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Okay so I live in the western world, but have a home in the Philippines. The problem I have is that any hardware I have purchased there for the house is poorly made and has caused me problems. What I mean by hardware are the basics; breaker panels, breakers, outlets and switches. The area I am in uses single phase 220/ 50 VAC. The outlets either don't work at all, or spark and eventually short when plugging something into them. The breakers eventually short and burn up as a product of this and other reasons. What I want to know is if I spend money buying these items in the USA and ship them there to install in place of the local items, will they work without issue or will there be a problem caused by incorrect resistance and so on? If so I may have to look at a neighboring country to find better made replacements.

Curious Bruce

Most appliances could have a problem if designed for 220V and plugged into 120V, or the reverse. As example, for desktop PC, you may have a switch in order to be usable under either 120V, either 220V. Turn the switch into the right position before plugging the appliance.

220V design over a 120V outlet may try to pump too much current (Ampere) and trigger the breakers; the reverse may just be too much voltage for the components (including capacitors).

North American appliances do not use 50Hz, but 60Hz. That may turn into a problem if there are large inductors (motors, rectifiers, ...).

In your situation, I would buy locally and use the legal (or bought) warranties coming the new appliances.