| Cycles are the number of times
AC electric current "alternates" each second. In the US,
the rest of North and Central America and some of South America, the current
alternates 60 times per second, or "60Hz." In Europe and
most of the rest of the world, the current alternates 50 times each second,
or "50Hz."
Most
converters and transformers change voltage but do not change cycles in
their conversion process. Therefore it is important to know whether
the electric device will operate the same even though the AC current being
supplied is on a different cycle. As a rule of thumb, the appliances
that are most affected by cycle differences are those with motors such as turntables
and clocks. They will run faster or slower than they should depending
upon the cycle difference and may be damaged in the long run as a result. As with any rule of thumb, however, there
are many exceptions. The only way to be sure is to consult the appliance's
technical documentation or contact the manufacturer.
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