Running 60hz appliances on 50hz 2

[fatimak]

I am relocating internationally where voltage is 220v/50hz. Appliances tend to be very expensive in that country. 220v to 110v Voltage transformers are available but they don't convert 60hz to 50hz.

What happens if these 60hz appliances run on 50hz?

Household Appliances are: Microwave, wahser, dryer, fridge, vacuum, AC.

Your advice is appreciated.

 

[itsmoked]

Read this for any motors or transformers.
faq237-1224


For other items you have to look at them case by case.

If they have switching supplies you will likely not have an issue with them as they just take whatever frequency and rectify it to DC. If there are transformers they can saturate and toast.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[roydm]

You should be OK, I took some appliances and a TV from Canada to NZ. I had to buy a PAL to NSTC converter for the TV and use a VCR as the tuner but the picture was surprisingly good, Anything with a mechanical clock e.g. washer will run slower of course.

Roy

 

[fatimak]

Do household appliances (fridge, washer dryer, microwave, ac, dishwasher) have transformers?

 

[itsmoked]

A fridge has an induction motor.
A dishwasher has an induction motor.
Microwaves all have transformers.
And a dishwasher or washing machine have induction motors and most modern ones have a transformer too.

What will happen is most will still work. And some that work won't work quite as well as they did before. And some will fail.

For an example your washer and dishwasher motors are going to spin 5/6th the speed they were designed to spin. Because they both depend on centrifugal pumps those pumps will perform far less effectively than originally. Will they even perform their required functions? Probably. Hopefully.

Modern refrigerators, on the other hand, are designed very carefully to be as cheap as possible. I would expect a larger reduction in performance with one, up to and including, being unable to start up correctly and hence burning out.

Of course all single phase appliance induction motors need a start and run coil. Their centrifugal switches may not operate when the motor is fed 50Hz. If the switch doesn't operate that will be the last time that motor ever tries to start.

I'd sell them all and buy appropriate units for the country you're heading to. Or, rent a furnished house. Otherwise you may pay a lot to move a unit that doesn't work or fails immediately.

If it's expensive to buy there then buy elsewhere and take them with you.





Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com