Heat Pump Sizing - Heat Pump Sizing Guides for Pools & Spas -The above tables are to be used as a guide only and using ideal operating conditions. We recommend the largest heat pump you can budget for, as larger heat pumps ensure shorter running periods and are the most cost-effective over the long run. If possible, go at least one size up from the guide's recommendation. Note: Right-click a chart to open in a new window for a larger version.
General Heat Pump Sizing Guides
Heat Pump Sizes When Using a Cover:
Heat Pump Sizes When Not Using a Cover:
Heat Pump Sizing for Spas:
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Australia has dozens of pool and spa heat pump brands, but far fewer actual manufacturers.
Many units sold here are contract-manufactured by a relatively small number of overseas factories, then configured, branded and imported for Australian distributors. That is normal within the industry and does not automatically make a product good or bad.
It does mean the brand name on the cabinet tells you less than many buyers assume.
This page exists because customers regularly ask us:
“Is this a genuinely different heat pump, or is it another badge on the same machine?”
The honest answer is that the badge matters less than most customers think, but the specification, importer, warranty support and spare-parts network matter considerably.
Heat pumps and spare parts physically stocked in Australia, unlike many drop-shipping websites. Shipping from VIC, NSW, WA and QLD.
Important: The manufacturer relationships listed below represent our current understanding from servicing, dismantling and sourcing parts for pool and spa heat pumps. They are not an official manufacturer register and have not been confirmed to us by every brand or factory named.
What This Page Is, and What It Is Not
Our observations are based on years of working with heat pump controllers, circuit boards, temperature sensors, displays, compressors, heat exchangers, fan assemblies, wiring harnesses and cabinets across many different brands.
Before reading the manufacturer table, please understand the following:
- It may contain errors or become outdated. Brands change factories, product platforms and specifications. A model produced by one factory in 2021 may be completely different from a model carrying the same brand in 2026.
- It is not a quality ranking. Two products built within the same manufacturing group can differ substantially in construction, components, performance and cost.
- It is not an allegation or criticism. Contract manufacturing is standard commercial practice and is used for products ranging from inexpensive entry-level machines to highly specified premium equipment.
- It is not purchasing advice. We supply heat pumps and spare parts, but this page is intended to explain the industry rather than direct customers towards or away from a particular brand.
- It does not mean every model from a listed brand comes from the same factory. Manufacturing arrangements may vary by model, product range and year.
If you represent a brand listed here and believe any information is incorrect, contact us with the relevant details and we will review it.
Same Factory Does Not Mean the Same Heat Pump
This is the most misunderstood part of heat pump manufacturing.
Large original equipment manufacturers do not necessarily produce one standard machine and apply different stickers. They manufacture multiple product platforms and can build equipment to a customer’s specification, price target and order volume.
When an Australian distributor orders a heat pump range, it may select or negotiate:
- Compressor brand, capacity and design, including single rotary, twin rotary or scroll compressors
- Titanium heat exchanger construction, tube size, coil configuration and housing material
- Evaporator coil size, protective coating and fin spacing
- Controller board, display, firmware and mobile application platform
- Fan motor, fan blade and airflow configuration
- Cabinet material, insulation, fasteners and corrosion protection
- Refrigerant type, refrigerant charge and pressure protection
- Operating temperature range and defrost programming
- Electrical protection and safety cut-outs
- Noise-reduction components
- Packaging, documentation and supplied accessories
Two machines assembled within the same factory group can therefore have significantly different manufacturing costs and service lives.
A lower-priced brand and a premium brand may genuinely come from the same factory without being the same product. The reverse is also possible: a premium price does not guarantee that the underlying machine differs substantially from the factory’s standard platform.
A heat pump should not be judged solely by its factory or its badge. It should be judged by its complete specification, performance at realistic conditions, electrical compliance, warranty provider, spare-parts availability and the business responsible for supporting it.
Who Receives the Newest Technology?
High-volume customers are generally in a stronger position to obtain newer compressor platforms, current-generation controllers, custom firmware and early access to product redesigns.
A distributor purchasing thousands of units may receive options that are not initially offered to a business purchasing one container. Smaller buyers may instead be offered an established platform that is already in regular production.
