In a delta configuration, line current equals what multiple of phase current?

• A. Iline = √3 × Iphase
• B. Iline = Iphase
• C. Iline = 3 × Iphase
• D. Iline = Iphase/√3

Answer: (A)

In a delta-connected system, the current in each line is the vector sum of the currents in the two windings that connect to that line, and those winding currents are 120 degrees apart. When you combine two equal magnitudes at 120 degrees apart, the resulting line current has a magnitude that is √3 times the winding (phase) current. So the line current is √3 times the phase current.

This is why the correct relation is Iline = √3 × Iphase. In a wye connection, the line current equals the phase current, which is a different configuration. The options implying 3 times or division by √3 don’t match the phasor geometry of a delta.