Upgrading from single-phase to 3-phase so you can run a 22kW EV charger, ducted air conditioning, induction cooking and a heat-pump hot water unit all at once — without tripping the main switch. A-Grade licensed, fixed-price quotes, certified to AS/NZS 3000.
Quick answer
A single-phase to 3-phase home upgrade in Melbourne typically costs $2,800–$6,500 and takes 1–2 days. You'll need it if you want a 22kW EV charger, large ducted air conditioning (above ~14kW), induction + electric oven + heat-pump hot water running together, or a workshop with 3-phase tools. Carbon Group handles the full job — switchboard upgrade, mains tail upgrade, Energy Safe Victoria compliance, and AusNet/Citipower coordination — under one fixed price.
3× the available current means EV charger, ducted aircon, induction cooktop and oven, and heat-pump hot water can all run together with headroom to spare.
Australia is going all-electric. 3-phase gives you capacity for a second EV, battery storage, pool heat pump or solar array up to 30kW.
22kW 3-phase charging adds ~120km of range per hour vs 40km/hr on single-phase 7kW. Useful if you drive long distances or share the charger.
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Single-phase Melbourne homes are typically capped around 16 kW (63 A × 240 V). 3-phase gives you ~48 kW (63 A × 415 V × 3 phases ÷ 1.732 effective). For an exact site assessment, book a free quote.
We check your existing switchboard, meter, mains tail, and street pit. Confirm if your distributor (AusNet, Citipower, Powercor, United Energy, Jemena) already has 3-phase at the street.
We lodge the connection upgrade form with your network distributor. Most approvals come through in 5–15 business days. We handle the paperwork.
New 3-phase main switch, RCBOs on every circuit, surge protection, dedicated EV/aircon circuits. Old ceramic fuses gone for good.
New 3-phase consumer mains from the meter box to the switchboard. Distributor swaps in a 3-phase smart meter (usually free).
Full insulation, polarity and earth fault testing. Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) lodged. Energy Safe Victoria compliant.
Real numbers from jobs we've done across Melbourne's east and south-east in the last 12 months. Your final price depends on your switchboard's current condition, mains tail length, and whether the street already has 3-phase.
Switchboard rebuild, new mains tail, RCBO on every circuit, distributor coordination, COES. Most Croydon, Ringwood, Box Hill homes fall here.
Includes licensed asbestos removal of old meter box and replacement with new compliant enclosure. Common in pre-1985 homes.
Distributor charges apply if a new pit, pole-mount or underground service line is needed. We coordinate the work and quote everything upfront.
Bundle and save: Doing your 3-phase upgrade with an EV charger, ducted aircon, or heat-pump hot water in the same visit usually saves $300–$700 on labour. See our EV charger, air conditioning, and general electrical pages.
Tesla, BYD, Polestar drivers wanting full 22kW home charging instead of 7kW single-phase. EV charger page →
Whole-home ducted reverse-cycle systems above 14kW capacity need 3-phase to start the compressor cleanly. Air conditioning page →
Replacing gas with induction, heat-pump hot water, electric oven and reverse-cycle heating. Single-phase often can't carry it.
Above 10kW solar, most Victorian distributors require 3-phase export. Same for whole-home batteries above 10kWh.
Welders, milling machines, lathes, commercial kitchen gear, big air compressors. We'll run a dedicated 3-phase sub-board to the workshop.
Ceramic fuses, no RCDs, asbestos meter boxes? Smart move to upgrade to 3-phase at the same time. Switchboard upgrades →
Croydon, Ringwood, Box Hill, Blackburn, Doncaster, Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Kilsyth, Bayswater, Boronia, Mitcham, Nunawading, Donvale, Warrandyte, Chirnside Park, Wantirna, Vermont, Forest Hill, Heathmont, Montrose and surrounding suburbs.
Distributors we work with: AusNet Services, CitiPower, Powercor, United Energy, Jemena.
Customer stories
Most Melbourne homes pay $2,800–$4,200 for a standard 3-phase upgrade where the street already has 3-phase. If you need a new asbestos-safe meter box, expect $3,800–$5,500. If the distributor needs to run a new street service, $4,500–$6,500 or more. We give you a fixed price on-site before any work starts.
Most upgrades take 1–2 days on site. Power is off for 2–4 hours while we change over the switchboard and mains tail. The distributor approval and meter swap can add 1–3 weeks of lead time before we can start.
Only if you want a 22kW charger. A 7kW single-phase charger covers 95% of Melbourne households and adds about 40km of range per hour — plenty for overnight charging. 22kW 3-phase makes sense if you drive over 100km a day, share the charger between two EVs, or already have 3-phase. See our EV charger page.
It depends on the system size. Most homes up to ~14kW capacity (covering a 4-bedroom home) run fine on single-phase. Larger ducted systems — say 16kW and up, or multi-zone systems with two compressors — usually need 3-phase to start cleanly without dipping voltage to the rest of the house. See our air conditioning page.
No. The supply tariff is the same — you pay for kWh used, not phases available. The only ongoing change is some retailers charge a slightly higher daily supply charge for 3-phase (around $0.10–$0.30 per day extra). Most homeowners save more than that by avoiding peak-rate EV charging or running heat-pump hot water on solar.
Yes — but we handle it. Every 3-phase upgrade in Victoria needs a connection upgrade application to your distributor (AusNet, Citipower, Powercor, United Energy or Jemena). We lodge the form, manage the approval, and coordinate the meter swap.
Yes — that's how it works. 3-phase delivers three single-phase circuits at 240V plus a combined 415V 3-phase supply. Lights, power points and most appliances still run on single-phase. Only the EV charger, big aircon compressor, or workshop machine uses the 3-phase 415V supply.
Generally yes. Most Victorian distributors cap single-phase solar export at 5kW per phase (so ~5kW total on single-phase, ~15kW total on 3-phase). If you're installing a 10kW+ system or planning battery storage, 3-phase is usually required.
Yes. We provide a 12-month workmanship warranty plus the manufacturer warranties on all switchboard components and RCBOs (typically 2–5 years). All work is certified under Energy Safe Victoria with a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) lodged.
Yes — and you should. Bundling saves $300–$700 on labour because we're already on-site with the switchboard open. Common combos: 3-phase + 22kW EV charger, 3-phase + ducted aircon, 3-phase + heat-pump hot water + induction cooktop.
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