Kit for solar water heating system

Abstract

Solar water heating systems that are formed as all-in-one kits that include all the components necessary for assembling the solar water heating systems at a chosen site is disclosed. Depending on the desired system, the kit may for example include a solar collector, one or more supplemental storage tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, valves, fittings, piping, timers, insulation, flashings, hose bibs, supports, brackets, fasteners, sealants and/or the like. In fact, the kit may further include all or some of the necessary tools required to assemble the solar water heating system.

1 . A solar water heating kit packaged in a single shipping box that has a weight that is not greater than 100 pounds, the kit comprising:
 at least one flexible solar collector panel having a pair of header pipes, the at least one flexible solar collector panel(s) having a cumulative total of at least 20 square feet of collector surface area;   an interface module that includes a heat exchanger; and   a piping system for coupling the solar panel to the interface module, and for coupling the interface module to a storage tank that is not part of the kit, wherein the piping system includes at least 40 feet of flexible tubing.   
   
   
       2 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  wherein the kit further comprises instructions for assembling a solar water heating system and the kit contains all of the necessary components for the solar water heating system. 
   
   
       3 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  wherein the flexible solar panel is rolled around one of the header pipes within the shipping box. 
   
   
       4 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  wherein the single shipping box has a volume that is not greater than 25 cubic feet and conforms with at most an OS3 shipping standard. 
   
   
       5 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 4  wherein the single shipping box conforms with an OS2 shipping standard. 
   
   
       6 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  wherein the interface module is a single unit that includes a first pump suitable for circulating fluid through a first circulation loop that includes the solar collector panel and the heat exchanger, and a second pump suitable for circulating water through a second circulation path that includes the heat exchanger but is independent from the first circulation loop. 
   
   
       7 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 6  further comprising a control unit suitable for controlling operation of a solar water heating system that can be formed from the solar water heating kit. 
   
   
       8 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 6  further comprising a tank adapter suitable for coupling the second circulation path to a domestic hot water tank. 
   
   
       9 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 7  wherein the tank adapter is formed from a plastic material and has an inlet port and an outlet port that are adapted to mate with a single domestic hot water tank drain port. 
   
   
       10 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 7  wherein the tank adapter has a third port in communication with the inlet port and a fourth port in communication with the outlet port and a fifth port that 
   
   
       11 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a drain back tank suitable for holding a sufficient quantity of water to drain the collector panel. 
   
   
       12 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 1  wherein the kit includes at least two solar collectors that have a combined surface area of at least 40 square feet and the piping system includes at least 70 feet of flexible tubing, the kit further comprising a plurality of push fitting connectors for coupling the flexible tubing to other components of the solar water heating system. 
   
   
       13 . A solar water heating kit packaged in a single shipping box that has a volume that is not greater than 25 cubic feet and a weight that is not greater than 100 pounds, the kit comprising:
 at least one flexible solar collector panel, the at least one flexible solar collector panel(s) having a cumulative collector surface area of at least 40 square feet;   at least 60 feet of flexible tubing;   a tank adapter suitable for coupling the flexible tubing to a water storage or water heating tank.   
   
   
       14 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 14  further comprising:
 a pump; and   a control unit for controlling operation of a solar water heating system that can be formed from the solar water heating kit, including controlling operation of the pump.   
   
   
       15 . A solar water heating kit as recited in  claim 2  wherein the single shipping box conforms with an OS2 shipping standard. 
   
   
       16 . A tank adapter, comprising an integrally formed plastic body having at least first, second and third connection points and first and second fluid conduit passages that are fluidly separated, wherein the first and second conduit passages both open through a first connection point that is adapted to mate with a single tank port, the first conduit passage additionally opens at the second connection point, and the second conduit passage additionally opens at the third connection point. 
   
   
       17 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 16  wherein the second conduit passage opens substantially at the first connection point, the tank adapter further comprising an extension tube that is fluidly coupled to the first conduit passage and extends beyond the first connection point so that when the tank adapter is coupled to a tank, the inlet of the second conduit passage is substantially at the first connection point and the outlet of the first conduit passage may be positioned within the tank at a location that is physically separated from the inlet of the second conduit passage. 
   
   
       18 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein the extension tube extends at least 10 inches beyond the first connection point so that when the tank adapter is coupled to a tank, the first conduit passage may be positioned within the tank at a location that is physically separated from the inlet of the second conduit passage by a distance of at least 10 inches. 
   
   
       19 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein the extension tube is integrally formed with the plastic body. 
   
   
       20 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein the extension tube is not integrally formed with the plastic body. 
   
   
       21 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein the overall outer volume of the compact tank adapter is less than 22.5 in 3 . 
   
   
       22 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein none of the dimensions of the compact tank adapter are greater than 8 inches. 
   
   
       23 . A tank adapter as recited in  claim 17  wherein:
 the tank adapter has four arms that extend along two substantially perpendicular axes such that the tank adapter substantially has a “t” shape;   the first conduit path extends substantially through first and second arms of the tank adapter along a first axis;   the second conduit path extends through the first arm and a third arm partially that is perpendicular to the first arm; and   wherein the tank adapter further comprising a third passage in fluid communication with the second passage, the third passage being arranged to extend through a fourth arm of the tank adapter.