Electrical Panel Upgrades

About Electrical Panel Upgrades

The electrical panel is the core of your electrical system. This is where your home receives electricity from the utility company. The power is then distributed throughout your entire home until every outlet and light has the power that it needs. As your home ages, your electrical service panel suffers normal “wear & tear.” It is likely that you have upgraded appliances and technology in your home over the past years.

You can find the electric panels at the garage, corridor, outside the home, or near an entrance. The default color of most electric panels is gray for easy recognition. Inside the panel, you will find the main circuit and individual breakers responsible for different parts of the house. Other names for an electric panel include a panel breaker, panel board, distribution board, or distribution box.

The panel is just like anything else in your home, it needs to be properly maintained. In the event of a fire, the first place an insurance adjuster checks is the panel. If it is not kept up properly, they will attempt to show negligence.

If you think it’s time for your service panel to be upgraded or replaced, call Elcon Electric today! An electrical panel upgrade is just what it implies – an upgrade from the existing electrical panel. With today’s new appliances and technical devices, we find that older homes and buildings might not have sufficient power available to handle the increased demand. Therefore, a “service change” is required. This includes not only an upgrade in your electrical panel, but an upgrade in your meter socket and wire size between the meter and panel.

The following items should be checked for compliance:

• Non-approved breakers for your brand panel
• Panels that are older than 5 years
• Corrosion
• Missing Breakers
• Hot Spots
• Over sizing of breakers versus wiring size

Check out the Special Report from WPTV on the safety concerns of Federal Pacific Electric circuit breakers.

How Does It Work?

In simple terms, the sole job of the electrical panel is to regulate the use of power from the main source provided by the power supply agency or generator to several gadgets, equipment, and lighting in the house.

Without an electrical panel, electric gadgets and appliances in the house can get damaged. There could also be a fire outbreak from a sudden power surge from your electricity provider or generator.

Importance of The Electrical Panel The importance of an Electrical Panel is not limited to the following:

1. It helps distribute electricity to the house without causing damage.
2. It helps prevent fire outbreaks.
3. It reduces the risk of damaged gadgets and equipment due to electrical surges.
4. Increases the chance of getting home insurance.

When should I upgrade my electrical panel?

When technology is modernized and panels are not, frequent outages are experienced. Old service panels simply cannot handle all the power now required. Overloaded wires can lead to deadly electrical shock. In order to help prevent this from happening, electrical panels are designed to tell whenever there is a problem with your electricity and cut off power to that circuit. Older electrical panels did this using fuses, while newer panels rely on circuit breakers.

How can I tell if I’m in need of an electrical panel upgrade?

There are two ways to determine if you are in need of a panel upgrade:

1. You live in a home that is over 20 years old and have outdated panels (Federal Pacific, Challenger and Zinsco/Sylvania, in particular).
2. If you have (or want) more power requirements.

Electrical panels are NOT supposed to humm, buzz, spark, hiss or become discolored. Our technicians are able to add extra circuit breakers, improve the amperage of your electrical system, and address issues in the safest, most efficient, cost effective way possible.

Signs You Need A New Electrical Panel

Here are five signs that you have a bad electrical panel, and it is due for a change. When the Electrical panel is over 25 years old.

There is a high chance that the electrical panel is outdated and cannot regulate the new gadgets and improvements done to the house after 25 years. It is pertinent to change it as soon as possible before it becomes harmful. Also, if you still use a fuse box instead of a circuit unit, you need to replace your electric panel.

When there are flickers and burning smells.

If you notice constant flickering and burning smells when your appliances are plugged in, it’s a sign that you need to change your panel breaker.

New large appliances.

Did you recently buy some energy-consuming appliances and equipment? Then, you most likely need to upgrade your panel board. Confirm from an electrician.

When the electrical panel is warm or hot.

The electrical panel helps to regulate the temperature of your home appliances. It also trips to protect your home from a fire outbreak when there is a power surge. However, if the breaker panel is hot or warm, you need to change it urgently.

When there is rust on the electrical panel.

Rust on your electrical panel is a sign that there is a water leakage somewhere. This is an alarming situation, and the panel should be changed immediately before any harm is done. First, trace the source of the water leakage so you can repair or change it. This will ensure that the new electric panel you install doesn’t get damaged too.

In conclusion, having a good electrical panel can help prolong the durability of your appliances, keep your home safe and protect your life and your family. There are different amps of an electrical panel based on the demand of your home appliances. Contact an electrician near you for more information.