This does not automatically make the newer product better.
An established platform may have several years of production history, field experience and corrected faults behind it. A newly released platform may offer better efficiency, control or noise performance, but it has not yet accumulated the same operating history.
The more important point is that there is generally no special qualification required to create a heat pump brand. A business with sufficient capital can arrange an order, select a cabinet and specification, apply a new brand name and begin selling the machines in Australia.
The value of the brand is therefore determined by what happens after the container arrives:
- Was the product properly specified?
- Was Australian compliance addressed?
- Are spare parts stocked?
- Is technical support competent?
- Is there a genuine warranty service network?
- Will the supplier still be operating when the machine requires repair?
Reported or Inferred Heat Pump Manufacturers
The table below groups brands according to our current understanding. “Confidence” describes how confident we are in the reported manufacturing relationship. It is not a rating of product quality.
| Manufacturer or Manufacturing Group | Brands Reported or Inferred to Use Them | Confidence and Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Fairland Group and associated Fairland, Aquark and Aquagem operations Guangzhou and Foshan, China |
Aquagem, Aquark and Fairland own-brand products, plus reported production for certain AquaSolis, Australian Energy Systems (AES), Chilli, Davey, Eziheat, Grannus, Henden, Madimack, Orilux, Reltech, Rheem pool heat pump, SensaHeat, Summerwave, Supreme Heating Nova and Heatseeker, Theralux and Waterco models, together with various private-label and store-brand machines. |
Reported and reasonably well supported by our servicing and parts observations. Fairland, Aquark and related operations use different product platforms. Two products associated with the broader group may have limited component commonality. |
|
PHNIX Guangzhou, China |
PHNIX own-brand products, plus reported production for certain AstralPool and EvoHeat models and other private-label ranges. |
Reported. The relationship may apply only to particular models, ranges or production years. |
|
Various Chinese OEM manufacturers Exact factory not confirmed by us |
Reported or imported ranges include certain Emaux, SwimMax, Genesis, Guardian, Hayward, Insnrg, Pentair, SpaNET, SpaPro, Sunlover, Oasis and WWDG products, together with many smaller, private-label or short-lived brands. |
Unconfirmed and likely to vary by model and year. Inclusion in this row is not criticism. Several of these are established businesses with substantial Australian support. It means only that we have not personally confirmed the relevant factory. |
| Australian manufacture | Toyesi states that it designs and builds its heat pumps and chillers in Sydney. |
Well established. Toyesi is a notable exception within a market dominated by imported residential pool and spa heat pumps. |
“Australian Engineered”, “German Parts” and Similar Claims
Marketing language in the heat pump industry is often carefully constructed. Buyers should distinguish between a product’s brand ownership, design input, component origin and actual place of manufacture.
Under Australian Consumer Law, country-of-origin representations must be truthful, accurate and supported by reasonable grounds. Claims such as “Made in Australia” have specific legal principles behind them, including whether the product underwent its last substantial transformation in Australia.
The following expressions do not, by themselves, mean that a heat pump was manufactured in Australia:
- Australian Engineered
- Australian Designed
- Engineered for Australian Conditions
- Developed in Australia
- Australian Owned
A product can be legitimately designed or specified by an Australian company and manufactured overseas. That is not inherently misleading, provided the overall representation given to customers is accurate.
“Australian Owned” describes ownership of the business. It does not identify where the equipment is manufactured.
“German parts”, “Japanese compressor” or “European technology” may refer to a particular component, supplier, design concept or licensed technology. It does not establish the origin of the complete heat pump.
Ask the seller to identify:
- The exact component being described
- The component manufacturer and model
- The country in which the complete heat pump is assembled
- Whether the claim applies to every model in the range
If manufacturing origin matters to you, ask one direct question:
“In which country and factory is this exact heat pump model manufactured?”
A clear answer is more useful than a collection of design and ownership phrases.
Read the ACCC guidance on country-of-origin claims.
Do Not Compare Heat Pumps by Headline COP Alone
COP, or Coefficient of Performance, is the ratio of heat output to electrical input. It is a legitimate and useful engineering measurement, but only when the operating and test conditions are stated.
