What are single phase and three phase

connections and how to choose between the

two?
A few days back a friend asked: My society is going for three phase
connection, should I go for it? What impact will it have on my bills and also
what is the benefit of using three phase connection? He has 2 ACs and
everything else that a regular upper middle class family would have in his
house. His was a single-phase connection and everything was working
fine. So the doubt about going for a three-phase connection was obvious.
We suggested him to continue with his single-phase connection and we
gave following explanation to him:

What are single phase and three phase

connections?
Most of us know that in the world of electricity, current through the wires
carry electricity that light our bulbs and run our appliances. The type of
current that is supplied from electricity grid is Alternating Current (or AC). In
a single-phase supply, a single alternating current in supplied through a
single wire, whereas in a three-phase system 3 wires carry alternating
current with a definite time offset in between the voltage waves.

In India a single-phase supply is a 230V supply through two wires and 3-

phase supply is 415 V supply through 4 wires and in the house the line can
be divided to give 230V at individual point. The basic difference between
the two is that a three-phase connection can handle heavy load while a
single-phase cannot.

To give an analogy to help you understand the difference, lets take an

example of a highway. If the highway is a single lane highway, only a few
two wheelers may go on it in parallel, or if we try to squeeze, we may put
two cars running in parallel. But beyond that things will not move, whereas
if we have a 3-lane highway, lot of vehicles can move together in parallel.
Even on a single-phase highway, number of vehicles that can run together
also depends on the size of vehicles. A car and a two-wheeler may easily
go in parallel on a single-lane highway, but a truck may just have to be left
alone.
Similarly consider single-phase as a single lane highway and three-phase
as a multilane highway. There is a limit to the load that a single phase can
handle and typically that number is set to 7.5 kW (or 7500 watts or 10
Horse Power). So if sum of wattage of all the appliances that you are
running at a time is more than 7.5 kW, then you need a three-phase
connection. And you can get to 7.5 kW if you have three 1.5 ton ACs and
a water heater all running together. Or you have a machine that has a
motor that is more than 10 HP. If the load is less than 7.5 kW, then a
single-phase connection can easily handle it.

Note: A lot of people have misconception that Air Conditioners require

three-phase connection. Which actually is not true because all ACs have
motors designed to run on single-phase. Only if you have more than 3 ACs
that are all in use together you may need a three-phase connection.

But I have a three-phase connection and my

electricity distribution company assigned me
that?
After reading the above explanation, a few people may think that I do not
run so many ACs together, then why has my distribution company assigned
me a three-phase connection? Well it is quite interesting to note, that in
North America, as rule three-phase connections are meant only for
commercial and industrial connections and residential connections are
always assigned single-phase connections. But in India we have observed
with most distribution companies that if the residential connected load is
more than 5-7 kW, they assign a three-phase connection to that house.
And typically connected load is evaluated by assuming that a certain
percentage of all the appliances in your house will run together. So if you
have 3 ACs and few water heaters and even if you do not run them
together, a three-phase connection will be assigned to you. The reason for
that is, in case you run them together, it will have potential to bring down
the electricity distribution system.

Are there any benefits of three phase

connection?
The benefit that a three-phase connection provides is that it gives flexibility
to divide the load in a setup on three different phases. So for example if
there are three Air Conditioners, then each can be setup on each of the
phase, thus not putting excess load on any one phase. In case one of the
phases fails due to a fault at the distribution point, the other two phases
keep running and this prevents complete blackout of the setup. So in your
house, if you have three rooms connected to each phase, then even if one
phase fails from the electricity distribution transformer, only one room will
not have electricity, but the other two will continue running.

What are the extra charges associated with a

three-phase connection
Typically it is observed that if the connected load in a house is more than 5-
7 kW, electricity distribution companies put a three phase connection in the
house (to know more about connected load check this link: Impact of
Connected Load on Fixed Charges in Electricity Bills). And obviously as it
offers extra load, there are charges associated with a three-phase
connection. First and foremost, as the connected load provided to the
house increases, so the fixed charges on the electricity connection may
increase. Also three phase meters are different from single-phase meters,
so the meter needs to be replaced. In some states, utilities have monthly
meter rent, whereas in others, there is an upfront charge for the meter. So
the change of meter will cause either an upfront charge of changing it, or
will change the meter rent on your bills.

Some people believe that to change to three-phase connection, they need

to change the wiring in the house. Please note that this is not required.
Your existing wiring can handle the three-phase connection and there is no
need to spend on changing the wires.

