answersLogoWhite

0

In general the answer has to be: "Not if it has been designed and wired to run only on the 50 Hz mains frequency system that is used in Singapore, Europe and elsewhere." The mains frequency in 230 Volt areas is 50 Hz (Cycles per second) compared to 60 Hz in US, Canada and other 120/240 Volt areas. Some 50 Hz appliances may work fine but others with simple motors will run too fast on the higher frequency of 60 Hz.

However the most important difference is how the Neutral wire is connected:

In a 240 Volts 50 Hz appliance has 3 wires altogether, a "Ground" conductor, one single 240 volt "live" or "hot" wire and a Neutral wire connected as a return to the single "hot".

An appliance designed to run on 240 Volt 60 Hz supply has 4 wires altogether: a safety "Ground" conductor and 3 further wires, namely a Neutral wired as a "central" common return conductor and two 120 Volt 60 Hz live "hot legs" which run in opposing phase to one another. When one hot leg is "+" (120 Volts positive) the other leg is "-" (120 Volts negative).

So there is a 240 Volt voltage difference between the "Neutral" and the "Hot" conductor in the 50 Hz system and only a 120 Volt voltage difference between the "Neutral" and the "Hot"conductors in the 60 Hz system. At the point where the "Neutral" gets connected to the "Ground" (not necessarily in the appliance itself but at the main breaker panel) this difference will cause serious problems!

That is why an appliance designed to be connected onto the 50 Hz system cannot be used safely on the 60 Hz system without first having proper technical modification work done. A licensed electrician or electrical engineer would be able to consider whether or not a particular large appliance, that was manufactured to work on 50 Hz-only, could be modified to run safely at the higher 60 Hz frequency. However it won't usually be worth the expense of doing the work because it would be more cost-effective to buy (new or secondhand) an equivalent large appliance designed to work on 60 Hz. Further information which may be useful to mention here but is not part of the answer to this question:Some small 50 Hz appliances, such as electric shavers, etc., have been designed to run safely on different supply voltages and frequencies. If that is so, it would be stated on their rating plates. In many cases, where the power needed is low, such as (say) less than 30 Watts, a cheap and simple "International Travel Socket Adapter" is all that is needed to make such an appliance plug-in and work. Many international airports have shops selling such adapters. <><><>

As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power

at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND

always use an electrician's test meter having metal-tipped probes

(not a simple proximity voltage indicator)

to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized. : IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

Why is hot water faster to become solid than the cold water inside refrigerator?

The fact that hot water may freeze faster than cold is often called the Mpemba effect


Can you refrigerate boiled water?

Yes, you can refrigerate boiled water. It is safe to drink, and storing it in the refrigerator will help it to cool down faster for drinking later.


What causes the banana to turn brown in the refrigerator?

A banana will turn brown whether or not it is in a refrigerator. However, a banana will turn brown faster in a cold space, such as refrigerator, than if left in a space that is at room temperature. The skin of a banana turns brown or black faster in a refrigerator, but the banana meat itself does not ripen that much more. In fact, it is recommended that ripened bananas be frozen to preserve them even longer. The cold temperature of a refrigerator encourages an enzyme (polyphenyl oxidase), which is naturally found in the banana, to polymerise phenols in the banana skin into polyphenols. Polyphenols are similar to melanin, the pigment responsible for the color in our skin. This is what blackens the skin of the bananas. Despite the color, the cold temperature will keep bananas firmer than a banana that has been left at room temperature for the same amount of time. The enzymes that break the starch into sugar, which makes the banana soft and ripe, work better at room temperature.


Does bread mold faster in the refrigerator than at room temperature?

No. Mold will grow faster on bread that is stored at room temperature because bacteria will grow more quickly in warmer, more humid environments. However, it is generally believed that bread will go stale faster when stored at typical refrigerator temperatures, meaning it might not taste as good.


Why store DNA in refrigerator until testing?

Keeping things cool slows down reactions. For example you put meats and high risk foods in the fridge to slow down the bacteria and to prevent the action of microbes. Like in science to make a reaction happen faster you add heat to it, but this causes the reaction to happen faster but it also causes the unwanted reactions to happen faster, that's why people use a catalyst. But putting things in the fridge slows down these reactions and preserves them for later use.

Related Questions

Does a banana spoil faster on a counter or refrigerator?

the refrigerator


Will a banana brown faster in the refrigerator or on the counter the average?

in the refrigerator


Why does a banana go brown faster in the refrigerator?

The skin goes brown faster in the refrigerator, while the fruit does not ripen further.


Will the brand of the banana determine whether the banana will brown faster on the counter or in the refrigerator?

It does not matter what brand. Bananas turn brown faster in the refrigerator.


Does soda lose its fizz faster in a room or in the refrigerator?

Soda loses its fizz faster in a room compared to in the refrigerator. This is because the cold temperature in the refrigerator helps to retain the carbon dioxide gas in the soda, which is responsible for the fizziness.


How fast are molecules in a refrigerator moving as compared to a freezer?

Molecules in a refrigerator move faster than in a freezer because the temperature in a refrigerator is warmer than in a freezer. The higher temperature in a refrigerator causes molecules to have more kinetic energy and move at a faster pace compared to those in a freezer.


Do blueberries rot faster on the counter or refrigerator?

Blueberries rot faster on the counter.


Do bananas rot faster in the light or in the refrigerator?

In light, because in a refrigerator bacteria is less likely to survive as long as outside of a refrigerator


Do tomatoes spoil faster at room temperature or in a refrigerator?

they spoil faster at room temperature


Why are the molecules moving faster in a refrigerator than a freezer?

In a refrigerator, the temperature is higher than in a freezer, causing the molecules to have more energy and move faster. This increased movement leads to a faster rate of heat transfer, which helps to cool the refrigerator's contents more quickly compared to a freezer.


Does water evaporate faster inside or outside or in the frigerator?

Water is evaporated faster outside a refrigerator.


Does food in a small refrigerator spoil faster than a large refrigerator?

If they are both set at and holding the same temperature - No.