Abstract A simple, transient model for the characterization of the dynamic thermal performance of solar thermal collectors was developed and experimentally validated. The proposed model equation is linear with respect to the input parameters and does not require any treatment for ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The temperature distribution in the fluid flowing inside the collector is described by means of the piston flow and finite increment concepts. The dynamic effect, for a given flow rate, is expressed by the heat transport time and is based on the effective thermal capacity of the collector. The results reveal that the characteristic parameters involved in the model agree reasonably well with the experimental variables obtained from standard steady-state measurements. After a calibration process the model can well predict the thermal performance of a solar thermal collector, for a specific weather data set.