Patent ID: 8596260

Claim:
A modular pipe system for a solar water heater, comprising: a plurality of first manifolds, each first manifold having a first end fitting and a second end fitting, the first end fitting of any first manifold interchangeably connectable to the second end fitting of any other first manifold; a plurality of second manifolds, each second manifold having a first end fitting and a second end fitting, the first end fitting of any second manifold interchangeably connectable to the second end fitting of any other second manifold; and a plurality of panels, each panel comprising a plurality of pipes, each panel interchangeably connectable to any other panel, any of the plurality of first manifolds, and any of the plurality of second manifolds, wherein connecting the first end fitting of any first manifold to the second end fitting of any other first manifold and connecting the first end fitting of any second manifold to the second end fitting of any other second manifold expands the system along a first axis, wherein connecting a plurality of panels expands the system along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and wherein each of the plurality of first manifolds has a different panel connector configuration than each of the plurality of second manifolds.