US 2x110 volt 60Hz the same as 220Volt 50Hz


I have four solid state monoblocks in Germany, which I would love to try in my system here in the US. I have a 2x110 volt=220 Volt - 60 Hz line here in the US and would like to know, if I could use my German amps which need 220 Volt but only 50 Hz. So basically it is the same voltage but the Hz, 60 Hz here in the US, versus 50 Hz in Germany.
I talked to the German manufacturer and he told me ,it would be quite expensive to change the power supply, since a lot of labor would be involved. These amps have no switching power supplies.
Anybody here with enough technical knowledge to help me?
Not only do I need to know, if I can run my amps, but what about the sound quality? I know I can run German 220 Volt equipment on this line, I have a power washer from Germany, which has been working fine for years, but there, the sound quality does not matter of course.
tekunda

Showing 2 responses by albertporter

The only safe thing to do is contact the manufacturer and ask them if the design will be harmed by 60 HZ.

I assume the 2 X 110 (actually 2 X 120 Volt) line you speak of here in the USA is single phase and not three phase.

Normal clothes dryer connections are 2 ea 120 Volt, plus ground. Those two legs are the two lines coming in from the service provider. Note also that US electrical is not 180 degrees (exact opposite) phase. Usually like 120 degrees, and can cause some loss of efficiency. Again, direct this info to the German manufacturer and ask if the equipment will be harmed by this setting.
Anfield, no your math is not wrong, the confusion comes from two different types of electrical in the USA. Many areas, including my own home are three phase. There is Delta three phase, where two legs are 120 to 138 degrees apart, and two phase, where they are 180 degrees apart.

The two phase is typically 120 volts per leg, making 240 volt, not 220 volt. Delta three phase is 208 volt and if our friend using German amps were to hook up to this configuration, it could actually start a fire.

My intention was to make potential users aware that their electrical should be approved by the manufacturer first and then checked to see if service provided is what is approved for that product.

At my home the three phase Delta is used to more efficiently power my large air conditioner for the long hot Texas summers.

I also use 220 for my power amps, but for that use, the feed is the same as for our clothes dryer. 240 volt which is derived from 120 phase one and 120 phase two with ground.