Single and Three Phase AC - Electric Current vs. Power
In a single-phase AC power system there is only one single sinusoidal voltage.
Most AC power is produced and distributed as three-phase power with three sinusoidal voltages 120 degrees out of phase with each other.
The diagram and table below can be used to convert amperage between single phase and three phase equipment and vice versa.
Download and print Single Phase and Three Phase AC Power Chart
Example - Power Supply to Electric Heater
10 kW of power is required by an electric heater. The power supply available is 230V single or three phase. From the chart above we can estimate the current in the two alternatives to be approximately
- 43 A with single phase 230V
- 25 A with three phase 230V
Apparent Power is the power supplied to the electric circuit - typical from a power supplier to the grid - to cover the real and reactive power consumption in the loads. For pure resistive loads apparent power is equal to real power and 1 VA = 1 W.
For full table with Three Phase Balanced Loads - rotate the screen!
| Apparent Power (VA) | Current (amps) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Phase (volts) | Three Phase Balanced Load (volts) | ||||||||||||||
| 120 | 208 | 230 | 240 | 208 | 230 | 240 | 277 | 347 | 380 | 400 | 415 | 480 | 600 | ||
| 100 | 0.83 | 0.48 | 0.43 | 0.42 | 0.28 | 0.25 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.17 | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.10 | |
| 150 | 1.3 | 0.72 | 0.65 | 0.63 | 0.42 | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.31 | 0.25 | 0.23 | 0.22 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.14 | |
| 200 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.87 | 0.83 | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.48 | 0.42 | 0.33 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.28 | 0.24 | 0.19 | |
| 250 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.69 | 0.63 | 0.60 | 0.52 | 0.42 | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.35 | 0.30 | 0.24 | |
| 300 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.83 | 0.75 | 0.72 | 0.63 | 0.50 | 0.46 | 0.43 | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.29 | |
| 350 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.88 | 0.84 | 0.73 | 0.58 | 0.53 | 0.51 | 0.49 | 0.42 | 0.34 | |
| 400 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.83 | 0.67 | 0.61 | 0.58 | 0.56 | 0.48 | 0.38 | |
| 450 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.94 | 0.75 | 0.68 | 0.65 | 0.63 | 0.54 | 0.43 | |
| 500 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.83 | 0.76 | 0.72 | 0.70 | 0.60 | 0.48 | |
| 550 | 4.6 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.92 | 0.84 | 0.79 | 0.77 | 0.66 | 0.53 | |
| 600 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.91 | 0.87 | 0.83 | 0.72 | 0.58 | |
| 650 | 5.4 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.94 | 0.90 | 0.78 | 0.63 | |
| 700 | 5.8 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.84 | 0.67 | |
| 750 | 6.3 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.90 | 0.72 | |
| 800 | 6.7 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.77 | |
| 850 | 7.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.82 | |
| 900 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.87 | |
| 950 | 7.9 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.91 | |
| 1000 | 8.3 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | |
| 1100 | 9.2 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | |
| 1200 | 10 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | |
| 1300 | 11 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.3 | |
| 1400 | 12 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.3 | |
| 1500 | 13 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.4 | |
| 1600 | 13 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.5 | |
| 1700 | 14 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | |
| 1800 | 15 | 8.7 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 | |
| 1900 | 16 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 1.8 | |
| 2000 | 17 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | |
| 2500 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.4 | |
| 3000 | 25 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 2.9 | |
| 3500 | 29 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 9.7 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.4 | |
| 4000 | 33 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 9.6 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 3.8 | |
| 4500 | 38 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 4.3 | |
| 5000 | 42 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8.3 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 4.8 | |
| 5500 | 46 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9.2 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 5.3 | |
| 6000 | 50 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 7.2 | 5.8 | |
| 6500 | 54 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 9.9 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 6.3 | |
| 7000 | 58 | 34 | 30 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9.7 | 8.4 | 6.7 | |
| 7500 | 63 | 36 | 33 | 31 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9.0 | 7.2 | |
| 8000 | 67 | 38 | 35 | 33 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9.6 | 7.7 | |
| 8500 | 71 | 41 | 37 | 35 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8.2 | |
| 9000 | 75 | 43 | 39 | 38 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 8.7 | |
| 9500 | 79 | 46 | 41 | 40 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9.1 | |
| 10000 | 83 | 48 | 43 | 42 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9.6 | |
Related Topics
• Electrical
Electrical engineering with units, amps and electrical wiring. Wire gauges, electrical formulas, motors and more.
Related Documents
AC - Active, Reactive and Apparent Power
Real, imaginary and apparent power in AC circuits.
AC Circuits - Power vs. Voltage and Current
The alternating current In an AC circuit is generated by a sinusoidal voltage source.
Aluminum Conductor Characteristics
Characteristics of all-aluminum conductors (AAC).
Asynchronous Induction Motors - Electrical Properties
Typical electrical motor data like nominal current, fuse, start ampere, size of contactor and circuit breaker - for asynchronous induction motors.
Electrical Formulas
Commonly used electrical formulas like Ohms Law and more.
Electrical Units
Definition of common electrical units - like Ampere, Volt, Ohm, Siemens.
Electrical Vehicle Charging - Power vs. Voltage and Amps
EV Charging - AC vs. DC, single phase vs. three phase and power vs. voltage and amps.
Single Phase Power Equations
Power equations for single phased electrical systems.