Solar Hot Water Heater Prototype Unknown to a lot of people, but the original prototype for solar hot water heaters is actually a result of do-it-yourself projects of people in their hopes to be able to boil water, and keeping the water hot for a longer period of time. Scientists during the 18th century were able to discover that covering a box with a glass top while heating it would actually get the water to reach boiling temperature. During the 1970s, more people saw the use of solar panels through the newly designed calculators that can run easily under light. At present solar panels and full solar panel systems are used to power different applications and structures. Aside from calculators, solar panels are now used to give power to homes, commercial buildings and other huge structures. Solar Energy Fire Hazards Since most solar collectors basically concentrate the sunlight that they are able to collect from the sun, it can be a fire hazard, especially since fire can very easily start if there were very high concentrations and levels of solar energy. These high and dangerous levels of solar concentrations could easily ignite combustible materials, making it a possible hire hazard on any home. A few exceptions include solar-powered cars and utility vehicles. Solar cars are usually fitted with the gauges similar to conventional cars. The driver has to watch the gauges closely to see potential problems and keep the car running very smoothly. Solar cars rely on PV cells to change sunlight into electricity. Put the bottle out in the sun and observe the meter. The meter should rise consistently to about 50 micro-amps. Place the bottle in the shade and allow the meter to go down below ten. Finally, you have created your own solar cell. More on Building You can expect to finish the entire process in just 3 to 4 hours. Some devices may not work as well if the acquired energy from the sun is insufficient. In some cases, power may totally fail if solar energy is limited or unavailable. On Installation Even though solar cell panels are readily available in most hardware stores and the internet, not everyone is still capable of installing the devices properly.