WHAT'S AN INVERTER

Inverter is not a brand of an air conditioner - it’s the term used to describe the style of technology that’s behind the air-conditioning system.

Traditionally most air conditioners have a compressor (or motor) which is like the heart of the air conditioning system. Like the heart, the job of the compressor is to pump refrigerant around the air conditioner to allow either hot or cold air to be produced.

A non-inverter system can either pump refrigerant at full speed or stop. So when you first turn an air conditioner on, the compressor starts and begins to pump refrigerant until the desired temperature inside your premises is achieved. The compressor then stops. When the air temperature changes inside by around 1-2 degrees Celsius, the compressor will start again and the cycle goes on.

With an inverter compressor, the system starts like a conventional compressor but when the room temperature is achieved, the compressor has the ability to slow down the pumping and therefore not have to stop entirely. The benefits from this are that a more even room temperature is achieved and the cost of running the system is reduced. One other benefit is that, by not starting and stopping the compressor, the nuisance of lights flicking in the house is eliminated.

So why shouldn’t everyone buy an inverter unit??

Well, the technology is new compared to conventional systems and it’s arguable that all the bugs have been ironed out. Also the price to buy the inverter system is about 30% dearer up front. This means that with the savings on electricity on running the system, at least 10 years of operation is required before the initial outlay is recovered.

The outdoor units are quieter, but in most cases they are larger and contain a lot more electronics which can prove costly to replace once the warranty period expires. So the choice is yours, but either way you will enjoy comfort all year round.