Sanden Eco Heat Pump

Sanden 315L heat pump 10 years old and broken down. No support over the phone. Manufacturer insists service can only be conducted by registered dealer who isn’t available anyway - a requirement illegal under consumer law. Very disappointing for such an expensive product. Show details

Before you buy a Sanden ask how Sanden Supports their products and how easy the process may be if the unit fails, I have an issue where the hot water was running out regularly but randomly, I contacted Sanden tech support and explained what was going on with the unit, and Sanden support advised that most likely the main board was faulty and gave… Read more

me an estimate on the cost to replace the board, but could not guarantee that this would fix the problem, so I considered the options, and decided to purchase a new unit, to my surprise the issues continued with the new unit, so I called Sanden back to get further support from the tech team, but to my surprise, customer service (reception) would not put me through to the technical support team, and advised to go back to the retailer, the retailers support team explained how the unit works, and that it does a cycle daily at 10am, and most likely the temperature thermistor would have failed. The original support from Sanden has cost me significant money as I now have a second unit that would not have been required if the support had given me operating information on the unit, and now I have to try and make a warranty claim on the faulty thermistor which will be a nightmare. In short great product but Pathetic technical / warranty support, think twice and go with another brand.

Disappointed as under 1 month out of warranty and I have to pay for replacement parts. After spending days on the phone 3 + weeks with no hot water. Electrician and plumber to try and find the issue. A very helpful rep trying to help with Sandan to no avail very disappointed with their support. Show details

Don’t buy unless your willing to open up the unit to reset – I'm under warranty - 5 years in. Been without hot water now several times around 5-6 times in the last 6 weeks. Almost all the times, the heat pump had to be hard reset or safety switch turned ON\OFF for it to work. After speaking with the installer several times which no meaningful action was taken I spoke to Sanden today. I explained that me… Read more

resetting the system every time there's an issue is not a solution and it's under warranty and there should be a permanent solution. I was told from the rep from Sanden in their own words if the installer doesn't help me to go find another dealer and literally refused to accept that it's their fault. I re-iterated that they are the manufacturer and they should be directing me for help not telling me to find another dealer given there's an issue with the unit. Complete refusal to accept there's an issue and kept telling me if it's under warranty I have nothing to worry about but then not directing me to help get the issue fixed. I have young kids and I've had several days without hot when they're either getting ready for school \ day care or returning. My installer did ring back - to his credit he's never ignored me but he hasn't also given a permanent fix to my issues despite reporting them several times. We changed some settings again and now I'm supposed to monitor the unit again for a week. When I bought the unit, I didn't think I would be spending this much time dealing with the unit... As a product that's sole use is to provide hot water, my experience is this system fails at that job given I have had no hot water several times. Customer service from the manufacturer is a complete joke not accepting fault and leaving me to solve issues on my own despite being under warranty. I find this whole situation un-acceptable. If hot water runs out when I'm not home - my young kids or wife can't fix it and will be without hot water until I return home. My advise is to not buy this unit unless your willing to open up the unit to get to the controller to reset the unit and hope the safety switch is right next to the unit cos' to reset the unit you need to literally hold down buttons in the controller in the unit whilst simultaneously turning ON \ OFF the safety switch.

Sanden going well after 9 years – We had a Sanden Eco 315 Heat Pump installed early 2015. Has worked beautifully for the last 9 years. Of course, it's an older model without Wifi but I have had the blockout period set for 11am-4pm AEST and it runs for less than 2 hours each day even in winter in Melbourne with 4 adults. Our somewhat limited solar system covers the energy… Read more

requirements most of the time even during winter with a couple of air-cons going for heating.

The unit is not far from my office window and when it is open I can't hear it at all.

We had one external valve replaced 2 years ago that started dripping but the plumber said we did well to get 7 years out of it (even though some people would say they should last even longer).

I have rated the heating speed as excellent because it is way more than we need. We haven't run out of hot water in the 9 years even with the limitation when it will heat.

Sure it wasn't cheap (so have rated the value for money as good), but it has well and truly paid for itself now and we're still very happy.

It's Fabulous – I had the Sanden Heat Pump with 315 Litre Tank and Wi-Fi installed about 8 months ago. The unit initially went into its heating cycle at 10AM each day but I wanted it to start later and E-Mailed the Sanden Australia sales people and they suggested BLOCKING the unit operating before 11AM (using the WiFi app), which works a treat and now it kicks… Read more

in at 11AM daily.

