• Excellent thermal performance  
• Cost effective low-pressure plumbing  
• Lower installation costs

In the YC-32, 98% of the absorber plate has direct contact with water (1-2).  In standard flat-plate collectors, only 3-5% of the absorber surface is in direct contact with the tube carrying solar fluid (3-4). This allows the YC-32 to transfer more energy.  

Rugged construction

• Anodized aluminum frame provides high structural integrity (5,6,7)
• Edges sealed with proprietary clamp and silicone strip (5, 9)
• 1/8" low-iron glass bonded using automotive windshield glazing technology
• 1/2" manifold opening (8)
• 3 layers of insulation: thermal paint, glass wool, and polyiso foam (5)
   

• Anodized extruded aluminum for excellent durability (10-12)
• Clamped connections for simple assembly and adjustable tilt.  Minimum four per panel  (11-12).
• Can be solidly locked down for extreme winds (13-14)

Innovative, cost-effective plumbing and insulation  

• Collectors always oriented in "landscape" which reduces wind and visual exposure
• Pressure < 1.9psi (for 1.4gpm, 90 degrees tilt) allows the use of silicone tubing, for large savings in installed cost.
• Each collector is permanently vented (16).  Provides a fail-safe siphon for drainback, prevents over pressurization, and allows a collector to be off-line without disrupting the system. 
• Single supply line can serve several collectors (21)
• Duct can support up to 10' span, house up to ten 1/2" lines, and provide insulation from R-5 to R-10 (22)
• Input and output manifolds are connected to duct by silicone tubing assembled with CPVC (19-21)

Failsafe freeze protection

• Failsafe drainback loop:  system drains automatically whenever pump stops, without operating any valves or venting mechanisms (23)
• Absorber can easily expand to tolerate 9% volume increase of freezing water, and will not burst if frozen solid.
• Fittings are always separated by a length of 1/2" silicone tubing to provide room for expansion.  Assembly (24) will not burst even if frozen solid.    

• The collector, absorber, racking, and plumbing can be fully disasssembled with hand tools.
• The absorber can be removed from the collector in approximately 5 minutes