actually you seldom need to turn on the backup heater for solar. Why ppl need to turn on bcoz

1) You have more than 6 ppl using hot water but u bought a 60gal solar only
2) Your family members shower night and early morning. There are ppl that shower at nite like 7pm and 7am in the morning, where there is no sun light at all. If u have 5ppl at home showering morning and night, that will b 10 ppl showering, you will definitely need to turn on the backup heater even you are using microsolar.
3) Long shower with big rain showers.

Why Micro solar is better? This is bcoz they are using vacuum tubes instead of panels which SOLAR POWER has it as well, i would say performance is about the same as microsolar but more durable.

A 60gal solar heater with panel is sufficient for 5-6 ppl and you do not have to turn on the heater provided there is sunlight everyday. a 60gal solar heater with vacuum tubes is sufficient upto 9 ppl, that is why u seldom need to turn on the heater bcoz u have extra 3 ppl worth of water as backup.

Why vacuum tubes solar could supply more hot water?
This is bcoz the max temperature that it can hit is 90 degree celcius while normal panel type could only reach 70. So, if your water is hotter, you use lesser hot water and mix it with more cold water.

Any idea how much is a microsolar heater cost ?

wondering why you need hot water in the kitchen.
any reason why you need it?

I'm in the midst of getting quaotation on copper piping installation, since my contractor not really interested to do it. Any suggestion for me? Only 3 bathrooms required. If got contact then better.

No need to insulate the hot copper pipe. The waiting time for hot water is shorter than the total volume of the pipe distant. Water travel on the least resistance and shoot like bullet at the center of the pipe where it has least friction. Got it?

When you first open the tap, open the hot to the max and as you are getting hotter and hotter water coming out turn to knob to the cold. Use mixer, never use the troblesome seperate piping/taps.

Always use half inch copper pipe all the way from the solar heater to the bathrooms, kitchen, etc outlets. Never use big size pipe as this take longer waiting time for hot water and to replace all the cold water in the pipe and eventually the hot water in the pipe will be wasted as it cooled before next use.

The shorter the distant between the heater and the outlet the better and faster in delivering hot water.

Actually the insulation will not make much difference. Because in the mixer, after you switch off the tap, the cold water will travel and mix with the hot water.

this one i do not agree, want to do the hot water piping, just do it right   the insulation won't cost much, less than rm1/ft run
i just calculate the volume of water from my heater to dry kt sink, about 70 fR of 12mm dia copper piping is just 0.00241304271264 m3 of water before the hot water reach my sink mixer    

Let's argue so that you see my reasoning.

Am not saying insulation is same as no insulation but insulation has little effect than you think for hot water pipe and there are other ways than unnecessary insulation.

Part 1.

Insulation of pipe or not got not much to do with the waste of water waiting for hot water due to the length of the pipe. Whether you insulate the pipe or you dont you still need the time taken for the hot water to travel the length of pipe to push out the cold water.

Aircond room gaining heat in a room largely due to airflow where cold air escape via bottom of the door as such sucking hot air at any other opening to replace the lost cold air. Very little is to cold the wall or that particular part of the wall where hot pipe are consealed.

When it is the wall getting hot, the wall itself is heat insulation with or withut the added insulation. Insulation to be effective is on exposed pipe. Why use copper pipe which is one of the best heat conductor. Use stainless steel pipe. Stainless steel is one of the worst metal in conducting heat.

Agreed but not the last para regarding stainless steel heat conductor.

Common metal thermal conductivity at 68 degree F measure in K, (Btu/hr degree F ft):

Rank 1: Silver : 235
Rank 2: Copper : 223
Rank 3 : Gold : 182
Aluminium : 118
Stainless steel : 7 -26

That is why stainless steel pots get spot food burned and turn black but the metal is not burned, it is the food burned and stained on it. Since ss is clean and does not contaiminate or corrode unlike copper and alu it is best for making cookware pot and layered with aluminum and copper in between for better heat conduction. You cant layered it inside with gold and silver, they are too expensive.

let me explain a little more why ss pot get spot burnt. The area directly under fire is super hot as the heat is not quickly spread and the food at these spots get burnt. Wherea alu pot the spot directly under fire is not as hot as because the heat is quickly spread evenly and no food get burned. That is why when you buy ss pot make sure it has multy layers where some good heat conductor like copper is sandwich in between the stainless steel. There are ss pot sandwich with a kind of oil that has high evaporation point. The oil spread the heat more evenly better than copper since it is liquid. Liquid oil is not as good as heat conductor of copper but it spread evenly faster. The key is to spread evenly fast.

Anyone who use storage or solar heater will learn to turn on the hot side full first then move to the mix. I need to wait just 5 seconds just before the water get hot in my bathroom upstair. To me there is no much waste of cold water. Down stair the waiting time is 10 to 15 sec.

The first thing to do is try to lay the pipe as straight as possible and less bend. the more bend you have the longer is the wait though the volume is the same but you get the hot water mix with the cold inside the pipe and more volume of water has to come out before you get a good mix.

2nd is use half in pipe all the way, never use 3/4 inch pipe for your hot water piping.

Hey Guys, regarding insulation for hot water piping system and stainless steel piping, the best determinant on the value of piping insulation is just to get people that use piping with insulation or stainless steel piping to give review.

I agree with weikee and stevie8. But of course to be fair, i am a solar power water heating system end user with non insulated copper piping. 

When I want hot water from my mixer after a long period of unuse (12 hours), I do as weikee describe, I turn on my mixer tab full to the hot side. Wait approx 10-20second depending on location, initially cold water will flow then the water will get scalding hot quickly, then I turn the mixer to the tempreture i want. This is the fastest way to get to the tempreture I want.

If piping with insulation or stainless steel piping give instant hot water without having to do as I do, then yes, its better.
But is there anyone (actual end user) to verify this??
If not then the question will be left hanging in the air. All theories are yet unproven.

If piping with insulation or stainless steel piping require a shorter time then how much shorter?
Half the time, less, more, 2 second ??????

Just got my solar water heater tank replaced yesterday. (Under warranty)
In the morning the water was lukewarm. 
Suspect it was because of insulation in the tank.

As for heater efficiency.
From a lukewarm water in the morning , the water become very hot in at 1.30pm.

what is the current price now for good quality of solar heater? any good brand recommended? pump necessary?  The solar and the tubing can be installed in advanced before the renovation rite?

My house got 4 room, 3 at second floor and 1 at 1st floor.  Can any supplier here give me the best quote?

Thanks.

Targeted 5-6 ppl using.

This are common for solar hot water panel, you get hot water when you don't need it.

My brother used his solar heater to generate power lighting to Attic room, 1st floor balcony and Staircase area.
And that was 20 years ago.

Am sure they have come out with a better idea. But never heard of anyone doing it anymore..

Hahahaha.

Well Solar Heater do have solar power return to the storage tank. 12V
As for now, need to see where the backup power go to.
From there you can tap out to supply direct to 12v LED.

Yes the solar cell, not the water.

My brother did it last time.

Those solar water heater that everyone is using la. Those with solar panel.
Let me check with my electrician friend. If that can be done.

Ooiyo...I got small children...very dangerous after scalding...

instant water heater cannot have rain shower ar with pump installed?