Solar heating panel

A solar heating panel comprising:

• a. a collecting member of a sheet of radiation absorbing plastic material having an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold at opposite ends thereof with a plurality of channels within said sheet extending between and connecting said manifolds, whereby a path is provided for a flowing heat transfer fluid;
• b. a hollow frame, consisting of an interior and exterior wall enclosing an interior passageway, around the periphery of the collecting member, said member being connected at each point of its periphery to the approximate midpoint of the interior wall of said frame;
• c. a transparent glazing secured to the upper surface of the hollow frame forming an air plenum, said glazing being at least two inches above the upper surface of the collecting member;
• d. a venting surface in the interior wall at the top and bottom sides of said frame and located between the collecting member and glazing, said surface comprising openings communicating with the air plenum and the interior passageway of the hollow frame;
• e. openings at opposite sides of the exterior walls communicating with the interior passageway of the hollow frame and the external environment, the surface area of the openings on each side being at least as large as said venting surface;
• f. inlet and outlet passageways extending through the hollow frame and firmly joined to the inlet and outlet manifold, respectively;
• g. foamed in insulation secured by retaining rods placed in oversized routed out slots whereby convective heat losses from the bottom of said collecting member is reduced,
• the mainframe of said panel being of unitary construction of essentially the same plastic material.