Note: A change in connection from single-phase to three-phase will not

increase energy charges on your electricity bill. So the number of units of
electricity you consume will remain the same (because they depend on the
wattage of your appliances and not on the electricity connection).

Conclusion
Typically a residential connection should not require a three-phase
connection, as most appliances that are used in a household do not need
such a connection. But if there are a lot of heavy appliances in a house,
then utilities might suggest going for a three-phase connection. Three-
phase connection comes for an extra cost, so one certainly needs to
evaluate if that is really required.
What's the difference between single phase and three phase?

Electricity is either connected at 230 or 240 volts (single-phase, which accounts for the
majority of domestic situations), or 400 and 415 Volts (three-phase). The latter is better
suited to providing for powerful appliances and fixed plant, and is more commonly used
by industrial and larger commercial users.
If ceramics is your hobby and you have an electric kiln in the garage, or if you have a
massive ducted air conditioning system, you might need three-phase power connected
to your home. This very much comes down to the particular appliance or hardware
you're using and you should check the voltage and power needs of the gear carefully
before making any assumptions. Even large energy consuming heaters and ovens are
single phase most of the time.

Single-phase comes to the home with two wires: active and neutral. The neutral wire is
connected to earth (water pipe, earth stake, etc.) at the switchboard.
Three-phase has four wires: three actives (called phases) and one neutral. The neutral
wire is earthed at the switchboard.
When is three phase more appropriate?

1. Big electric motors (usually more than 2 kilowatt) need three-phase power. This
includes large workshop equipment.

2. Large domestic installations sometimes have three-phase because it distributes the

total load in a way that ensures that the current in each phase is lower.

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For example: Imagine the total electrical load is 24 kilowatts (24,000 watts - that's a lot
for a domestic installation). For a normal, single-phase power supply at 240 volts, the
maximum current would be 100 amps. The current in amps multiplied by voltage in volts
gives power in watts (Power = voltage x current).
If a three-phase supply is available, then the 24,000 watts are divided by 3, meaning that
8000 watts is being used per phase. Now the current per phase is also down to a third of
what it would be with a single phase supply (about 30 amps per phase, rather than 100).
Putting that in perspective, ten 100 watt lighting fixtures represent 1 kilowatt of power,
which equates to a bit under 4 amps.

A word of caution though: connection fees for three-phase are higher, and there are
fixed annual charges as well for three-phase so dont contemplate it for a new home
unless you really need it.

Rural connections and SWER

Depending on your locality you may be connected to a SWER line. These are used in
many country areas. Single wire, earth return (SWER) delivers single phase power. Its
an economical way of distributing power, because only one transmission line (active) is
needed. There is no neutral - instead the earth is employed as the return conductor.

If three-phase motors have to be used, a single-phase to three-phase power converter

has to be installed by the electricity consumer.
3 phase supply contains 3 different 230volt phase supply lines 120 degree
apart from each other. When u do vector subtraction of any 2 phases or
measure voltage between any 2 phases u get line voltage of 415 volts

A 3 phase supply has three wire(R,Y,B), now the voltage across any one phase and
neutral is 230v, and we say 3 phase is 440v because we check the voltage between any
two phase(RY,YB,BR)

Basically the difference between line voltage and phase voltage must be understood.
Phase voltage is always lesser than line voltage. I think in a 3 phase system 440 volt is
the line voltage and 440/sqrt(3) is the phase voltage

Generally what we get is the rated output of a 3 -phase step-down transformer having
secondary voltage of 400V phase voltage (line-to-line), i.e. the transformers are
manufactured to supply 400V of secondary voltage. Since at home we only require a
single phase power the three phases are split into single phases along with neutral as a
return path to the current.

Now,Now,linevoltage=phasevoltage/3linevoltage=phasevoltage/3
Therefore,linevoltage=400/3=230V(approx.)Therefore,linevoltage=400/3=230V
(approx.)
These parameter are kept as standard parameters for manufacturing and supplying the
electrical power.

3 Phase Power vs Single Phase Power

How does Electrical Power work?

If youre not electrically minded, think of 3 Phase vs Single

Phase electric power as something easier to visualize like mechanical
power. Theyre very different, but both deliver power using pressure
(force) and flow (speed). In both the power delivered is calculated by
multiplying pressure (force) times flow (speed).

