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| Running an US Fridge Compressor in Europe? |
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| vk6zgo:
--- Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on October 13, 2018, 09:42:18 am ---Can't run a 60Hz AC motor at 50Hz, you're going to fry it! Why? Because the inductors are going to enter saturation => overheat => short or even worse: catch fire. --- End quote --- That's why I like universal motors---- they don't care what the frequency is! |
| james_s:
--- Quote from: vk6zgo on October 16, 2018, 12:44:32 am --- --- Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on October 13, 2018, 09:42:18 am ---Can't run a 60Hz AC motor at 50Hz, you're going to fry it! Why? Because the inductors are going to enter saturation => overheat => short or even worse: catch fire. --- End quote --- That's why I like universal motors---- they don't care what the frequency is! --- End quote --- They also make a hell of a racket, and they have carbon brushes that require maintenance. Wouldn't work well in a hermetic compressor. |
| Zero999:
--- Quote from: james_s on October 16, 2018, 12:47:41 am --- --- Quote from: vk6zgo on October 16, 2018, 12:44:32 am --- --- Quote from: GeorgeOfTheJungle on October 13, 2018, 09:42:18 am ---Can't run a 60Hz AC motor at 50Hz, you're going to fry it! Why? Because the inductors are going to enter saturation => overheat => short or even worse: catch fire. --- End quote --- That's why I like universal motors---- they don't care what the frequency is! --- End quote --- They also make a hell of a racket, and they have carbon brushes that require maintenance. Wouldn't work well in a hermetic compressor. --- End quote --- Yes, the arcing would cause decomposition of the refrigerant, both by ionisation and photo-degradation due to the emitted UV radiation. Refrigeration units designed to work off batteries, just use lower voltage AC motors and run them of an inverter. --- Quote from: station240 on October 15, 2018, 06:04:24 pm ---I have to wonder if having a refrigeration technician fit a replacement compressor would be an affordable option. Find out what model number is on the sticker attached to the compressor, see if there is a 220/240V 50Hz version. --- End quote --- Probably more expensive, than buying a new wine cooler, but if that particular unit has some sentimental value, it would make sense. |
| SeanB:
Pretty likely the compressor is going to run fine on 50Hz provided the voltage is correct, as most compressors are designed to run on 50 or 60Hz, as they are world wide supplied items, and making a 60Hz only version is something less economical. The lower speed will mean lower capacity and lower flow rates, but most of the time it really makes little difference in the application. |
| james_s:
I just looked at a small hermetic compressor I have sitting here and it does indeed say 115V 60Hz/100V 50Hz, I had never noticed that before. On 50Hz though it will be spinning 20% slower and that could result in rather poor performance, especially with domestic refrigerators which invariably use a simple capillary tube expansion device instead of a proper TXV. It won't hurt anything to try, but I'd give it a 50% chance of providing satisfactory performance. A small VFD may be a viable option, they are normally used with 3 phase motors but some of them are capable of driving a single phase motor. Changing the compressor is something I might try as a hobby project but that's only because I already have all the tools to service refrigeration equipment. It certainly wouldn't be worth paying someone to do it though, coming up with a source of 120V 60Hz would surely be more cost effective. |
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