There’s a misconception that adding solar to your homestead has to be expensive. Not so. There’s an inexpensive way to add solar to a shop building, storage building or chicken coop for less than $10 using recycled materials. The concept is used in many other countries where electricity is scarce, and a similar version was used on ships in the 1800s using a pyramid-shaped piece of glass called a deck prism.
Here’s how to make a solar light from a plastic bottle and some simple tools.
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How does this DIY solar light work?
The idea behind this homemade solar light is simple. A clear bottle filled with liquid is secured in a hole in the roof of the building. The sunlight bounces off of the water onto foil that’s placed in the lid, which magnifies the light, and bounces the light back through the water. Then the light is dispersed around the inside of the building.
The whole idea sounds wacky, but it works. I installed one of these lights in my storage shed, which worked great. Getting on the shed’s roof to install it was a little tricky, but my husband got the job done while I took photos.
How long will the homemade solar light last?
Our project was featured in my CNET article back in 2016. Since then, the light has held up well.
My daughter now owns the property that that storage shed sits on and the light is still there, shining away. Is it pretty? I guess not, but sometimes function is more important than beauty, at least in my opinion.
Rust-Oleum 1906830 Lacquer Spray
After a few years, you can expect the plastic to weather a little. The plastic will turn a cloudy white color and won’t let as much sun through.
A quick fix is spraying the plastic with a clear spray lacquer and rubbing it in a little with a cloth. Then give the whole thing another spritz. The light will be good as new. This tip works for revitalizing the solar panels on your yard lights, too.
How much light can I expect from my DIY solar light?
My research found that this type of light puts out around 55 watts of light. In simpler terms, the homemade solar light lit up my entire 10-by-10-foot (3-by-3-meter) aluminum shed during the day.
What do you need to make DIY solar lights?
You’ll be glad to know that you only need a few basic items to create a DIY solar light. Gather up these supplies:
- 2-liter soda bottle (make sure it’s made from clear plastic)
- Aluminum foil
- Bleach
- Drill
- 1-inch drill bit
- Tin snips
- Marker or carpenter’s pencil (that’s what we used)
- Measuring cup
- Weatherproof caulk
Note: These instructions are meant for a roof made from tin panels. If the roof of your building has shingles or wood, you’ll need to use something a little more powerful than tin snips, like a skill saw.
How to make a solar light
Like I mentioned before, the hardest part about making this solar light is getting on the roof of the building. From there, you’re golden. My husband did some of the steps from inside of the shed, so if getting on the roof is too intimidating, you can install it from the inside, too. Here’s how to make a solar light, step-by-step.
Step 1
First, fill the soda bottle with a ⅓ cup of bleach and top off the rest of the bottle with water. The bleach will keep nasty things like algae from growing in the water. Goo and bacteria will block the sunlight.
Step 2
Put a tiny bit of caulk on the threads and mouth of the bottle and crinkle a square of aluminum foil around the mouth of the bottle. Then smear some caulk around the threads of the lid and screw the lid on. The caulk will make the bottle water-tight.
Step 3
Now you’ll need to find the placement of the light. I recommend placing the light in the center of the roof so you get even light distribution around the building.
Set the bottle in the spot you picked and trace around it. Make sure the circle is right next to the bottle. Draw a circle inside of the one you just traced that is an eighth of an inch (3mm) smaller.
Step 4
Next, drill a hole in the center of the circle you just drew.
Step 5
Cut out the rest of the circle using the tin snips. Watch out for the sharp edges. Make sure to wear gloves!
Step 6
Now it’s time to install the light. Place the bottle into the hole you cut. The hole will be small, so you’ll really need to jam the bottle in there. You’ll want two-thirds of the bottle inside of the shed and the lid of the bottle sticking outside the roof.
Step 7
To prevent the roof from leaking, caulk around the bottle. Make sure to caulk around the bottle on the inside of the roof, too.
Now that you’ve learned how to make a solar light, how about making your own DIY air conditioner? Check out these step-by-step instructions on making a portable AC unit.
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