy after producing it. Differential thermostat (snap disc) controls the fan. If on/off temperatures are set carefully, diy solar panels are able to produce an average 2 kW of energy for home heating. Dress rehearsal of solar collectors carried out in the backyard before installing the system on the house.
Survival Food 101: Hardtack - Survival Life Pilot bread, ship’s biscuit, shipbiscuit, sea biscuit, sea bread , “dog biscuits”, “tooth dullers”, “sheet iron”, “worm castles” or “molar breakers”. Hardtack has had many different names throughout the years but its importance has never changed. Hardtack has actually been around since the time of Egyptian Pharaohs, but if you have heard of it, you probably know it better from the Civil War period. During the war, squares of hardtack were shipped to both the Union and Confederate armies, making a staple part of a soldier’s rations. Typically made 6 months beforehand, it was as hard as a rock when it actually got to the troops. To soften it, they usually soaked it in water or coffee. Soldiers and sailors the world over have used hardtack as a way to stave off hunger. It is such a basic item that I am amazed that no one I know under the age of 50 understands its importance, let alone how to make it. This is one of the most cost effective long term survival foods that you can make.
Survival Food Preparation and Food Storage List Don’t Forget The Kettles! When thinking ahead of survival food preparation, make sure you have several big kettles and 55 gallon water barrels on hand. Remember, you will likely be heating your own water for everything from cooking and canning to bathing and laundry. When you are looking at all the water heating, water CARRYING and cooking that you will be doing, not to mention possibly making soap, cooking huge pots of stew for your neighbors that weren’t as wise as you were, and canning your own veggies, you can never have too many kettles and 5 gallon buckets! Same way with knives, canning jars and utensils. Keep in mind that ALL of these items will come in very handy as bartering tools as well. There are several ways to prepare foods in emergencies, when there is no power for the stove or when you are stuck with NO STOVE to cook on. Build a Fire … and cook over a fire outdoors.Use a flat top wood stove… this actually works quite well indoors or out. Storing Home Canned Foods Tip:
Survival Food Series: 25 Survival Seeds You Need For Your Garden Living off the land sounds as inviting as Christmas dinner. But many have hardly had adequate experience being “farmers.” In fact, many have had no experience at all when it comes to planting anything. That being said, the day is slowly approaching where each of us may have to trade in our company identification badges for a shovel and a pair of overalls. Start Practicing The only way to be fully prepared as far as growing plants is concerned is to practice, practice, practice. With each gardening experience will come more wisdom on how to handle a larger garden. Survival Seeds These seeds that were chosen were based upon their yield quantities, *ease in growing, nutritional content and for the season they are planted in. Asparagus – Although this plant variety takes a few years to get started, it will come back each year thus keeping you continuously supplied with a harvest.Barley –Can be planted in the spring and winter and has the best results when planted early in the season. Sources:
Survival Gardening Survival gardening can provide fresh food for you and your family in the aftermath of a disaster. Disasters can occur at anytime and anywhere, and take many forms. Not all disasters are dramatic and natural. For some people a severe economic downturn can be a disaster. Having garden seeds on hand before a disaster strikes is like having homeowners or rental insurance. There are many types of garden seeds available. No-Till Garden Method Most garden plots are tilled. Plant in Buckets Above ground vegetables like tomatoes require loose soil that is about 10 inches deep. Plant in Tires Root crops provide valuable nutrients but require 12 to 14 inches of loose soil in which to grow. Grow Up Vegetables that grow on a vine like cucumbers and squash only need a small spot of broken dirt. Beans Beans are easy to grow. With a little ingenuity and having heirloom seeds on hand will allow you to provide fresh, healthy food after a disaster.
9 Steps To Starting A Survival Garden In a time of economic uncertainty and rising food prices, it it always a good idea to have a garden to provide extra food for you and your family. Besides providing a source of food in an emergency, a garden is also a great source of wonderful vegetables which are MUCH healthier to eat than most of the food you can get at the supermarket. So how do you begin? The following are 9 steps that you can take to get your garden started..... #1) Decide What Your Goals Are - Do you want to grow enough just to add a few vegetables to your dinner once in a while? Some people who want to live "off the grid" end up building a garden large enough that it will provide almost all of the food that their family needs. #2) Evaluate Your Land - Once you know what your goals are, you need to evaluate the land that you are currently living on. If you decide that you want a "mega-garden" but you live in a condo, then you may have to end up moving to achieve your goals. So what is the solution? Comments comments