HOT COLD WATER

[Wilbor]

Why not put a return pipe from the last fitting in the plumbing system back to the water tank with a tap that is easily accessible. This way the water flow can be regulated slow enough to stop the water trapped in the pipes getting too hot, it can also be shut off in winter when no longer required.

I think the cost of running my pump would be a bit too much

[John M]

After Cyclone Tracy we were living at the eleven mile, outside Darwin, in those days the pipes from Manton Dam ran along the side of the highway above ground, for about 65 Km, and was fed into the "header tanks" for distribution around town, the tanks would stay full all day so there was minimal flow through the above ground pipe, where we were we took our water straight from the pipes, it was not possible to have a shower before 10 at night, it would seriously scald you.

[baysidetas]

If you are getting a lot of cold water before the hot water arrives then you can fix this by fitting a device that recirculates the cold back to the HW cylinder until your hot water comes through. Companies who supply gas HW systems have them but I cannot recall what they are called Almost essential when you are using tank water.