A COP figure without the corresponding air temperature, water temperature, humidity, compressor speed and heating output tells you very little.
COP generally rises when:
- Ambient air is warmer
- Humidity is higher
- Pool water is cooler
- The compressor is operating at a low percentage of its available capacity
- The required temperature difference is relatively small
This means a very high advertised COP can be measured under favourable conditions, such as warm air, cool water and minimum inverter speed. The figure may be technically valid at that test point while remaining a poor indication of winter heating performance.
A heat pump operating on a cold morning, heating water to a substantially higher temperature and running near full output will have a lower COP. This applies to every brand.
Headline COP comparisons become particularly misleading when one manufacturer quotes maximum COP at minimum compressor speed while another publishes nominal COP at a more demanding operating point.
What to Compare Instead
- Heating output at realistic temperatures. Compare output at the same ambient air temperature and the same water temperature.
- Full performance tables. Look for output and electrical input across several air and water temperatures, not one selected figure.
- Performance for the intended application. Pool heating to 28°C is a different duty from spa heating to 38°C.
- Electrical input at the same test point. Compare how much power each unit consumes while producing the stated heat output.
- Low-temperature derating. Establish how much heating capacity is lost as ambient temperature falls.
- Minimum operating temperature and defrost behaviour. A machine being capable of operating at a low temperature does not mean it retains its full rated output there.
- Compressor warranty. This may be shorter or more restricted than the main advertised warranty.
- Spare-parts availability. A small efficiency difference is of limited value if a replacement controller cannot be obtained.
When comparing two machines both advertised as “17kW”, confirm that the 17kW output was measured under the same conditions. The number printed in the model name does not guarantee equivalent winter performance.
Electrical Compliance: What Actually Needs to Be Checked
Residential pool and spa heat pumps sold in Australia must be electrically safe and comply with the electrical safety requirements applicable to the equipment.
AS/NZS 60335.2.40 deals with the safety of electric heat pumps, sanitary hot-water heat pumps and air-conditioners incorporating motor-compressors. The applicable edition and any additional requirements should be determined for the particular equipment and supply date.
Where a heat pump is classified as in-scope electrical equipment under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS):
- The Australian or New Zealand manufacturer or importer acting as the first supplier must be registered as a Responsible Supplier
- The equipment must carry the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM)
- Level 2 and Level 3 equipment must also be registered on the EESS database
- Level 3 equipment requires an appropriate Certificate of Conformity before registration
- The Responsible Supplier must ensure the equipment is electrically safe and complies with the applicable standards
The exact EESS risk level and registration requirements depend on the equipment’s classification. It is therefore more accurate to verify the particular model than to rely on a broad statement that every heat pump requires the same form of approval.
What Buyers Should Verify
- There is an RCM on the equipment’s rating plate
- The model number on the plate matches the model being purchased
- The Australian importer or manufacturer is a registered Responsible Supplier
- The model is registered where its EESS classification requires equipment registration
- The supplier can identify the applicable electrical safety standard
- The supplier can produce credible compliance documentation for the exact model when reasonably requested
An RCM printed on a label should not be treated as the only check. Responsible Supplier and equipment registrations can be searched through the public EESS system.
Search the EESS registration database.
Read the EESS information about the RCM.
Refrigerant Importing, Handling and Trading
Electrical compliance and refrigerant licensing are separate issues.
- Importing equipment pre-charged with controlled synthetic greenhouse gas refrigerants, including common HFC refrigerants, may require a Commonwealth equipment import licence.
- A person performing work on refrigeration or air-conditioning equipment that creates a risk of fluorocarbon refrigerant being emitted generally requires the appropriate Refrigerant Handling Licence.
- A business acquiring, storing or disposing of bulk fluorocarbon refrigerant generally requires a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation.
- Merely selling a complete, sealed and pre-charged heat pump does not itself require a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation, although other electrical, import and state requirements still apply.
Read the Commonwealth information about equipment and refrigerant import licences.
Read the Australian Refrigeration Council licensing information.
Why Compliance Matters
A licensed electrician may reasonably decline to connect equipment if its identity, markings or compliance status cannot be established.