Examining the Electrical Panel

Have you ever checked out your electrical panel? Do you know the type of electrical panel installed in your home or where it is located? In this article, you will learn why you need to check your electrical panel regularly and the type of electrical panel you should replace your old one with. Reasons For Examining Your Electrical Panel

1. You should examine your electrical panel to know what type or model it is. The knowledge of what panel you have will let you know if the model type is outdated and needs replacement. For example, if your Electrical panel is over 25 years old you need to inspect or replace it.
2. You need to get an electrician to check out your panel breaker if you want to remodel your rooms and add new rooms or equipment to your home or space. This is to ensure the current one is safe and can take in new electrical additions.
3. It is necessary to examine your electric panel if you notice an abnormal change in the panel’s temperature or your appliances. When the electrical panel is too warm or hot, it could mean there is something wrong with some of your appliances. If you don’t check on time, the problem could damage your electrical appliances.
4. Rust around your electrical panel indicates water leakage, and that you need to get your panel breaker examined. If you can, identify the part of the electrical panel the water leakage has affected, then trace it to where the leakage originated from.
5. You must get an electrician to inspect your panel board if you notice that your lights flicker and appliances don’t run at maximum power. This suggests you need to get it repaired or changed after your electrician examines it. Knowing the electrical panel in use in your home will help you know when to upgrade to a better version. Below are some outdated electrical panels.

List of Outdated Electrical Panel

• Zinsco Electrical Panel Zinsco panels were already going off the market from the mid-1970s because they have a faulty design that allows electricity to flow even when the breakers are turned off. Many users also complained that breaker switches melt, which renders them useless. Zinsco electrical panels pose fire and shock hazards. If you have a Zinsco panel, ensure you replace them with a new electrical panel immediately.
• Fuse Boxes The Fuse box is the oldest and commonly used type of electrical panel. In today’s homes, at least 200 amps power a home, but Fuse boxes can only handle 30-60 amps. This means that a fuse box is incapable of taking in enough power to regulate sufficient power in a modern home. This type of electrical panel is dangerous and ineffective. It is safer to get a new panel breaker than wait for your current one to cause electrical hazards or fire outbreaks.
• Pushmatic Electrical Panel Pushmatic panels have weak breaker switches that become difficult to reset overtime. They also do not have a main breaker switch to stop power from flowing into the panel. We highly recommend that if you have a pushmatic electric panel, you should replace it with better functioning electric panel.

Having a good and functioning electric panel ensures safety, but you need examine your electrical panel often. Contact your electrician to help you out with an inspection from time to time.

Replacing Your Electric Panel

Are you wondering what kind of electrical panel you have, unsure if you need to repair it or do a replacement? In this article, you will learn when you need to replace your electrical panel, some of the types of electrical panel repairs, and the cost of such repairs. 5 Reasons Why Your Electrical Panel Needs Replacement Below are some of the reason you might need to replace your electrical panels:

1. You will need to upgrade or replace your electrical panel when you are refurbishing or including extra rooms and spaces. This is to ensure that the electrical panel can adequately distribute power to the extra rooms and spaces.
2. If you are considering buying a new set of high-power-consuming electrical appliances, you need to factor in upgrading your electrical panel.
3. Do you notice a trip in power when you put on some electrical appliances? There is a high possibility that your electrical panel needs a replacement.
4. When there is rust around and inside the electrical panel, consider changing your electrical panel. This shows that there is water leakage.
5. You observe that the panel breaker gets too warm or hot.

5 Types of Electrical Panel Repairs

1. Circuit breaker replacement: You will need to do this kind of repair when the circuit breaker melts or burns.
2. Circuit breaker installation and upgrades: An upgrade of a circuit breaker may be needed when there are new electrical additions.
3. Rewiring the electrical panel: This happens when some wires in the panel board get damaged or burnt.
4. Bus bar replacement: The bus bar may need to be replaced when it becomes perforated or worn out.
5. Relocation of the electrical panel due to moisture or other concerns: You may need to replace your electric panel if it is near water drainage or pipe. Delay in replacing the electric panel in this situation can cause electrocution to anyone who touches it. You can also have your electric panel relocated if it is hanging too low on the walls or wall hangings.

Cost of Repairing Your Electrical Panel The cost of repairing your electrical panel isn’t a one size fits all situation because of the following reasons: Type of home: The kind of home and space the electric panel powers is a major factor to consider when replacing an electrical panel. No two homes or spaces are the same. Location of Space: The location of your home or space can determine the cost of repairing your electrical panel as charges vary from place to place. Type of Damage: You have to consider the nature of damage to your panel breaker. Your electrician will need to check the extent of damage to the panel breaker before they give an estimate for repair. The extent of damage will determine whether the electric panel can be repaired or needs a replacement. Charge of Repairer: Electrical companies and electricians charge differently. Their cost estimate usually varies. Doing a comparison of the level of each company’s/electrician’s mastery, as well as their budget will help you decide who to go for. Finally, rather than try repairing your electric panel on your own, consider hiring a professional electrician. That way, you don’t cause further damage, posing a future risk to yourself and your family.

Electrical Panel Upgrades Reviews