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50 vs. 60 Hz and Kitchen Applicances

At the end of the year, I'm going to be moving from the US to Argentina. Argentina uses 50Hz vs. the US' 60Hz and I'm wondering if I can use a couple of appliances that I really don't want to put in storage. I know I can get a transformer to drop the voltage down from 240 to 120, but the power will still be at 50Hz and I'm wondering what effect that will have on these appliances.

I have a rather expensive automatic espresso machine. Its a Saeco Royal Digital Plus. Saeco says it will work, but that 50Hz will, over time, cause some damage to the machine. They couldn't be any more specific than that (timeframe, nature of "damage", etc. are unclear). The machine has a motor that runs the grinder & tamper. It also has a boiler for the water and an electronic touchpad for controling the brewing of coffee. There's no clock on it, but I gather there are some timing functions in terms of automatic shut-off and how long to run the brew cycle for.

My other appliance is a small (34 bottle) wine fridge. The manufacturer is Avanti.

Both of these appliances call for 120v/60Hz. What effect do you think

120V/50Hz would have on these? Again, I really don't want to stick them in storage, but I also don't want them to die in the first couple of months of use in Argentina.

Thanks in advance for any assistance/info.

Best Regards, Charles Goodman

Reply to
Charles Goodman
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I would suggest that you not bother moving them. By the time you consider the bother of moving them, the cost of the transformer (for that espresso machine you are going to need a mighty large transformer) and the risk of problems, I don't think it would be worth it. Buy what you need when you get there.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Thanks for the quick reply. I guess I should have mentioned that both moving costs and transformers will be covered by my employer. Still may not be worth moving them, but I sure would like to keep using them ;-)

Thanks, Charles

Reply to
Charles Goodman

Hi,

60Hz devices have lighter power transformers or motors compared to 50Hz ones. Run on 50Hz it may over heat or rven at that may work OK for occasional use. If it is rotatiing device the rpm will be less.
Reply to
Tony Hwang

I did some research on this a few years ago when a generator I bought could produce either 50 or 60hz. Many devices depend on the 60hz and 50hz will damage them. Unless the manufacturer says it is okay, don't do it.

Reply to
Toller

buy a new one!

Reply to
John C

Don't move! lol

Reply to
Steve Kraus

Tony is exactly right. Transformers designed for 60 Hz operation must be de-rated when used on a 50 Hz system. This de-rating WILL NOT change anything for your appliances. Their components, especially if there are any motors or transformers, will be subjected to what amounts to an overload. However, in the opposite situation, I believe you can safely run equipment designed for 50 Hz on a 60 Hz system. This is true for transformers.

Reply to
steve

You can buy a a coffee machine and some coffee in the US for $10 total. That's cheap.

Or you can buy one cup of coffe at Starbucks for $10.

No need to bring stuff to the US. Here you can buy anything that china is willing to produce.

Reply to
AverageGuy

How about the other way around? Is it okay to run a 50 Hz pump on a 60 hz line?

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Often the nameplates/info labels will indicate 50/60 Hz: If so, no problem. Otherewise it goes on a case by case basis - maybe, maybe not. If it's cheap, it's better to replaces. If not cheap, it's probably labelled with the freq it's designed for. As mentioned, anything synchronous, such as clocks, will be impacted by the frequency being wrong, or may run fast/slow depending on what it is.

Pop

Reply to
Pop

50Hz motors run at 60Hz, may be run at full voltage. There are trade offs- speed may will be higher and peak and starting torques lower. No load current may or may not be higher. If you run a 60Hz motor at 50Hz, then it should be run at 5/6 the rated voltage. again there are trade offs- mainly speed at a given torque.
Reply to
Don Kelly

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