What is an Electrical Panel
The electrical panel is the device that connects the wires from outside, to the wires inside your location. This is where the breakers are located that turn the electricity to your location on and off.
Circuit Breakers
Circuit breaker panels are safe, typically for about 40 years. If your electrical panel is older than this, you may want to upgrade to a new service. There is no practical way to test to see if the circuit breakers protecting your electrical circuits will trip in the event of an overload. You just have to trust that they will. For this reason it just makes good sense to have modern, reliable electrical components protecting you.
This is a picture of an old Zinsco electrical panel. These panels are of such an age that they cannot be completely relied upon any longer. I have personally repaired many problems with these panels, some, were near disasters:
If the circuit breakers in your electrical panel trip often it may be a sign that the electrical panel is aging and in need of being replaced. if the face of the circuit breakers are hot, this could be a sign that there could be a serious electrical problem.
Fuse Panels going out of date
If your location has a panel with fuses, you probably should upgrade to an electrical panel with circuit breakers. First of all a fuse panel is going to be very old, which guarantees that it is likely not reliable in the event of an overload, or it may heat up and cause a fire. Most older fuse panels allow higher rated fuses than allowed to be installed, which can heat up the circuit wires and also become a fire hazard.
Many electrical panels are rated for 100 amps or less. These are okay, but they are not really suitable for most modern electrical services. If your 100 Amp electrical panel is okay today, at some point in the future there will no doubt be more electrical appliances installed that require more electrical potential. Many newer installations have 200 Amp electrical panels which are sufficient for today’s needs, and the future’s. If you are considering installing a solar service, a 225 Amp rated buss is often required. This is just another potential reason to upgrade your electrical panel.
This is a new 200 Amp service that we installed. It is rated for future solar installation, and there are plenty of spare full spaces for future construction:
If you are are now or maybe in the future planning on installing major new appliances, remodeling, or adding to your current location, you might consider upgrading your electrical service.
You will need a licensed electrician to upgrade your electrical service. There is a great amount of knowledge required to upgrade and electrical panel. If the upgrade is not performed correctly, the results could be disastrous. In some jurisdictions the panel installation will not be approved if not installed by a licensed electrician. Check with your local city building department to explore your options.