In mechanical power, many terms describe the pressure or force (Foot

Pounds, Pounds per Square Inch, etc.) and many terms describe the
speed or flow (Rotating Speed, Gallons per Minute, etc.). In
electric power, one term describes the pressure or force (Voltage) and
two terms describe the speed or flow (Current and Amperes).

In the earliest days Direct Current (DC), where the power flows in
one direction like a water hose, was the standard for delivering
electrical power. Now Alternating Current (AC), where the power
flow is constantly alternating direction, is the standard for delivering
electrical power.

The standard for delivering electrical power changed from Direct

Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) because Alternating
Current (AC) delivers electrical power more efficiently over long
distances.
In the US, 60 Hertz (cycles per second) is the Alternating Current
(AC) frequency.
In some countries, 50 Hertz (cycles per second) is the Alternating
Current (AC) frequency.
What is 1 (Single) Phase Power ?

If youre not electrically minded, think of 1 (Single) phase power

like a bicycle where only one leg (phase) is pushing on one pedal
rotating around a crankshaft axis (neutral).

1. Mechanically, power is calculated as leg pressure (Foot Pounds)

times speed (Rotating Speed).
2. Electrically, power is calculated as leg force (Voltage)
times flow (Current).
Single Phase power is a two wire Alternating Current (AC) power
circuit. Most people use it every day because its the most common
household power circuit and powers their lights, TV, etc. Typically
theres one power wire and one neutral wire and power flows between
the power wire (through the load) and the neutral wire.

In the US, 120V is the standard single phase voltage with one
120V power wire and one neutral wire.
In some countries, 230V is the standard single phase voltage with
one 230V power wire and one neutral wire.
What is 2 (Dual / Split) Phase Power ?

If youre not electrically minded, think of 2 (Dual / Split) phase

power like a bicycle where one leg (phase) can push on one pedal, or
both legs (phases) can push on both pedals (180 degrees out of phase
with one another) rotating around a crankshaft axis (neutral).

1. Mechanically, power is calculated as leg pressure (Foot Pounds)

times speed (Rotating Speed).
2. Electrically, power is calculated as leg force (Voltage)
times flow (Current).
Dual Phase or Split Phase power is also Single Phase because its a
two wire Alternating Current (AC ) power circuit. In the US, this is
the standard household power arrangement with two (Phase A, Phase
B) 120V power wires (180 degrees out of phase with one another)
like two bicycle pedals and one neutral wire. This arrangement is used
in most US households because of its flexibility.

Low power loads (lights, TV, etc.) powered using either either of
(2) 120V power circuits
High power loads (Water Heaters, AC Compressors) powered
using (1) 240V power circuit

What is 3 (Three) Phase Power ?

If youre not electrically minded, think of 3 (Three) phase power like

a three cylinder engine where three pistons (phases) located (120
degrees out of phase with one another) push rotating around
a crankshaft axis (neutral).

1. Mechanically, Im not sure how to calculate the power.

2. Electrically, power is calculated as cylinder force (Voltage)
times flow (Current) times 1.732 (Square Root of 3).
Three Phase power is a three wire Alternating Current (AC) power
circuit. Most US commercial buildings use a 3 Phase 4 Wire
208Y/120V power arrangement because of its power density and
flexibility. Compared to single phase, a 3 phase power arrangement
provides 1.732 (the square root of 3) times more power with the same
current and provides (7) power circuits.

Low power loads (Lights, etc.) powered using any of (3) 120V
single phase power power circuits
Medium power loads (Water Heaters, etc.) powered using any of
(3) 208V single phase power circuits
High power loads (HVAC Systems, etc.) powered using (1) 208V
three phase power circuit
Most US industrial facilities use a 3 Phase 4 Wire 480Y/277V power
arrangement because of its power density. Compared to 208V 3
Phase, 480V 3 Phase provides 2.3 (480 /208) times more power with
the same current or 43% (208/480) less current with the same power.
This yields additional benefits.

Reduced construction costs with smaller electrical service, wiring,

conduits, and electrical devices.
Reduced energy costs will less energy lost as electrical current
resistance (converted to heat).

