Three-phase
Three-phase meaning for Australian 400 V a.c. notes, board records and calculator inputs.
Three-phase in Australian records
Three-phase describes an a.c. arrangement using three phase or line conductors. AUWiring commonly uses it beside Australian 400 V line-to-line context, especially for load-current conversion, switchboard notes, phase balancing and cable calculations.
The term should stay attached to the voltage basis and the value being reviewed. A three-phase kW-to-current calculation, a phase-balancing worksheet and a voltage-drop note all use the phrase differently, even though they share the same supply arrangement label.
Where 400 V context appears
Three-phase wording appears in load-current calculators, phase-balancing tools, supply-voltage tables, switchboard load schedules and motor or generator notes. It confirms that the note is not using a single-phase relationship.
| Record context | Keep visible | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Load-current conversion | 400 V basis, power value and phase arrangement | Shows which current relationship the calculator used |
| Phase-balancing worksheet | per-phase loads or measured currents | Keeps balance review separate from supply type |
| Switchboard note | board role and connected load context | Prevents a three-phase label from hiding uneven single-phase loads |
Three-phase vs single-phase inputs
Three-phase is not proof that a load is balanced. A board can be three-phase while individual phase currents or single-phase loads remain uneven.
It is also not a conductor name. When the record needs conductor roles, active, neutral and protective earth should still be named separately.
Using three-phase values in tools
Use phase balancing for entered phase values. Use load current when converting three-phase kW, VA or kVA records. Use the supply-voltage table for public Australian context, then let the project value control the calculator input where required.
Source and review
Check the terminology source, review timing and Australian application before carrying this term into a project record.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | AUWiring Australian supply voltage table, terminology registry and released load-current calculator language. |
| Source type | Australian terminology |
| Derivation basis | AUWiring Australian glossary term; no controlled AS/NZS text is reproduced. |
| Last checked | 2026-07-13 |
| Review interval | Annual terminology review or sooner if supply-voltage wording changes. |
| Review trigger | Update when phase labels, supply table rows or phase-balancing calculator wording changes. |
| Version used | T09-2026-07-13 |
| Australian application | Australia; Australian English low-voltage a.c. terminology. |