For the importer or seller, an inability to demonstrate compliance can create regulatory, product-liability, warranty and commercial risks. For the owner, it can complicate installation, servicing and any later investigation involving an electrical or refrigerant fault.
This does not mean that an unfamiliar or inexpensive brand is automatically non-compliant. It means compliance should be checked rather than assumed.
Warranty, Spare Parts and Brands That Disappear
This is where the private-label manufacturing model can create the largest long-term problem.
A factory may modify any combination of the following for an Australian customer:
- Controller board
- Display panel
- Firmware
- Mobile application
- Temperature sensor values
- Wiring harness
- Fan control logic
- Heat exchanger connections
- Cabinet dimensions
These changes can create a genuinely improved product. They can also make the machine dependent on parts available only through that brand.
A generic controller that appears physically similar may not communicate with the display. A replacement board may use different sensor values or software. A factory may still manufacture the general platform while no longer holding the custom version ordered by the original distributor.
If the Australian brand or importer later ceases trading, obtaining proprietary components may become difficult or impossible.
Important points include:
- Your practical support comes from the Australian supply chain. An overseas contract manufacturer that did not sell the product to you will not ordinarily provide direct retail warranty service.
- Australian Consumer Law rights are separate from the written warranty. A voluntary warranty does not replace or limit applicable consumer guarantees.
- Those rights are easier to exercise against an established, solvent Australian business.
- A long written warranty is only as useful as the organisation providing it.
- Standardised components are generally easier to replace. Compressors and fan motors may be more readily cross-referenced than proprietary displays, controller boards or firmware.
- Customisation has both benefits and risks. It may improve the machine, but it can also reduce the number of future repair options.
Read the ACCC information about consumer guarantees.
Questions to Ask Before Buying a Heat Pump
-
Where is this exact model manufactured?
Ask for the country of manufacture, not where the brand is owned, designed or engineered. -
Can I see the rating plate?
Confirm the model number, voltage, current, refrigerant, electrical input and RCM marking. -
Who is the Responsible Supplier?
Ask for the Australian legal entity and ABN responsible for importing or manufacturing the equipment. -
Is the model registered on the EESS database where required?
Check the exact model rather than relying on a certificate for a similar product. -
What electrical safety standard applies?
Ask whether credible compliance evidence is available for the exact model. -
What is the heating output at realistic winter conditions?
Request a full performance table showing ambient temperature, water temperature, heating output and electrical input. -
Who provides the warranty?
Identify the legal entity named in the warranty and determine how long it has been operating. -
Who performs warranty work in my state?
Establish whether there are technicians, or whether the owner must arrange and pay for diagnosis before reimbursement. -
Which parts are stocked in Australia?
Ask specifically about controller boards, displays, sensors, fan motors and heat exchangers. -
What is the compressor brand and compressor warranty?
Do not assume the compressor has the same warranty period as the complete unit. -
What refrigerant does the unit use?
Confirm that suitable licensed technicians and service equipment are available locally. -
Could an independent technician repair it if the brand stopped trading?
This is one of the most useful questions a buyer can ask.
A knowledgeable supplier should be able to answer these questions or obtain the information from the importer. A seller that is unwilling or unable to identify the Responsible Supplier, compliance status, warranty provider or spare-parts arrangements should be treated cautiously.
Disclaimer
All information on this page is provided in good faith and to the best of our current knowledge for general information only. It is not legal, electrical, insurance, engineering or purchasing advice.
Manufacturer relationships are commercial arrangements that are not always publicly disclosed. They may change over time and may differ between models sold under the same brand. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the manufacturer attributions on this page are observations or inferences drawn from servicing, dismantling and spare-parts work. They are not representations that the named manufacturers or brand owners have confirmed the relationships.
Nothing on this page states or implies that any named brand or product is unsafe, non-compliant, poorly manufactured, unreliable or unsupported. Inclusion in a particular group is not a quality assessment.
Brand names and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners and are used only to identify products and explain reported or observed industry relationships.
Regulations, standards, ownership structures, product ranges and manufacturing arrangements can change. Buyers, sellers, installers and importers should make their own current enquiries regarding the exact model concerned.
If you believe any information on this page is inaccurate, contact us with supporting details and we will review it.
Last reviewed: July 2026.