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Having a backup system for power in the event of a disaster is
an excellent idea. Learning how to build a solar battery
charger is a good first step in making sure that you have power
even if you live on the grid and don't use residental solar panels.
Its a good first step toward integrating solar power in your
whole home.
You will need to decide what kind of charging you need for your
battery. That will determine how many cells you need. Most
batteries for marine or household RV use require 6 or 12 volts
so that is what you should consider. A good starting point is
using 12 solar cells that put out .5 volts each. You will also
need wire, duct tape and a clean, clear windowpane. You'll need
sunlight and a multimeter to test.
Connect the cells together in a box using the windowpane as a
top to allow light in. Have the 22 or 26 gauge wires hang out
and test in sunlight using the multimeter. This should produce
6 volts (12 cells x .5 volts)
You can also create a test charger using copper sheeting and a
plastic bottle with some salt water in it.
Heat the copper on a electric burner until it is black. Remove
the charred blackness (without rubbing) and place the sheet in
a on the side of the bottle with salt water. Replace an
unburned sheet on the other side and connect a multimeter to
the charred and clean copper sheets. You should see some
voltage in the multimeter.
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