Asma Aziz, Edith Cowan UniversityIf you’re building, renovating or planning to install a solar battery, your builder or installer might ask whether you’ve considered upgrading from single-phase to three-phase power. This upgrade often comes with a hefty price tag.
So what’s the difference between single-phase and three-phase power, and which one will you need?
Understanding your electricity needs
Each house service connection has a maximum amount of electricity that can be drawn from the grid at any one time before the main fuse blows. The limit varies, according to whether you have single- or three-phase power.
The amount is calculated by multiplying a house’s “amps” and “voltage”.
An “amp” is a unit of electric current. Most houses in Australia with single-phase connections have a standard capacity of 63 amps.
In New South Wales, the standard is 100 amps.
However, some older or rural homes in Australia may still have connections of 32 or 40 amps.
Then there’s voltage, which is the pressure that pushes the current through your wiring to power your house. Current and voltage values are determined by the local distribution network service provider, the company that owns and operates the poles and wires.
Since 2000, the standard voltage in most areas of Australia has been 230 volts. In Western Australia, it’s 240 volts....
