Ask Me Help Desk - Frigidaire dryer really 220 volts?

Hi.I bought a frigidaire dryer model aeq6700fe-blk.Because I was going to argentina, I bought it 110/220/60hz.Invoice,unit and everywhere says 220, but I contacted electrolux argentina official service, and they told me that only the timer or small things were really 220, but the unit itseld is 110, and if I want to use it in argentina,where I live, I need to use a transformer .Can you confirm to me if that is true or false?it cost s me a lot of money to buy it and bring it here, and wouldn't like to plug it in in 220 vts and lose everything.regards

Quote:

Originally Posted by pepeargento

i bought it 110/220/60hz.

Please explain this statement.

If the electrical tag say 220V then its 220V. If tag says 110/220/V that could mean that it can operate on either 110 or 220V or it could mean that some components are 110V and some are 220V. Never seen a dryer marked that way. Generally markings of 110/220V means that it can be wired to operate either way.
If you have 220V service you shouldn't need a transformer. 110V service is just one side of 220V service.

Argentina is 220. No 120 V except in airports. There isn't going to be the two 120 V out of phase circuits that make 240 V in the US.

Your dealing with two wires that supply 220 volts. One will be called line and the other Neutral, but don't get the neutral terminology confused with the US terminology for neutral.

The 240/120 designation may mean it requires a Neutral here in the US. Meaning it requires 4 wires rather than 3. It's not likely that a dryer is 120V only. I also believe that the 220 for the controls and 120 for the dryer is backwards. It likely needs 240 for the heating element and 120 V for the controls.

Using what's called a "control transformer" is common even in the US when only a small amount of power is required to operate the timers, lights, valves etc.

Now it also might be like ranges where the US neutral and ground are jumped together in the dryer if a 4-wire circuit is unavailable.

You can help a little if you can determine if there are instructions for a 3 wire or a 4 wire cord and if there is a neutral ground jumper that can be removed or inserted.

Without further information, it's somewhat impossible to know what it needs. A wiring diagram would be most helpful. There are a lot of unknowns.

I'm confident that only a rather small transformer would be required. Probably 200 Watts tops. These are inexpensive.

Hi,and thank you for your reply.inside the dryer; ths is what it says:
120/240vac-60hz-23amps
120/208vac-60hz-21amps
Also,here is the wiring instructions,this is the link from frigidaire
ftp://ftp.electrolux-na.com/ProdInfo...0ts_wd_EFS.pdf
Again,your help is greatly apprecciated

It appears the dryer can be installed using 240V or 120V. What you provided is the data sheet that a repairman would need . There is probably installation instructions some where. Conversion from 240V to 120V appears to be moving one wire. The 240V setup appears to be a combination 240 and 120V setup. Thus requiring both voltages be available. If that is correct ,you would have to have a transformer to convert some power to 120V.

At this time I am unable to say weather or not the dryer can be set to operate on 240V alone. Look for installation instructions.

In the US we use 120V power. That is 120V between the wire and the ground. If we need 240V power we connect to a second 120V line. This second 120V line is in the opposite phase. That is when one is pushing the other is pulling. Thus we have both voltages available.

What KISS is saying (I think) is that Argentina uses a 220V to ground. If that is correct the only way for you to get the 120V needed, is through a transformer.

Hk: Read carefully.

Peppear:

I lost what I typed, so quickly. Your dryer is electric. Correct?

The schematics are for a gas and electric dryer. The gas dryer uses only 120, The electric 120/240 V similarly like a range. If a 4 wire service is available it would use all 4. If a 3 wire service was already in place, it would use 3.

You would need a transformer. 1000 VA would likely work, but might be a little large.
This can give you an idea of the costs: Step Up Transformer,Step Up Transformers,Step Up Voltage Transformer,Step Up Voltage Transformers,St

I did come up with what would have to be change, but I lost it and I'd have to do it again.

It's an exercise in terminology flipping, but in esscense the ground neutral connection in the dryer diagram needs to be removed and a 220/120 step down transformer needs to create the Neutral on the dryer side.

Those modifications could be made in the US and tested. Whenever you deal with modifying a piece of equipment, you risk liability issues. Whenever you modify/build anything involving power, things get expensive.

So, you need a box containing:
A transformer 220/120 (1000 VA or less)
An Argentina power cord with plug ( or equlivelent)
A US receptacle (To mount on box)
A US 4 wire power cord (to connect to dryer)

Do you think you want to pursue this avenue at all? It's not going to be cheap. Estimated cost: $100 to $150 and there is the extra shipping charges for a transformer and the washer.