Abstract: A solar collector water heater is provided in kit form suitable for installation by a homeowner using a minimum of ordinary tools. The kit includes a rectangular insulation board serving as a baseboard, and a solar absorber plate mountable on the insulation board and including a heat exchanger with couplings for connection to a tank. A thermosiphon water tank is provided together with couplings for connecting to the heat exchanger. A main frame is assembled of a rear rail, a pair of side rails, and a front rail, all of extruded aluminum, using corner keys for adjoining adjacent ones of these rails at their ends. At least one side glazing panel having a top surface and a pair of legs inwardly disposed therefrom is cooperatively retained within the assembly by a first depression formed in one of the rail members insertably receiving and retaining one of the legs and a second depression formed in a glazing rim insertably receiving and retaining another of the legs.

Abstract: A solar collector water heater is provided in kit form suitable for installation by homeowner using a minimum of ordinary tools. The kit includes a rectangular insulation board serving as a baseboard, and a solar absorber plate mountable on the insulation board and including a heat exchanger with couplings for connection to a tank. A thermosiphon water tank is provided together with couplings for connecting to the heat exchanger. A main frame is assembled of a rear rail, a pair of side rails, and a front rail, all of extruded aluminum, using corner keys for adjoining adjacent ones of these rails at their ends. The rails include a generally cylindrical bead along their lengths. A front glazing panel and a pair of side glazing panels are provided with frames designed so that the side glazing panels are snap-fit mounted onto the side rails of the frame, and the front glazing panel is snap fit onto the front rail of the frame and onto the top rails of the side glazing panels.