Want to install a heat pump or charging station without blowing your fuses? It all depends on your cables! Single or three-phase: find out what’s powering your home and whether your installation is ready for tomorrow.
It’s all in the wiring
The difference mainly comes down to the number of wires (and therefore the circuits) supplying electricity to your home.
Check how many wires connect the meter to your consumer unit:
- 2 wires? You have a single-phase 230 V connection (1 phase and 1 neutral wire).
- 3 wires? You have a three-phase 230 V connection (3 phases, no neutral wire).
- 4 wires? You have a three-phase 400 V+N connection (3 phases + 1 neutral wire).
Please note
The neutral wire (blue) is not the same as the earth wire (yellow-green). The earth wire protects you from electrocution in the event of a faulty appliance or cable.
Don’t fancy counting wires?
In practice, this is often more difficult. The connection between the meter and the switchboard is not always visible, especially in apartment buildings or older homes.
What can you do then? Look at your electricity meter. It usually has a symbol indicating how many phases your connection has. For example:
On traditional meters
On smart meters
230 V three-phase or 400 V three-phase?
If you have a three-phase connection, it could be 3 x 230 V or 3 x 400 V + N.
There are three simple ways to check this:
- The colour of the wires: Do you see a blue wire (neutral)? Then it is usually 400 V. Don't see a blue wire? Then it is usually 230 V.
- The icons: Your meter often has a diagram/icon showing the type of connection.
- The information on the meter: Sometimes it literally states whether your connection is 400 V (e.g. with a sticker or label).
The easiest way?
You can usually find all the details of your connection on your network operator's website using your EAN code. Do you live in Brussels? Then you can find it here.
How much power do I have?
The power of your installation depends on 3 elements:
- The voltage: this is expressed in volts (V).
- The current: expressed in amperes (A).
- The number of phases: one or three.
In a 400 V+N three-phase system, the voltage between each phase wire and the neutral wire is always 230 V. Between 2 phase wires, it is 400V.
This allows your home to be supplied with 230 V while also powering heavy-duty equipment at 400 V (such as certain EV charging points).
Here is a list of common capacities for homes:
| Number of phases | Single-phase | Three-phase | Three-phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 230 V | 230 V | 400 V+N |
| Current | 40 A | 32 A | 25 A |
| Power | 9.2 kVA | 12,7 kVA | 17.3 kVA |
Is it enough?
Both types of connection offer advantages, depending on your lifestyle and your home.
- A single-phase connection (9.2 kVA) is suitable for standard domestic use. All your appliances are connected to a single circuit. This is usually sufficient for a flat or a terraced house without high-energy appliances.
- A three-phase connection is better suited if you combine several powerful appliances with different voltages. Think, for example, of a heat pump or an EV charging point.
How much electrical power do I need for my home?
No more tripping breakers! Discover the right power capacity for your usage and find out when it’s truly time for an electrical upgrade.
Special plugs for three-phase?
No. For ordinary household appliances, you still use standard sockets with 2 pins and an earth connection, even with a three-phase connection.
You only need a three-phase sockets for appliances that actually operate on three phases, such as a professional oven. These are round sockets with 4 pins and an earth connection, connected to 5 wires: 3 phases, a neutral wire and an earth wire.
In practice, most three-phase appliances are permanently connected to the installation, without a socket. This applies, for example, to lifts, circulation pumps or fixed charging infrastructure.