Power Consumption : Obviously the amount of power it consumes depends on the outside temperature and how much water has been used the day before but I seem to average 1 - 3 KW per day with the lowest being zero and the highest being around 4 KW. With solar panels providing power around 8 months of the year and cheaper electricity tariffs operating in the middle of the day during winter (which is why I wanted an 11AM start), I effectively pay NOTHING for hot water 8 months of the year and about half-price for grid power the other 4 months.

I previously had a solar hot water system with a 150 Litre tank and gas booster for when the tank got low. It worked OK about 3 months of the year and struggled for the other 9 months. I was constantly managing when to run the washing machine vs having enough hot water for morning showers. At its very best we could have 2 hot showers in the morning with the water losing its heat towards the end of the second shower. With the heat pump there is simply hot water there all the time, I have the ability to "boost" the hot water via the WiFi app if ever I run low .... but I have never needed to use that function.

The Cost : The Sanden is one of the most expensive units to have installed but it is simply one of the best hot-water units I have ever had. It's VERY efficient, has never missed a beat and just does its job of supplying hot water whenever I want it. As mentioned above, with solar panels on the roof it provides free hot water 2/3 of the year which will offset the purchase price forever, making it almost a no-brainer choice.

The Noise : It really doesn't make a noise. When it's heating the water, it makes a slight whirring sound which you can only notice if you're really close. Any unnecessary sounds drive me up the wall ... and this doesn't :-)

I separately had a thermally controlled shower mixer installed which means I turn on a single shower tap and within a few seconds the shower delivers automatically mixed hot and cold water to my desired temperature (which can be adjusted on the fly to suit individual preferences or just left alone to do its job) so no jiggling with the hot/cold mix before being able to take a shower.

So bottom line - It's all fabulous !!!

What a piece of junk. We've had our system for seven years, and had constant issues. The control board has been replaced twice, it has stopped heating, and a week ago the system died. I have lodged warranty claims, and they have been rejected. Two systems we installed when our home was built. The other house has never had an issue. Mine is a… Read more

lemon. I called Sanden the other day and the bloke hung up on me. Their customer service is as appalling as their product.

Sanden - simply the best – Excellent hot water system. So good is the storage that when it was accidentally turned off for 3 days, we still had water hot enough to shower in. It runs for less than an hour a day, it's silent, the storage is highest quality. Show details

Effective and super quiet – I've had this heat pump unit for almost 7 years without any problems. Incredibly quiet and efficient. Heats up fast during the day and generally for free due to solar pv. Adequate for our family of 4 but will run out in the morning in winter if showers are lengthy. You just work around it. Show details

Scared – Once again I’m very nervous about the purchase of one of these. Initially I thought they were a quality unit but I’m very concerned about the after sales service as it appears to be lacking. I’m concerned about the surge issues and curious about the water quality issues. In Australia where the water is supplied to us we don’t have a choice about… Read more

water quality, it is what it is. Manufacturers should make their products suitable for Australian conditions. Everyone seems to want to promote Heat Pumps but they all seem to be finicky devices. If air conditioners had the same reputation nobody would buy then. BTW under any circumstances stay away from DUX and Rheem Heat Pumps. Had both and they were absolute both crap and to make matters worse, so was their service. Remember, the quality of the service is everything, don’t worry about the sale as it’s a short event but the service is like the marriage!

Frustating – Having issues in our new build with a sanden 300lt HWC. If my partner has a shower in the morning eg 10am-12pm then I come home from work and shower a 6pm I run out of how water in the shower. We are talking showers of around ten to fifteen minutes 5 and 6 hours apart. The block out timer isn't activate. Pretty frustrating with a new expensive HWC. Any ideas?

Great experience with Pure Electric for my Sanden Eco Heat Pump – Over December and January 2024, Pure Electric installed a Sanden Eco Hot Water System. The Sanden Eco Heat pump system has been fantastic, super quiet and very efficient. From date 1 for the first delivery of all high-quality materials to professional and prompt installations, the whole process has been absolutely exemplary. Everyone I have dealt… Read more ·  1

with been very courteous, helpful and totally efficient. Totally recommend Pure Electric for the excellent services they provide.

Sanden Eco Heat Pump – The Sanden Eco Heat Pump has truly been a most reliable hot water service and cannot think of any time it has let us down during normal daily operations and with peek times such as family and overseas visitors staying for extended holidays Show reply

It's All Good – I purchased my Sanden GAU-A45HPA heat pump with 315l tank July 2016. I have been very impressed with how quiet the unit has been over the years and it has performed well without failure over those years. I recall one occasion where a fault code appeared after a power supply interruption, which reset readily by cycling power at the isolator. The… Read more ·  1

timer I found very useful to optimise use of my solar PV by restricting hours of operation to between 10am and 4pm, noting that normal running time is about 1 to 1.5 hrs. I have steam cleaned the fins only just last year due to algal growth, but otherwise have not performed any cleaning. The unit is weather exposed and receives about 3 hours of direct sunlight a day. It has minor corrosion appearing in the condensate areas at the back, but otherwise a has maintained its protective coatings. I purchased this unit based on the Government database at that time, based on energy efficiency and have not been disappointed.

