What is Involved in Upgrading Electrical Service?
Upgrading electrical service is a serious job best left to a licensed electrician. The project involves cutting power outside your house, working inside a breaker box and connecting new wires to the meter socket and the main panel.
Signs you may need a service upgrade include: Breakers trip frequently and don’t reset. There is rust or visible corrosion on the meter and pipes.
Panel Replacement
Your electrical panel (also known as a load center, breaker box or fuse box) serves as the main distribution and protection location for all your home's outlets, switches, lights, wiring and other devices. If you have an older electrical panel, it may not have the capacity to safely and adequately power your home's equipment. Older electrical panels also use fuses instead of circuit breakers, which are more prone to failure or dangerous overloading.
Upgrading your electrical service will replace your electrical panel with a new one that has more capacity and includes modern safety features such as arc fault breakers. It will also include an upgrade of the grounding and bonding system to reduce risk of electrical shock, improve circuit breaker response times during short circuits and enhance the overall safety of your home's service equipment.
A full electric service change typically involves replacing the line-side service entrance cable, meter base and weather head, load side service entrance cable and sometimes, the entire electrical meter. If your electrical panel is located in an inconvenient place or is difficult to access, it will be relocated during the electric service upgrade process.
You may notice signs that it is time for an electrical panel upgrade, such as flickering lights or frequent breaker trips. These issues indicate an overload of your electrical panel and require immediate attention to prevent fire hazards.
In addition, an upgraded electrical panel will provide more capacity to add circuits or run more appliances throughout your home. It will also be able to support future upgrades such as electric vehicle charging and energy-efficient HVAC systems, solar panels or other home improvements.
The cost of an electric service upgrade will vary based on the amount of capacity your house requires and other factors. A professional electrician will be able to calculate this for you. The most significant part of the expense is the labor; this should always be performed by a licensed and insured journeyman electrician to ensure your panel upgrade is done correctly and meets current safety codes. The other significant costs include materials, permits and inspection fees.
Breaker Replacement
Your electrical system has circuit breakers that limit the amount of electricity that can flow through them. If more power is drawn than what a specific breaker can handle, it will trip and shut off the electricity supply. This is a safety feature to prevent damage or a fire in your home.
If you are experiencing flickering lights, frequent breaker trips or blowing fuses in your home, it may be time to upgrade your electrical service. The best way to determine whether your home needs an upgrade is to have a professional electrician come to inspect your home. Electrician Delray Beach can install a new meter socket, replace the breaker panel and circuit breakers, add a grounding electrode, and replace service conductors, as well as any other wires needed to ensure your home meets the latest electrical codes.
An electrician can also install a subpanel during a service upgrade to increase the amperage of an area, such as a garage or workshop. This is a more affordable alternative to replacing the entire breaker panel and allows you to keep your existing circuits.
Upgrading a service to 200 amps can help your home cope with modern appliances and increase its value. It will also protect your appliances from tripped breakers and prevent future problems.
A full electrical service upgrade can cost more than just replacing the breaker panel, but it is essential for the safety and reliability of your home. It will include the installation of a meter socket, a meter and a new main panel, along with replacing any old or damaged wires. This includes installing arc fault breakers as required by current electrical code.
Many older homes have a 60-amp service, which is insufficient for today’s electronics and appliances. Upgrading to a 200-amp service can address a number of issues including:
Meter Replacement
The electrical meter that is located outside your home is an important part of the system that provides you with energy. It is used to measure the amount of electricity you use and also serves as a warning that your appliances are drawing too much current.
If your meter is old or damaged, an upgrade can be in order. A new meter can provide more accurate readings, and it can also be easier to read. It can also be more aesthetically pleasing than your current meter.
A new meter will require an electrician to install a new service box and wiring, which is generally included in the cost of an electrical service upgrade. This involves running a new piece of copper grounding wire from the meter to the main panel, as well as upgrading all of the wiring between the meter and main panel. It is also a good opportunity to add a circuit for an electric vehicle charger or to add a hot tub.
Flickering lights that occur when a high-draw appliance is turned on are one of the most common signs that a service upgrade may be needed. The lights will flicker when the appliances draw too much current, putting them at risk of overheating and shorting out. An electrician can add a dedicated circuit to ensure that this problem is avoided in the future.
The gray cable that runs from the utility pole to the meter socket or main panel is exposed to the elements and can become damaged over time. This can be due to deterioration of the outer coating caused by UV rays, which can cause it to crack. Rainwater can then get inside the cable and cause damage to the internal wiring. It is possible to have oxidation of the buss bars and an overall faulty appearance.
The meter socket itself can become damaged over time, as well. This is a common issue in older homes that have had the same owner for many years. The meter socket can get loose and allow water to leak in and out of the building. This can lead to corrosion and eventually a failure of the meter socket and/or the wires connected to it.
Wiring Upgrade
An upgrade of electrical service includes more than just the new panel and breaker replacement. It involves replacing the wiring from the utility pole and meter socket, as well as all of the in-wall wiring leading to the panel and the breaker box. This is not a job for the DIYer. Electricity is dangerous, and it’s important to leave it to a professional electrician who has the experience and expertise to deal with it safely and properly.
The wires in a home’s wiring must be large enough to carry the amount of electricity that they are designed for, or else they will heat up and create a fire hazard. This is a major cause of residential fires, and upgrading to safer wiring is one of the most important steps you can take as a homeowner to keep your family safe from this danger.
In addition to the wires in a home’s walls, there are also the branch circuits that connect to appliances and light fixtures. During a service upgrade, these circuits are replaced with modern, high-quality copper wiring that can handle more current and deliver safe and reliable power to your devices.
An electrician will check the condition of these existing circuits and make any needed repairs or upgrades. This work will include adding grounding electrodes where necessary, especially in areas near water or where there are exposed studs.
A service upgrade is a great choice for older homes that may not run on 200 amps, or for anyone who wants to add heavy electricity users like an EV charging station, hot tub, air conditioning system, or large household appliances. It’s also a smart move before installing any major remodel that could require changes to your home’s wiring.
The main signs that you need a service upgrade are flickering lights, an inability to add more outlets, the smell of burning plastic, and tripped breakers that won’t reset. These issues are all signs of excess load, and ignoring them can lead to a serious electrical fire that damages or destroys your valuable belongings or puts your loved ones at risk for injury or death.
Upgrading electrical service is a serious job best left to a licensed electrician. The project involves cutting power outside your house, working inside a breaker box and connecting new wires to the meter socket and the main panel. Signs you may need a service upgrade include: Breakers trip frequently and don’t reset. There is rust…