Main Panel Upgrades
The upgrade that makes everything else possible.
Solar, a battery, an EV charger, a heat pump — they all run through your main electrical panel. If that panel was built for a 1960s household, it’s the bottleneck holding back everything you want to add.
Why now
Older Bay Area homes weren’t wired for this
Plenty of homes across San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco still run on 100-amp service — sized for an era before central air, induction ranges, heat pumps, batteries, and cars that plug in.
Add solar and a battery and an EV charger to that panel and you can run out of both physical breaker space and safe capacity. The panel becomes the reason you can’t do the thing you actually wanted to do.
An upgrade — commonly to 200-amp service — replaces the main panel and often the service entrance, giving you the headroom for everything at once. It’s rarely the exciting part of a project, but it’s frequently the part that determines whether the rest is even possible.
One honest note: not every home needs one. Sometimes a subpanel or a load management device solves the problem for far less. We assess first and tell you which is true for your house.
Warning signs
Indicators your panel may be due
- Your service is rated at 100 amps or less and you’re planning solar, a battery, or EV charging
- The panel is physically full — no open breaker slots, or double-tapped breakers already in place
- Breakers trip regularly when normal appliances run together
- You still have a fuse box, or a panel from a brand later found to be hazardous
- Visible rust, scorch marks, a burning smell, or a warm panel cover — treat these as urgent
- Lights dim noticeably when a large appliance kicks on
- You’re planning to electrify: heat pump, induction range, heat pump water heater
If you see scorch marks, smell burning, or find the panel warm to the touch, stop and call a licensed electrician right away — that’s a potential fire hazard, not a scheduling item.
The process
What an upgrade involves
Load calculation
We calculate your home’s real electrical demand, including what you’re planning to add, to size the service correctly.
Permit & utility coordination
Panel upgrades need a city permit and coordination with PG&E, since the service connection itself is involved.
Scheduled shutoff
Power is off for part of a day. We schedule it with you in advance so it’s planned, not a surprise.
Replacement
New panel, breakers, grounding, and bonding installed to current code, with circuits properly labeled.
Inspection
City inspection and utility reconnection. We manage the scheduling and the sign-off.
Ready for what’s next
Capacity and breaker space for solar, storage, EV charging, and future electrification.
Common questions
Panel upgrades, answered
How long does a panel upgrade take?
The physical work is typically completed in a day, with power off for part of it. The overall timeline is longer, because permitting and coordinating the utility disconnect and reconnect take time. We’ll give you a realistic schedule up front and tell you exactly when to expect the outage.
Do I definitely need 200-amp service?
Not necessarily. 200 amps is the common target for homes adding solar, storage, and EV charging, but the right answer comes from a load calculation for your specific house and plans. Sometimes a subpanel or smart load management device does the job for considerably less — and we’ll say so if that’s the case.
Will my power be off?
Yes, for part of the installation day, since the main service is being replaced. We schedule it with you ahead of time so you can plan around it — refrigeration, medical equipment, and work-from-home needs included.
Is a permit really required?
Yes. Main panel work requires a permit and inspection in California, and it involves the utility because the service connection changes. Unpermitted electrical work can create serious safety risk, void insurance coverage, and cause real problems at resale.
Should I upgrade before or during my solar install?
During, if you’re doing both. The permitting, electrical work, and site visits overlap substantially, so combining them saves money and means one disruption instead of two. We identify the need during the solar assessment rather than discovering it mid-installation.
Not sure if your panel can handle it?
We’ll assess your existing service and tell you honestly whether you need an upgrade — or whether something simpler will do.