One of many possibilities: accumulation of dust settling over time on the collector panel or vacuum tubes depending on the type used. If it can gather on the window, it should also be able to settle on the panel/tubes. How much the rain helps to clean it up...maybe those who are lucky to have a flat roof with access to their SHW panel/tubes can enlighten us.

This is a known phenomenon especially more so for solar PV where panels in a large solar farm in Masdar, Abu Dhabi needs daily cleaning on their collector from sand and dust to maintain their performance (using distilled water, if I read it correctly).

That's only one part and only from the collector's performance perspective. How large of small an effect differs from model to model and perhaps may not be that significant. I own one for 4 years now it's just as good but somehow felt that the haze over the last 4 years may have dampened her performance a wee bit.

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Added on July 5, 2012, 10:48 amConfirmed.

This post has been edited by halcyon27: Jul 5 2012, 10:48 AM

SO, how often do you need to turn on your backup heater? Are you satisfied with it? Will u get a storage heater for ur new house instead of a solar?

With our strong sun the little dirt do little or no harm to the performance of the collectors. It is the cloud and rain that matter most. But again solar heaters in our part of world need just 2 hours of strong sun is enough to heat the tank for the family. Moreover it is still a hot tank from yesterday. Unless continueous raining with no sun at all for 3 days. Just need to size the heater properly.

Hi Zheilwane,

I have not installed a backup heater but am purely on solar water heater. Very happy with it. Only encountered <40deg hot (mixer all the way on the hot side) water during Oct-Nov monsoon season when there's 3 or more continuous wet days. So long as there's clear sky for a day, there'll be hot water. That's the pro and con. But have a feeling the dust from haze does affect performance of the collector. Fact of life but still get hot water from sun rather than paying for 144 units of electricty for a household of 4.

If I were to install backup heater, I would get Elton Ignis Aircond Water Heater. Similar to York Winter Spa's storage heater (with electrical backup) or Pecol's or Acson's (which uses the Aumada TERC) but not particular on which brand of air con used so long as it's R22. [edit: the Pecol also is air con brand agnostic so long as it's R22]

Living room air con (2HP) and room air con (1HP) can supply the heat recovery since it's on R22. This hot water would then become pre-feed into solar heater.

This post has been edited by halcyon27: Jul 5 2012, 04:55 PM

Ive done copper piping for my house to accommodate solar water heater but i didn't put in any power supply for backup heater in my bathrooms..will that be a problem and how do I solve it?

Backup Install in the centre, so you just need the point in the central location say small living room on your first floor.

YOu need to prepare a 15amp switch for the solar heater, usually at the general hall

if don't have 15amp switch,I can't use solar heater? Or is it for backup heater?

I don't want to do wiring all over again

Not mandatory, is for time when you get minimal sun light or rainy season. Get micro solar will be very efficient.

the 15amp switch is for the backup heater. If u do not use much hot water like only 4 persons at home, u might not need the backup heater as well. Eg: Kokchin is using SOLAR POWER and he did comment in this thread that he never turn on the backup heater at all. There are some SOLAR POWER users here did comment that they never turn on the heater as well

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This post has been edited by zheilwane: Aug 13 2012, 10:38 PM

It is best if the solar heater face to the south side. The sun will rotate certain degree in 6 month. Where the sun will not give high efficeincy toward the north side between jul - jan. Specially and of the year monnson season.

Ain't it best if we talk and debate the good and bad of the solar heater.

Your promoting sales give me impression that need all this goodies and package sale to hide the bad of the solar heater.

No power backup for heater is not a real problem. You only need backup heater when it contineously raining for 3 days or more. This only happens once a year or once every 2-3 years. You can just bath with cold water or boil water for a day or two. But it is embarrassing when you have guests at home when you have to boil water for them.

For more than 10 years I never have problem after my backup heater broken and did not fix it as it costs RM450 to replace. I never boil water due to rain. I did boil water to bath for over a month when the solar heater tank leaked and sent for repair.

You should choose the vacuum tube type of solar water heater with better and faster heating. Use stainless steel pipe instead of copper pipe for the connection of hot water from the solar heater tank to the copper pipe of the bathrooms to minimize lost of heat and insulate these length of stainless steel pipe if you want to. Solar heater is getting cheaper and cheaper with China made but cost of installation, service and support is getting expensive. Make sure got local support service and part replacement like tube broken, leak.

This post has been edited by stevie8: Jul 6 2012, 11:53 AM

This has nothing to do with solar but with plumbing. I bring it up because installing pumps can bring out interesting plumbing issues. Just so that you are aware in all aspects.

Houses built in the 70s tend to use GI piping for cold and copper for hot if there's centralized hot water plumbing.

I moved into one which used to use centralised gas hot water with copper piping built in. Good and bad. The good is solar replacement for centralized hot water is minimal.

The bad is unless the aged cold GI pipes are changed, they tend to give problems. The GI pipes in mine accumulated rust esp near the WC inlet. Also due to higher water pressure, water hammer issues arose. Toilets that uses plastic ball cock side inlet sometimes overflow so had to replace all side inlet made from plastic with brass types. From this I discovered the rust accumulation near the WC water supply.

The thing that blew it all was to discover that the GI piping in the master bath continued into the garden pillar (which was closed off) when a leak sprung somewhere from the length leading to the closed off garden tap. One month water bill come to over RM100. I shut off the old pipe and had a plumber reconnect an exposed PVC pipe to master bathroom bath, basin and WC. I discovered this from an old hand plumber who told me the changes that went into plumbing in the construction of houses between the 70s till today.

These are issues which sometimes new installation like a water pump can expose in old houses. In those days, water pumps were uncommon and provision for increased operating pressure were perhaps not a factor since water would come from storage tank. Newer houses should be less of a hassle. Just be mindful of the issues with aged piping from houses constructed in the 70s which could still be using GI pipes especially if the toilet has never been renovated. If renovating, ask for stronger piping that withstand water pump pressure which most should and restrict pump pressure to 3-5 bar if selectable. Stronger are good for rain showers but some WC that uses plastic ball cock for refilling will need to be replaced with brass ones.

This post has been edited by halcyon27: Jul 6 2012, 02:20 PM

Honestly speaking, i am very busy with work and do not have much time to shop around to get information for my new house renovation. I could only google online at night to get information and idea for my renovation. Many websites do not provide much detail information. I believe many people face the same problem as me. Until i find lowyat forum and found zheilwane's posting. I could say all my queries were answered by him in this forum. His research and sharing of information save our time on indoor shopping as not much info is available in websites. His promotion packages also help us with budgeting. That is how he earn my support and trust. Zean, i just introduced my friend, Edward to your shop. He will need quite some stuffs for his new house, remember good discounts as usual ya.

I was at Perfect Living exhibition today, Solarpower Water Heater 60 gallons was selling at RM3800.00. Who know where can get cheaper?

u never drop by my showroom?

No time yet, may be this coming weekend... I saw your post here was RM3999 with a shower head... Don't think I need the shower head...

you have the option to not get the shower head, we will give another price then.