iStore Heat Pump Review: Get Off the Gas!
So, I have reviewed heaps of solar batteries and solar panels before, which is great. But today, I am going to review heat pumps. More specifically, an iStore heat pump review. They are becoming more and more popular across Australia now especially with the solar hot water rebate.
If you don’t know what a heat pump is, it takes power and converts this into heat energy. It is also an excellent alternative to a solar battery. As the world is shifting towards becoming energy-independent, companies are finding new ways to store clean power efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way.
You might be thinking, how does a heat pump act as an alternative to a solar battery? Well, with new technology, heat pumps not only heat your water but tap into your solar PV system to store energy and convert it into heat. Pretty cool, right.
Not only that, it takes in and uses excess PV energy that would just go back to the grid. It helps you store up all your solar energy for later and convert it into hot water.
Let’s dive into this iStore heat pump review and see how they are quickly becoming a great solar battery alternative.
Table Of Contents
iStore Heat Pump Offers a 400% Energy Conversion To Heat
The iStore 270L is the highest-efficiency heat pump on the market, and here’s why.
For every 1kw of energy used to power the iStore 270L, it will convert 4kw of heat energy. This is a 400% conversion efficiency. Which is absolutely incredible.
An iStore heat pump is an excellent investment for homeowners as it provides a fast payback period. This is because the energy conversion is just so high. So it’s a win-win. You produce more clean energy and overall more savings.
It has four intelligent operating modes that ensure you maximise your energy and savings. In addition, the external wrapping layer helps to ensure the energy is transferred into heat.
Overall that type of conversion is something worth investing in. Especially coupled with a solar system, for every 1kW of solar energy you will get 4kW of heat energy for free.
What I Like About It...
The iStore heat pump comes with undoubtedly high efficiency. In fact, it’s one of the highest converting heat pumps in the industry at 400%, This means the returns you can get from this are fast and large.
Let’s not forget the strong warranty with 5 years on all components of this heat pump. Again, this is one of the best warranties you can get on a heat pump in the industry right now. This also makes it high value and a risk free investment.
Finally, the 4 operating modes allow you full control over your power. The intelligent modes can maximise your savings and allow you to choose how much energy is used and saved.
Specifications:
Height:1955 mm
Diameter: 640 mm
Height to water inlet: 99 mm
Height to water outlet: 1194 mm
Hot water condensation: 1194 mm
Height to PTR valve: 1194 mm
Height to anode: 1094 mm
Net weight: 135 kg
Warranty:
Cylinder: 5 years
Refrigeration & electrical: 5 years
All other components: 5 years
You Are Backed By 5 Years Warranty On All iStore Heat Pump Components
Good news. iStore has upped its warranty to 5 years in recent years.
The 5-year warranty covers all components. Yes, all components. The iStore heat pump warranty used to be shorter but has soon been increased. I only see this as a good sign.
The increase in warranty shows iStores confidence in their products. They are backing up their product and providing they are trustworthy. By then extending it, they are basically saying they are confident in the next 5 years, nothing will go wrong. If it does, they will happily replace it for you.
Also, for me, it shows they must not be getting many warranty claims for them to make the steps to increase it. There is no way they would increase the warranty if they were getting loads of claims. So, therefore, it can only be a good sign of how amazing the iStore heat pump is.
The iStore Heat Pump Is More Economical To Run Than Solar Hot Water, LPG Gas & Electric Storage
Did you know that a quarter of our electricity costs, on average, go to heating hot water in Australia? That is a lot of energy.
According to iStore, the weekly running cost of their heat pump is less than $10. This is cheaper than solar hot water and LPG gas storage. Making it the most affordable available solution for homeowners looking to heat at an effective cost.
iStore 270L can reduce your energy consumption by up to 2/3rd compared to these conventional methods. By being cheaper and more economical to run, this also significantly reduces co2 emissions from your home by 4 tonnes!
It’s time for us to actually take action and responsibility for climate change, and one step would be to invest in a renewable heat pump like iStore.
Don’t get me wrong, solar hot water is still a great way to become independent on the grid, save money and produce cleaner energy. But you just can’t deny how incredible the iStore heat pump is.
