How to Make a DC Photocell
- 1). With the scissors, cut the sponge into pieces no more than half an inch on each side.
- 2). Light the propane torch and pick up the sheet of copper with the tongs. Hold the torch flame onto the metal in one place until it glows red hot for a minute or more. Repeat this process at several other places on the copper sheet. Leave some areas of the copper sheet untouched by the torch.
- 3). Put the metal sheet down onto the non-flammable surface and let it cool down to air temperature. Once it is cool, the areas you held the flame to should be blackened.
- 4). Fill the cup half full of water. Add salt to the water, stirring with the spoon as you go. Once the salt stops dissolving into the water, stop adding it.
- 5). Set two of the wires aside. Remove approximately one inch of insulation from each end of each of the remaining wires using the wire strippers. Attach alligator clips to each end of the remaining wires.
- 6). Clip one end of half of the wires with the alligator clips to the shiny copper portions of the copper sheet. Soak the pieces of sponge in the salt water solution. Place these sponges on the blackened areas of the copper and clip them in place with the other half of the wires with the clips. (See References 1 & 2)
- 7). Remove one inch of insulation from one end of each of the two wires you set aside earlier. Remove approximately three inches of insulation from the other ends. (See References 1 & 2)
- 8). Clip all the loose ends of the wires clipped to sponges to the long bare end of one of the remaining wires. Clip all the loose ends of the wires clipped to clean copper spots to the long bare end of the other wire. Attach alligator clips to the free ends of those two wires. These wires serve as the output wires for your solar cell. Hook them up to a small light bulb or multimeter while the solar cell is in the sunlight. (See References 1 & 2)
Source...