First of all, I would like to mention that this is a review of the 24000 BTU air conditioner. I have been the owner of the Inventor Dark air conditioner for 3 months. It is installed in a 70 sqm house in Thessaly. The air conditioner was purchased with the recycle-change program. I was in the 50% discount category and it was bought from a well-known chain of stores (possibly the most famous chain) at a price of 699.50 euros, originally priced at 1399 euros (with free installation). We are talking about the 24000 BTU model, always a good value for money. Let's start with my "misfortune".
I ordered 2 air conditioners, the Inventor Dark 24000 BTU and another one from a different brand. The model I chose was the Drvi32/24wf (the one I bought), which replaced an older model from the same company. The older model had a thicker font on the mirror, the word "Dark" in the bottom right corner, and a bright blue LED indicator (it also had a ventilation grille, as far as I saw). The new air conditioners (the one I chose) have a much more beautiful font on the mirror (much more sophisticated) and white LED digits that, in my personal opinion, are much more impressive and brighter, and they also have 2 ventilation grilles. The air conditioner is a gem. The technician came for installation and from the same evening, the problems started. The outdoor unit started making noise to the point where it was bothering me in the room. I should mention that the house has the best insulation, aluminum windows with double glazing, aluminum doors, thermal insulation, etc. In short, it is a modern 70 sqm house. One of my criteria for choosing this specific brand was the silent operation both indoors and outdoors, as well as the 10-year warranty. The air conditioner that was given for recycling was 20 years old and had an incredible noise from the outdoor unit. The indoor unit's fan was also very loud. In terms of performance, it had minimal cooling efficiency during the heat, and it worked all day to reach a relatively good temperature. Now let's move on to the good things. I contacted the technician the same evening and he said he would come to see it. He came the next day, saw it, and told me to go straight to the store. I have experienced hundreds of similar situations and this is not something you hear often. I went to the store where I bought the air conditioner and they told me to contact the customer service department of Inventor to send us an email for replacement. I called Inventor and here is where the good things started: I explained what had happened and received politeness, kindness, and genuine interest towards the customer (I was wondering if I was really in Greece or if I was dreaming). They told me that there was no problem, that they would arrange for a replacement and send an email to the store for me to pick up the new unit (the whole set). The only thing the company asked for was a short video that I had to send to their email and 2 photos with the serial numbers of the indoor and outdoor units. Flawless service and professionalism. 10 out of 10 for the company. I will become their living advertisement, honestly. Indeed, within 3 days, I received the new set of air conditioners and the technician came to install them with a team of 3 people, whereas the first time it was only him and an assistant who installed it for me. Everything was perfect, and when I say everything, I mean everything was perfect.
*Internal Unit Silent (0 Noise. In the first moments of operation, there were creaking sounds in the blinds when opening or closing. It was immediately fixed by lubricating the "gears" (I don't know if I'm saying it correctly, they are white plastic parts on the blinds) with waterproof silicone spray. It is important for it to be waterproof, as the technician told me. Some comments I saw about using Vaseline or silicone pastes or WD40 did not permanently solve the creaking. So, waterproof silicone spray is the solution. In my case, the pipes were installed for 4 meters and "covered-protected" inside a decorative channel for pipes. Apart from the aesthetic aspect, they are protected from weather conditions, especially from the sun.
*External Unit (0 Noise. I was amazed, I didn't expect it to be completely silent. You can't even tell if it's working, especially if it's on the low fan speed setting in the internal unit.
Now let's move on to the tips for new installations, which a highly trained technician shared with me after attending several seminars at the installations.
First Tip: The most important thing when installing new air conditioners is the vacuum pump on the pipes, at least 15 minutes of timed vacuum to remove atmospheric air from the pipes. In my case, after I kindly asked and treated them to coffee, the whole team performed a 30-minute vacuum pump because they didn't have any other installation afterwards. The installation took place in the afternoon at 19:00 at the beginning of August. They had obviously finished their work, maybe that's why three people came. Most refrigeration technicians told me they do a vacuum pump for 3-5 minutes, and that's it. Because at the end of the day, they save 10-15 minutes for each installation, which adds up to 3 to 4 hours in total for a whole day, which translates to 5 to 6 more installations. 6 more installations equals 6x70=420 euros.
If the vacuum pump is not done correctly, it is possible that you will have problems with the air conditioner, as they say in their language.
