If you live in a warm climate, it's often neither cost nor energy efficient to have central heating in your home. You may just need a small amount of heat to warm you on those chilly winter nights. With just a few items you can build your own electric heater. Read the steps listed below and learn about how you can save money and the environment by building an electric heater [source: Green Energy].
Materials:
Advertisement
- Electrical wire
- Electrical Tape
- 1.5 volt dry cell battery
- One small ceramic plate
- One bundle of steel wool
- Wire stripper
- Wire cutter
Here's what to do:
- Cut two pieces of electrical wire with your wire cutters. Both pieces should be approximately 6-inches (15-centimeters) long.
- Remove half an inch (1.3 centimeters) of the plastic casing at the ends of both wires, with your wire stripper. The two ends of both wires should have half an inch (1.3 centimeters) of copper exposed.
- Attach one end of one exposed wire to the negative end of the dry cell battery. Use electrical tape to keep the wire in place.
- Attach one end of the other piece of wire to the positive end of the dry cell. Use electrical tape to keep the wire in place.
- Place the ceramic plate on the table. Place a bunch of the steel wool on the ceramic plate. Ensure that the steel wool is not tightly packed, so that heat will easily transfer throughout the wool.
- Place both the remaining exposed ends of the negative and positive wire into the steel wool. The wool will begin to generate heat from the cell [source: Elfick].
Remember, even this small electrical heater can be a fire hazard if it's not watched properly. Never leave the room with the heater assembled.
Advertisement