It's Estimated You Could Get Up To *$950 In Savings Each Year From iStore Heat Pump
The iStore 270L heat pumps can save up to $950 every year. However, this depends on how much energy you use to heat your home or different areas.
For example, some households will use more heat than others if it is bigger. Similarly, in colder months, heating costs will naturally be higher. So make sure you consider this when looking at iStore heat pumps.
That being said, this is a massive amount of forecast savings. This could make a massive difference to homeowners, especially as energy costs continue to rise.
As energy prices increase, it’s worth considering iStore heat pumps to bring costs back down. A one-off upfront payment could save you so much money in the long run, as well as make an environmentally friendly choice.
Overall, it proves that iStore 270L can produce a significant return on investment for homeowners.
Smart Technology Powers The Heat Pump With 4 Operating Modes To Give You Full Control Over Your Energy
I touched on this early in the iStore heat pump review that it has 4 intelligent operating modes. This gives you ultimate control over your energy use and consumption. So let’s look at each mode.
Economic Heating Mode (1100W Consumption = 3900W output)
Economic heating mode is the most efficient and sensible setting. This is because the water will only be heated via the compressor. So, the electric element can be activated manually whilst still being in economic heating mode. This helps for a faster recovery of water.
I would advise economic heating mode for your everyday usage. Keep it in the eco-heating mode, so you are not wasting all of your energy. I don’t assume you will need to be generating hot water at every part of the day. So it makes sense to keep it in eco mode.
Hybrid Heating Mode (2800W Consumption = 5400W output)
Hybrid heating mode is for those times when you need hot water fast.
For example, say you have guests coming over or the inlaws and need more hot water than you would usually need. The hybrid heating mode can help produce more water quickly. So, if your mother-in-law wants a hot bath, the hybrid heating mode will cover you.
The iStore heat pump will activate the compressor and the electric element for a faster recovery. I would advise not using this mode all the time as it will use a lot of your energy. While it is great for times of need, it shouldn’t be your preferred everyday setting.
Electric Element Heating Mode (1500W consumption)
Now, this is where it gets pretty cool. The electric element heating mode on the iStore 270L allows you to heat your water to a temperature of your choice. You can pre-set this and turn it off once it has been reached.
This allows you to ensure all the hot water is ready when you return home. For example, you could be working all week and want hot water when you come home. That way, you don’t need to use hybrid mode to rapidly produce hot water.
Even though this mode is great, I recommend switching back to either Eco or hybrid as soon as possible to avoid any energy loss. It can continue to make excess energy after meeting its target, so make sure you turn it back when finished.
Vacation Mode
Going on holiday? No worries, there is a vacation mode for exactly that reason.
iStore understands that when you go away on holiday, you aren’t using your hot water and do not want to be wasting extra energy by it running when you are away.
Therefore, it created the vacation mode. Simply enter the date you come home from holiday, and the iStore heat pump will know to not use energy while you are away. The great part is that it will reactivate itself before you return home, so you don’t have to worry about rapidly trying to produce hot water.
This means you can have a hot shower or bath when you return without wasting energy. It also helps reduce energy consumption when it is not in use.
iStore Heat Pump Review
Price 10/10
You can not argue with the price on this one. It has great affordability and an insane return on investment. You are guaranteed to see a fast return on your money and future savings with the iStore 270L.
Warranty 10/10
One of the best warranties in the industry. It just shows how great this heat pump is that they increased the warranty to 5 years! It shows confidence in just how incredible this product is.
Efficiency 10/10
400% conversion efficiency makes this one of the highest-converting heat pumps available. Need I say anymore? What more could you want from a heat pump?
Performance 10/10
The four excellent performance intelligent operating modes help maximise your energy and savings. Again, there is not much more I need to say. It speaks for itself.
Conclusion
There you have it, my full iStore heat pump review.
As you can tell, I like this product a lot. For the price, savings and efficiency, it really is up there with one of the best I have ever seen. The proof is in the numbers.
I hope this was helpful. If you are interested in an iStore heat pump, contact one of our experts. As always, leave any comments down below 😁
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Written By:
Luke Cove
Managing Director
Lightning Solar & Electrical
