What COP really means for your power bill.
COP is the single most important number on a pool heat pump spec sheet — and the one cheap imports quietly hope you'll ignore. It is the difference between a pool that costs a fortune to heat and one that barely registers on the quarterly bill. After 25+ years sizing and installing heat pumps across the Central Coast, here is exactly how to read it.
Three things COP tells you.
COP — Coefficient of Performance — measures how much heat a pump delivers for every unit of electricity it draws. A COP of 22 means up to 22kW of heating for every 1kW of power used. Three things follow from that one number.
Efficiency
COP is a pure efficiency ratio. A COP of 1 is a plain electric element — one unit of power, one unit of heat. A heat pump moves heat rather than making it, so a COP of 5 returns five units of heat per unit of power, and a Madimack Elite V4 reaches up to 22 in ideal conditions.
Running cost
The higher the COP, the cheaper the pump is to run. A unit running at COP 5 costs roughly four to five times more per hour of heating than one running near its peak. Over a Central Coast swimming season, that gap is measured in hundreds of dollars.
Build quality
A high, honest COP is only possible with an inverter compressor, a generous heat exchanger and quality refrigerant. A low COP is a tell — it usually means a fixed-speed import that will also fail early. The number quietly reveals what is inside the casing.
"COP isn't a marketing figure. It's the running-cost number — read it before you read the price." — John Brennan, Practice Lead
How COP is calculated.
COP is simply heat output divided by electrical input, measured in the same units. A heat pump drawing 1kW of electricity and delivering 22kW of heat into the water has a COP of 22. Because the pump is moving ambient heat from the air into the pool rather than generating it from scratch, COP comfortably exceeds 1 — which a resistive electric heater never can.
An electric element: COP 1. A cheap fixed-speed import: COP 4–5. A Madimack Elite V4 inverter: up to COP 22. Same heat in the water — vastly different cost to get it there.
This is why John Brennan Pools treats COP, not sticker price, as the headline figure — and why the real cost of a cheap import shows up on every power bill, not the invoice.
Why one pump quotes many COPs.
COP is not a fixed number. It rises when the air is warm and the target water temperature is modest, and it falls on cold mornings when the pump has to work harder. The headline "up to 22" is a peak figure measured in ideal conditions — useful, but not the whole story.
A trustworthy spec sheet lists COP at several test conditions. A cheap import usually quotes one flattering peak and nothing else. John Brennan Pools sizes every install to the COP you'll actually see across a Central Coast season — not the number on the box.
An inverter heat pump holds a higher COP across more of the year because it modulates output to demand, rather than cycling at full blast like a fixed-speed unit.
How to judge a COP claim honestly.
Six checks John Brennan Pools runs before trusting any COP figure on a pool heat pump.
Check the test conditions
A COP figure means nothing without the air and water temperatures it was measured at. No conditions stated is a red flag.
Look for a range
Quality brands publish COP across several conditions. A single flattering peak with no supporting figures usually signals a cheap import.
Match it to the Coast
What matters is the COP you'll see on a cool Central Coast morning, not in a lab. That is the figure that sets your real running cost.
Inverter or fixed-speed
Inverter compressors hold a high COP across the season. Fixed-speed units only hit their peak briefly, then drop away.
Confirm the refrigerant
A high COP needs efficient, current refrigerant. R32 is the Australian standard; phased-out gases undercut both efficiency and repairability.
Pair it with a cover
No COP survives an uncovered pool. A cover stops the evaporation losses that quietly force even an efficient pump to run all day.
COP figures on this page are general guidance for typical Central Coast conditions — see the Madimack Elite V4 guide for full specifications.
"A peak COP with no test conditions next to it is a sales number, not an engineering one." — John Brennan, Principal Technician
Is your pump running at the COP you paid for?
Six signs the efficiency you were promised has quietly slipped away.
Heating costs creeping up each quarter, with no change in how often you swim, point to a falling effective COP.
The pump runs most of the day to hold temperature — a fixed-speed unit working far from its rated efficiency.
Heating an uncovered pool fights 24-hour evaporation loss and destroys real-world COP, whatever the spec sheet says.
Cheap fixed-speed units lose efficiency as compressors wear — often within three years on the Coast.
If no one can tell you the unit's COP, it was almost certainly never a strong figure to begin with.
Low refrigerant or a fouled heat exchanger drops COP sharply — an annual service restores it.