Efficient, quiet and quality hot water heat pump – We will be installing roof PV solar panels shortly, and during the preparation process elected to remove an old Rinnai Solar hotwater system (15 years old) to make more room on the northern roof. On review of available hot water options. we liked the idea of ground installation (maintenance easier etc), low power use (efficiency) and the very… Read more ·  1

low noise rating for the Sanden Eco Heat Pump ( only 37dB, which is very low). Unit came up to temperature from cold install within a few hours, whisper quiet. We will be setting the units inbuilt "block out timer" to run during the day to utilise excess solar generation, which is wonderful.

Very happy with purchase

Has been excellent – The Sanden was affected by a power outage. Matthew was very helpful in explaining how to reset. As an older non-tech widow, this was exactly what I needed in terms of back-up and support. Thank you Matthew! Show details ·  1

Clean, efficient and quiet – For a 250L tank, it takes about 1-1.5 kwh to run, and the daily heating cycle is about 1-2 hours. The heat pump does require defrost in Canberra's freezing winter. So install the heat pump in a warmer location of the house, if that is practical. Show details ·  1

Great hot water product – Yes, I’ve had the Sanden Heat Pump for two years and all good. I got it from Pure Electric in Canberra. They have been very helpful and after-sales advice has been terrific. Show details ·  1

Sanden hot water - GAU-A45HPA - lasted 7 years. Not good – After 7 years and now out of warranty the unit is shutting down with errors 044 and 042 every few days. Likely culprit is the motherboard. Compressor tested fine. So a new unit is required. Cost over the 'life' of this machine is about $500 per year for 'cheap and efficient' hot water... not good at all. My Daikin heat pump is nearby and is 22 years old and works fine... Show details

Deceptive error codes – Woke up to no hot water, checked error code which showed recirculation pump failure. Had the water pump replaced and still the same code. Now I've been told that the main board is the issue as it must have had a surge and that it is more economical to change the unit completely. Show details

Extremely happy chappies – Everything promised was delivered quickly and efficiently. Our system is working perfectly and we are so glad we made the decision to invest in this wonderful technology. Show details ·  1

Note for Sanden – If you want your company to win a reward and want sales to go through the roof then seriously look at your reviews... I was seriously looking at buying your unit till now. Reclaim looks like a better unit now as they cover all areas. I am so disapointed to read others complain here. Show details

Expect exceptional performance but with some caveats – I've had two Sanden Heat Pumps. Firstly, I installed a GAU-A45HPA unit with solar credits in 2015. It was brilliant BUT... you must clear the intake filter regularly! I do so every 3 to 4 months, If not the unit doesn't heat and you'll find yourself with cold water. The unit is quiet and quick to heat up. Late last year (2022) my first Sanden unit… Read more ·  1

started to fail. Symptoms were shaking and rattling on startup. My installer said the compressor was dead and gave me the choice of $2500 for a new one or a total replacement heat pump for $3500. ie new warranty, newer technology (maybe) and better installation (they said my first installer, installed it wrong). My new heat pump model GAU-A45HPC, is working as well as the first but I'm nervous. Please also note that a controlling valve that maintains water flow, that is not really part of the unit, but just general plumbing has an advertised life of 8 years or so before failure. Mine is acting up, sometimes reducing water flow. It's intermittent, but I'll have to look at replacing it soon. Cost is around $850 just for the valve.... with labour on top of that. The valve has outlived its advertised life, so can't complain. I agree with many owners here, that something with the high cost of a heat pump should last a 'reasonable' period before failure. I would still buy a Sanden unit in future.... unless I can find reviews of competing manufacturers that are more reliable.

Surge Protector installation to protect unit – Company could solve common surge issue by building surge protection into the unit. Does not cost a lot. Company should be doing this under Quality Assurance to make the product more reliable, and retro fit to existing units. Or advise existing customers to install a surge unit. Show details ·  1

Nothing but trouble – Purchased in 2016 and have had multiple trouble. I'm sick of throwing money at it when it only needs to cope with a one person household. Excuses have been that they don't like tank water or gravity feed water. It should not have been sold to me knowing they don't like these conditions Show details