Three-phase mains upgrades across south-east Melbourne
Single phase supply was sized for a house with a fridge and a television. Ducted air conditioning, an induction cooktop, a pool and a car charging overnight add up to more than the mains were ever asked to deliver.
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The house has outgrown the supply it was built with
Single phase was ample for a house with a fridge and a television. Add ducted heating, an induction cooktop and a car and it is not.
- The main switch trips when the air conditioning starts while the oven is on.
- Lights dim noticeably across the house when a large appliance cycles.
- A new appliance, spa or workshop machine specifies three-phase supply.
- The switchboard is full and the mains cable looks original to the house.
- You are adding ducted heating and cooling and the installer has asked about the supply.
- An EV charger quote came back saying the supply needs upgrading first.
- A building surveyor or your distributor has flagged the point of attachment.
- You are renovating and the plan roughly doubles the electrical load.
What a mains upgrade actually covers
The cable from the street to your board is only part of it. The distributor, the point of attachment and the switchboard all sit in the same job.
- Assessment of the existing mains, the point of attachment and the meter position before quoting.
- Maximum demand calculated for the load you actually intend to run, not a rule of thumb.
- Application and coordination with your electricity distributor, including any site inspection.
- Consumer mains replaced from the point of attachment to the switchboard.
- Switchboard replaced or reconfigured to take three-phase distribution.
- Load balanced across the phases so one is not carrying the house on its own.
- Meter panel work coordinated so the changeover happens in one outage rather than three.
- Testing, independent inspection and a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
About Three-phase mains upgrade
Single phase, three phase, and what changes
Most Melbourne homes are fed by a single phase supply, which was ample for a house running a fridge, a television and an electric stove. Three phase brings three active conductors instead of one, which raises the total the property can draw and lets large appliances start without dragging the voltage down across the house.
The visible symptom of running out of single phase capacity is lights dimming when the air conditioning starts, or the main switch tripping when two large appliances coincide.
You may not need three phase
This is worth saying plainly, because three phase is a significantly larger job than the alternative. A lot of homes told they need it actually need a properly sized single phase mains and a bigger switchboard.
The way to know is a maximum demand calculation against the equipment you actually intend to run, not a rule of thumb. We do that before recommending anything, and we would rather tell you the cheaper answer than sell you the bigger job.
What the work involves
- Assessment of the existing mains, the point of attachment and the meter position.
- Maximum demand calculated against your intended load.
- Application to your electricity distributor, including any site inspection they require.
- Consumer mains replaced from the point of attachment to the board.
- Switchboard replaced or reconfigured for three phase distribution.
- Load balanced across the phases so one is not carrying the house alone.
The distributor is the long pole
Your electricity distributor owns everything up to the point of attachment and the metering. Any change there is theirs to approve and often theirs to carry out, and their timeframe is typically one to three weeks.
That is the part of this job nobody can compress. If you have plant, a pool or a charger arriving on a date, start the conversation early rather than when the equipment lands.
We quote the job in front of us
No rate card, because the honest number depends on things nobody can see from a website. Estimates are free.
03 9889 3341Not urgent? Send the details and we will come back to you within one business day.
Standards this work is held to
Mains work is prescribed electrical work. It carries a Certificate of Electrical Safety and an independent inspection by a Licensed Electrical Inspector. It also involves your electricity distributor, who owns everything up to the point of attachment, and their timeframes are outside our control. We tell you that before you book rather than after.
The installation is designed and tested to AS/NZS 3000, including a maximum demand assessment. That calculation is the part worth paying attention to: it decides the cable size, and a mains upgrade sized to today’s load rather than the next ten years is a job you pay for twice.
How long it takes
- Assessment and quote
- A site visit, usually within a few days. Free.
- Distributor approval
- Typically one to three weeks and outside our control. We lodge it as soon as you approve the quote.
- On site
- One to two days, with the power off for most of one of them.
- Certificate
- After independent inspection, usually within a few days of completion.
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Symon did a brilliant job replacing my bathroom fan. He quoted me $700 when another company quoted me over $2k for the same job! Symon was easy to communicate with, performed the job quickly and tidied up after himself. Would…
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Highly recommend Simon and STL Electrical. One of our mains tripped during a freak thunderstorm resulting in no power to part of our kitchen (incl fridge) and internet. Simon was a lifesaver and kind enough to respond to an after…
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Three-phase mains upgrade questions we get asked
Do I actually need three phase?
Often not. Plenty of homes that are told they need it really need a properly sized single phase mains and a bigger board. We do the maximum demand calculation before recommending it, because three phase is a significantly larger job and we would rather not sell you one you do not need.
How long will the power be off?
Most of one working day for the changeover. If that is difficult, tell us when you book and we will schedule around it.
Why does the distributor have to be involved?
They own the supply up to the point of attachment and the metering. Any change to that is theirs to approve and often theirs to carry out. Their timeframe is the part of this job we cannot compress.
Can it be done at the same time as a switchboard upgrade?
Yes, and it should be. Doing them separately means paying twice for the same outage and the same inspection.
Will it reduce my power bill?
No. It changes what you can run, not what you pay per unit. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling something.
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03 9889 3341Not urgent? Send the details and we will come back to you within one business day.