What Is Cheaper 3 Phase Or Single Phase?

3 phase and single phase power are the power supply connection systems that provide power to a building. Single phase systems are commonly used in residential homes and smaller commercial spaces. It transports the electricity through two wires, the active wire draws the electricity from the grid to the place while the neutral wire is connected to ground in the switchboard to help with preventing electrical issues. Single phase power will have electricity transported in a single sine wave because of the two wire conductors that are within the system. 

3 phase power will be mainly used in larger homes or homes with more electrical systems and also in commercial and industrial buildings. There are four wires present within the three phase system, with there being three active wires drawing out power and one neutral wire. Due to there being 3 active wires there is a three sine wave present within the system.

To help more with comparing three phase and single phase power we highly recommend you to read our blog article with more information!

If you have single phase power then discussing with your electrician whether or not it should be installed is advised. A single phase system has 230V of power while three phase systems have up to 400V. This means that the higher voltage means more energy can be safely delivered to the property. The electric motors of the three phase power is also more effective and efficient overall compared to single phase ones. They experience fewer issues with the power supply, such as fewer chances of power dips or lights flickering. This is important when homes and buildings have more systems and equipment running that take more power. 

Read our blog ‘why you should upgrade to 3 phase power’ for more detailed information about the benefits of 3 phase power.

The electrical distributor will need to be contacted first to see if 3 phase power is available in the area where the cable running from the street to the home will need to be able to supply the three phase power. A licensed level 2 asp electrician will be needed to install and work on upagrading the home to 3 phase. This includes upgrading the switchboard, the electricity meter and all the three phase circuit breakers. New wires will need to be installed where they will be connected from the switchboard and then onto the systems that will use the 3 phase power. Ensure that there is proper planning for the 3 phase power upgrade as there are many components involved and they need to be done correctly. 

At times to make the conversion easier using Rotary Power Converter units will help. This smaller box utilises a pilot motor and a power transformer to generate power from the single phase into 3 phase. They are also semi-portable allowing up to 400V in power but are expensive to initially purchase. If three phase power for the whole home is not possible then choosing this option can help.