Second Tip: The installation of the external unit is done specifically for large air conditioners from 18000 Btu and above, due to the weight of the unit. It is placed on the floor on a base or on a balcony or in a space that allows for the dimensions. Again, I emphasize that it should be placed on a base with rubber feet and with anti-vibration rubber between the feet of the air conditioning unit and the base. These items are included in the packaging. Also, because they may be affected by the sun (cold, heat, rain, etc.), they were coated with Vaseline. The technician told me to reapply it every 3 months to keep them "moisturized" and prevent them from deteriorating (cracking, splitting, etc.). They play an important role as they absorb any noise.
Third Tip: The pipes in all air conditioners, regardless of brand, should be at least 3 meters long to ensure proper performance of the unit. If they exceed 8 to 9 meters, refrigerant liquid may need to be added according to the amount specified in the manual for each air conditioner. This particular one uses R32, an environmentally friendly refrigerant with much better performance. (Most new air conditioners use R32 refrigerant.)
Also, keep in mind that the electrical connection is made to the external unit with a separate cable that comes from the panel with a cable (3x2.5 and at least a 16 A fuse). I have it with a 20 A fuse because large air conditioners draw a load, especially in heating mode, so be careful. Up to 12,000 Btu, you can connect it to a household socket. From 12,000 Btu and above, you will need a separate cable, as I mentioned.
Well, let's talk about the performance: it cools down in 30 minutes, and I have to turn it off. The fridge in my 70 sqm house cools down in 1 hour with the thermostat set at 24, while outside it's 38-40°C.
Heating: with an external temperature of 12 and 14 degrees, it reached 24 degrees in 45 minutes, giving a strong sense of warmth in the house.
Extra observations: The WiFi function saved me time. I turn it on 20 minutes before I go home (I turn it on from work) and I find the desired temperature. During the first WiFi connection, it connected in 20 seconds.
Also, the ionizer function and the 4D blinds distribute the air evenly and give a fresh feeling inside the house. It has an ionizer and the air smells nice. Those who have this machine will understand what I mean.
Since the price difference between the 18,000 and 24,000 BTU in this specific machine was 100 euros (I actually paid 50 due to the subsidy), I chose the 24,000 BTU.
Important tip: Pay attention to proper grounding during electrical connection.
If you see the specifications of this machine, you will be amazed. It has a gold coating for anti-corrosion protection on the elements and the unit (although the company's website does not mention it). It also works in heating mode with an external temperature of up to -15 degrees. Additionally, preheating in heating mode does not release cold air during the start-up of the air conditioner, which is very important. This model, as well as the Comfort model, is produced by the Haier company, and they may be made in China (P.R.C), but in a Haier factory in China.
Basic advice: Clean the filters of the indoor unit every 7 days with water and let them dry properly. Be very careful when cleaning the mirror, use a Swiffer or a slightly damp microfiber cloth without applying pressure.
The temperature we select on the remote control is the one we desire. The one displayed on the mirror is the room temperature because we are interested in knowing the temperature in our space.
The machine has Eurovent certification, which means that as an independent body, it verifies all air conditioners that have certification to ensure that they actually have the stated performance. This specific machine has much more than what is stated (see the label on the outdoor unit).
The remote control is backlit and the buttons glow in the dark.
To have the 10-year warranty, you must register electronically on the Inventor website and, as a prerequisite, perform maintenance and cleaning every year by a certified refrigeration technician, keeping a record of payment receipts and the signed maintenance certificate.
Friendly advice regarding installation: Do not fall for the "Free Installation" bait, as if the installer is lazy or unprofessional, it will be as if the installation was not done correctly. It is better to pay 70 euros and choose your own refrigeration technician (after conducting market research to find someone who is detailed, cooperative, and not lazy, etc.). I was lucky in this aspect, as the technician was very professional. He was cooperative up to a certain point. To conclude, I want to emphasize that Inventor has changed its customer service policy, with the primary goal of satisfying the customer rather than dealing with complaints about any defective products or problems that may occur. I regret choosing the second air conditioner (from a top brand) as it was not as good as the Inventor. I also attach photos of the old model of the company, the new model, and my installed unit (indoor and outdoor unit).
Sorry for the "Sheet"
I hope I helped future buyers, even just one potential buyer.
Inventor forever from now on.
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