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From: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Using 220V, 50 Hz AC?
Message-ID: <1642@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Jun-86 09:42:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.1642
Posted: Mon Jun  2 09:42:15 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 4-Jun-86 00:36:29 EDT
References: <1639@ecsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady)
Distribution: net
Organization: Duke U Comp Ctr
Lines: 30
Summary: Use a transformer

In article <1639@ecsvax.UUCP> alford@ecsvax.UUCP (Ross Alford) writes:
>I have some questions about using devices intended for 115 volt,
>60 Hz AC in countries that have 220V, 50 Hz AC supplies.  First
>of all, do the 'travel converter' type devices (eg Franzus) work
>with electronic gear if the wattage ratings are compatible?

I have never looked inside one of those travel converters but I have
heard that some, at least, generate "dirty" power (presumably due to
their being based on a half-wave rectifier or something) and should not
be used with "sensitive" electronic equipment, whatever that is.
Transformers are heavier and all that, but they aren't all _that_
expensive.  I think I'd go that route for simple peace of mind.  

>Second, and importantly, can devices not explicitly labelled as
>operating at either 50 0r 60 Hz be safely run at 50?

For almost everything the answer seems to be "yes."  50 Hz is close
enough to 60 that power supplies just don't care.  I have heard that
some video monitors derive certain frequencies from the line, but
everyone I have talked to who has actually tried it assures me monitors
run just fine on 50 Hz, 110 volts, no matter how they're marked.  

Useless aside:  50 Hz makes movies run faster on tv in Europe.  To match
the PAL and SECAM scan rates, they're shown at 25 frames per second
versus 24.  That's a difference of about 2.5 minutes per hour.
-- 
D Gary Grady
Duke U Comp Center, Durham, NC  27706
(919) 684-3695
USENET:  {seismo,decvax,ihnp4,akgua,etc.}!mcnc!ecsvax!dgary