What are the differences between live, earth and

neutral wire?
In order to flow, an electric current needs:
a complete circuit
something to push the current around the

circuit
An electric current is a flow of electric charge.
Conventional current flows from thepositive
terminal of the power source to the negative
terminal.
In wires charge is carried by negatively charged
electrons. These are free to move from atom to
atom in metals. They move in the opposite
direction to the conventional current.
Live, neutral and earth wires

The inside of a plug

A lot of mains powered appliances need three
wires to work safely. Only two of the wires are
used when the appliance works properly. These
are the live (brown) and the neutral (blue) wires.
The live wire carries current to the appliance at a
high voltage. The neutral wire completes
the circuit and carries current away from the
appliance. The third wire, called theearth wire
(green/yellow) is a safety wire and connects the
metal case of the appliance to the earth. This stops
a fault making the case of the appliance live.
Earthing of an electric cooker
If a fault occurs where the live wire connects to the
case, the earth wire allows a large currentto flow
through the live and earth wires. This overheats
the fuse which melts and breaks the circuit.
Appliances such as hairdryers are said to be
'double insulated' and there's no need for an earth
wire because the case is made of a non conducting
plastic. If a faulty live wire touches the inside of
the plastic case there's little risk as the case is
an insulator.
NEUTRAL WIRE The neutral wire returns the electricity to the generator after it
has passed through the appliance.The neutral wire completes the circuit.The
neutral wire is at approximately 0V0V but to be safe you must NEVER touch this
wire either. If the wiring is faulty it may be carrying the same electricity as the live
wire.
Does that not mean that both the live and neutral wires carry the same amount of current,
alternatively?
Yes,they do. As I have mentioned above. The live wire carries the current towards
domestic appliances and others instruments and the neutral wire emerges from
the appliance and carries the current back to source.

Why is the neutral wire called 'neutral'?

Basically it is so called as it is at 0V0V. Nothing else.
As there is AC supply, it means that there are no fixed positive and negative
terminals. Current rapidly switches direction. Does that not mean that both the
live and neutral wires carry the same amount of current, alternatively? Why is the
neutral wire called 'neutral'?

Since the neutral wire completes and electrical circuit (in terms of alternating
current) it carries the same current as the live or phase wire tracing back to the
generator, however, it's potential to earth is nearly 0V0V. The voltage between
the phases to earth would be 220V220V, so the phase wire would alternate
current direction between maximum positive and maximum negative peaks of the
AC cycle.

Neutral is used in an AC system, a single or multi phase system ...

the hot wire has different names depending on your country of
origin 3 common ones ... Live, Active, Phase

there no such line called neutral in the DC system.

In DC we have either the positive terminal or the
negative terminal as it can be observed in
a battery. The electrons flow from the negative
terminal to the positive terminal in the external
circuit.
Whereas in AC system there is no positive and
negative terminals because the positive and
negative terminals changes periodically at a rate of
60 cycles per second in a 60 Hz AC system. There
will only be phases and a neutral. The neutral
point is tapped from the neutral point (central
point) of a star connected system.

There are no neutral links in DC systems. There must

clear, positive connections between the power source,
the equipment for both positive and negative terminals
for DC systems to work. Take a look at a battery
operated torch. In cars / vehicles, generally the negative
of the battery is earthed to the body of the vehicle; which
itself is used as a / one conductor. The positive
connection is through switches / wires; as required.

Return path/ground for AC and DC

single phase and three phase systems
Can you please explain what a return path or ground means for an AC and DC circuits/transmission
systems. How does the fault current flow for a 3 phase AC system where there is no ground
conductor/earthing available?

In DC the negative terminal wire acts as a ground

though it isn't the ground wire. Whereas in AC
There is and must be a ground wire for each line
wire of a 3 phase AC system.

3 Phase AC : It consists of R Y B lines, along with one neutral and one ground wire.

If 3 phase load is balanced, and also if generator system is perfectly balanced then EQUAL current
flows through all 3 wires and NO CURRENT flows through the neutral line. In case of unbalanced n/w
the neutral current wont be zero. But in all the cases no current flows through ground wire.

For 1 Phase AC :
Connection is taken from one of 3 Line wires (R / Y / B) and neutral wire and ground wire. Return
path will be neutral wire. (Here the question of balanced or unbalanced doesn't arise.)

Only in case of fault, current flows through earth wire , otherwise no current flows through ground.

Note that Return path is different and ground wire is different.

If no ground wire is provided and unfortunately fault occurs , then at the

Return path/ground for AC and DC single phase and three phase systems.

terminal of fault there will be heavy currents flowing through the fault impedance which caused the
fault. Its very dangerous hence ground wire must be provided. If ignored then it can cause death of
the personnel as well.
Return path/ground for AC and DC single phase and three phase systems.