Solar Powered Dippy Birds

You can make your own solar dippy bird by spray painting its bottom bulb black, and then placing in any sunny windowsill.

Can these possibly solve all the world's energy problems? Don't know about that. But I do know that these have been faithfully bobbing up and down every morning in my windowsill for over 3 years.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Solar
• Powered
• Heat
• Engine

[t00nz843z]

Well it's over 5 years now (approaching 6), and they're still bobbing away in my windowsill. Their hat's have become brittle from UV and have fallen off, but the rest of the birdies are still fine and still doing their thing every day.

[01Slayer10]

What is the name of the middle one?

i've seen that one before :o

[t00nz843z]

That's called a "radiometer", another neat light powered toy. And if you look to the far left, you'll see a "hand boiler" also known as a "love meter" that I've also converted to solar power by spray painting the bottom bulb black.

[t00nz843z]

By the way, they're both still happily dipping away in my windowsill for over 4 years now !

[t00nz843z]

If there's a temperature difference between the two bulbs, the bird will keep dipping. Normally the top felt-covered bulb is dipping into water. It will be cooler because of water evaporation. But this will also work equally well if you make the bottom bulb warmer without even wetting the top bulb. In the video, the sun is warming the bottom bulb as it's painted black and absorbing the sun's heat.

[t00nz843z]

I spray painted the bottom bulbs with Krylon Fusion black spray paint. Any black spray paint should work well, but Krylon Fusion is made for plastics and is less likely to run on glass.

[elbarck]

@t00nz843z May you refer you me the full details about that idea or any other ideas....

[theonelinerkid]

id like one of those solar bulb things on my windowsill in my flat it would look cute

[SouthSierraHikers]

No, these are self starting. The sun rises and warms the bulbs, and they eventually start tipping on their own.

[artformnation]

you must have to get them started each morning, right?

[ManEatingLunchBox]

WOW, i bought both of those from thinkgeek.

[ichmili]

Ok, but you dont explain what makes  the bird tilt back up after it has tilted down.

I'm just curiouse =)