How to Get 3-Phase Power at Home: Your Complete Upgrade Roadmap

You can get 3-phase power at home by upgrading your connection through your local energy distributor and hiring a licensed electrician to upgrade your switchboard. The process typically costs between $3,000 and $6,000+ depending on whether your existing service line needs replacing. It’s essential for fast EV charging (22kW) or running heavy workshop machinery like welders and large motors.

This guide walks you through the entire process, from working out whether you actually need the upgrade to understanding exactly who does what during installation.

Before spending thousands on an upgrade, let’s work out if you genuinely need 3-phase power or if single-phase will handle your needs perfectly well.

The key factor is your total electrical load. Single-phase connections in Australia typically max out at 63 Amps, which translates to roughly 14kW of continuous demand. Once you start stacking high-draw appliances—ducted air conditioning pulling 8kW, a heat pump drawing 3kW, and an EV charger adding another 7kW, you’re pushing the limits.

Grab a pen and add up the wattage of your heavy appliances:

• Ducted air conditioning: _____ kW
• Pool heat pump: _____ kW
• EV charger: _____ kW
• Workshop equipment: _____ kW
• Hot water system: _____ kW
• Other large appliances: _____ kW

Total: _____ kW

If your total exceeds 14kW and multiple items run simultaneously, 3-phase power will distribute that load across three separate circuits, preventing overload and nuisance tripping.

The total cost depends on two separate components: what your network provider charges and what your electrician charges.

Your network provider (Ausgrid, Energex, Powercor, etc.) handles everything from the street to your property boundary. They quote separately for running new cables from the pole or underground pit to your meter box location.

Your licensed electrician handles everything on your side of the meter, the switchboard upgrade, consumer mains cables, and coordinating the paperwork.

The network provider’s portion typically ranges from $500 for a simple overhead reconnection to $5,000+ for extensive underground work. Your electrician’s portion, including the switchboard upgrade, new consumer mains, and labour, usually sits between $2,500 and $4,500.

A common question: is 3-phase power cheaper to run? The honest answer is no—not directly. Your daily supply charge is often slightly higher with 3-phase, and the per-kilowatt-hour rate is typically identical. However, 3-phase motors run more efficiently than single-phase equivalents, which can reduce consumption for workshop equipment.

Here’s a quick way to check your current setup:

Walk outside and look at the cable connecting your house to the street (or the pit if you’re underground). Count the wires:

• Two wires (active + neutral): You have single-phase. The upgrade requires new cabling.
• Four wires (three actives + neutral): You may already have 3-phase available to your property. Your electrician just needs to connect and upgrade your switchboard.

If you spot four wires but your meter box only shows single-phase, you could save significantly on network costs, the infrastructure might already be there.

The upgrade process involves coordination between three parties: your electrician, the network provider, and your electricity retailer. Here’s how it unfolds.

Your licensed electrician visits your property to assess your electrical demand and inspect your current switchboard. They’ll determine what capacity you need (typically 63A or 80A per phase for residential) and prepare a Service Application to submit to your network provider.

This application includes details about your expected load, switchboard location, and any site-specific factors. Processing time varies by network, expect one to four weeks for approval.

Once approved, your network provider sends you an offer detailing the connection cost and any infrastructure work required. This covers:

• Running new cables from the pole or pit to your property
• Installing or upgrading the fuses at the pole
• Any transformer upgrades if your street’s supply is insufficient

You’ll need to accept and pay this quote (or a deposit) before they schedule the work.

Your electrician upgrades your switchboard to accommodate 3-phase supply. This involves:

• Installing a new 3-phase main switch
• Running new consumer mains cables from your switchboard to the meter position
• Reconfiguring circuits to balance loads across phases
• Installing any new circuit breakers for high-draw equipment

This work happens before the network crew arrives, so everything’s ready for connection.

The network provider’s crew arrives for the “truck appointment.” They’ll:

• De-energise your existing supply (you’ll lose power temporarily)
• Connect the new 3-phase cables from the street
• Install new fuses at the pole or pit
• Energise the new supply

Your electrician typically needs to be present or available during this stage to make the final connections at your switchboard.

Your electricity retailer (AGL, Origin, Energy Australia, etc.) arranges installation of a new 3-phase smart meter. This is sometimes coordinated with the network connection or scheduled separately within a few days.

Once the meter’s in, you’re fully operational on 3-phase power.

If electric vehicle charging is your main reason for considering 3-phase, there’s a critical factor many people overlook: your car’s onboard charger capacity.

Every EV has a built-in charger that converts AC power from your wall charger to DC power for the battery. This onboard charger has a maximum acceptance rate and installing a 22kW charger won’t help if your car can only accept 7kW.

Even if your current EV only accepts 7kW, there’s a case for installing 3-phase infrastructure now:

• Your next vehicle might have a higher-capacity onboard charger
• 3-phase balances your home’s total electrical load better
• Installation costs are lower when done as part of a single project
• Property value may benefit from the upgraded electrical capacity

However, if budget is tight and your current EV maxes out at 7kW, a single-phase 32A circuit delivers exactly the same charging speed at a fraction of the cost.

Before committing to the upgrade, it is worth calculating the real-world cost to charge an electric car in Australia to see if the investment makes sense for your daily commute.

Before committing to 3-phase for EV charging, look up your vehicle’s onboard charger rating. You’ll find this in:

• Your owner’s manual under “Charging Specifications”
• The manufacturer’s website
• The sticker inside the charging port door

If it shows 7kW or 7.4kW maximum AC charging, a 22kW 3-phase charger won’t make your car charge any faster. You’d be paying for capacity you can’t use—unless you’re planning for a future vehicle upgrade or have other high-draw equipment that justifies the investment.