"Most 'expensive to run' pools aren't expensive pools — they're efficient pumps left to slide." — John Brennan, Practice Lead
COP, explained plainly.
What does COP mean on a pool heat pump?
COP stands for Coefficient of Performance, and it is the ratio of heat a pool heat pump delivers to the electricity it consumes. A COP of 22 means the pump produces up to 22 kilowatts of heat for every 1 kilowatt of power it draws. A higher COP means lower running costs. John Brennan Pools treats COP as the single most important efficiency figure on any heat pump spec sheet.
What is a good COP for a pool heat pump in Australia?
A good pool heat pump in Australia should reach a peak COP of at least 10 to 15, and premium inverter units go higher. The Madimack Elite V4 reaches a COP of up to 22 in optimal conditions, while cheap fixed-speed imports typically run at a COP of just 4 to 5. The higher and more consistent the COP across different temperatures, the lower the long-term running cost.
How does COP affect my pool heating running costs?
COP directly determines running cost: a pump running at COP 20 costs roughly a quarter as much per hour of heating as one running at COP 5. Across a Central Coast swimming season, that difference is typically hundreds of dollars. This is why John Brennan Pools recommends comparing COP figures before sticker price when choosing a pool heat pump.
Why do cheap imported heat pumps have a low COP?
Cheap imported heat pumps have a low COP because they use older fixed-speed compressors, smaller heat exchangers and basic controls instead of inverter technology. These components draw full power whenever the pump runs, rather than modulating to demand. The result is a COP of 4 to 5 and significantly higher electricity bills than an inverter unit such as the Madimack Elite V4.
Does a heat pump's COP stay the same all year round?
No, a heat pump's COP changes with conditions. COP is highest when the air is warm and the target water temperature is modest, and falls on cold mornings when the pump works harder. A quoted "up to 22" is a peak figure measured in ideal conditions. John Brennan Pools sizes every install around the COP a pump will realistically hold across a full Central Coast season, not just its laboratory peak.
What COP does the Madimack Elite V4 achieve?
The Madimack Elite V4 achieves a COP of up to 22 in optimal conditions, placing it among the most efficient pool heat pumps available in Australia. It reaches this through inverter technology that matches power draw to heating demand, a twin rotary compressor, an enhanced R32 heat exchanger and intelligent controls. John Brennan Pools supplies, installs and services the Elite V4 across the Central Coast.
The Heat Pump Series.
Uncompromising StandardsHeat your pool for less, properly.
John Brennan Pools supplies, installs and services high-COP inverter heat pumps across the Central Coast — sized on-site, with real running-cost numbers and no upselling. Over 25 years of field experience, an owner-led practice, every install delivered with Master-Level Care.
Written by John Brennan
John Brennan is the Practice Lead and Principal Technician of John Brennan Pools, a specialist pool and spa practice serving the NSW Central Coast since 2019. As Principal Technician, John brings over 25 years of hands-on experience sizing, installing and servicing pool heat pumps of nearly every brand — across QLD, the NT and NSW.
This guide draws on that field experience directly: which units hold their rated COP across a season, which quietly lose it, and what the difference costs an owner over five years. As Practice Lead, John sets the clinical standards every technician on the team is trained to meet, so every install and service is delivered with the same Master-Level Care.
Fully Licensed & Insured · ABN 11 202 829 652 · Contact John
References & Standards We Follow
COP figures and efficiency comparisons on this page reflect manufacturer specifications and John Brennan Pools' field experience on the Central Coast.
- Coefficient of Performance (COP) — the standard ratio of heat output to electrical input used to rate heat pump efficiency.
- R32 refrigerant — the current Australian standard refrigerant for pool heat pumps, supporting higher efficiency and easier servicing.
- Madimack Elite V4 specifications — manufacturer-published performance data for the unit John Brennan Pools recommends and installs.
John Brennan Pools supplies, installs and services the Madimack Elite V4 and earns revenue from its sale. COP ratings and running-cost figures are general guidance for typical Central Coast conditions; actual results vary with pool size, usage, climate, electricity rates and whether a pool cover is used. For advice specific to your pool, John Brennan Pools will assess it on-site as part of any quote.
Across the Central Coast.
High-COP heat pump supply, install and servicing across 90+ suburbs — from Umina to Lake Munmorah and everywhere between.