Your electrical panel is a foundational element to electrifying your home. Many older homes may not have the electrical infrastructure to support complete electrification, which can be a major hurdle to transitioning your home. Learning about your electrical panel can make your energy journey smoother and cheaper from the start.
An Energy Navigator can help you gain an understanding of your electrical service and electrical panel and how it relates to your goals, needs and plan! Before talking to an electrician about rewiring your home for electrification, it is helpful to create a plan of electrification projects you hope to complete so that you know your specific electrical needs. Part of understanding your electrical panel also includes understanding the terminology used in electrical projects – this guide from Rewiring America is a good place to start!
What are Watts, Volts, and Amps?
As a brief overview:
- Watts measure power. They’re the rate at which energy is consumed or generated.
- Volts measure voltage, which is the pressure that pushes electrons through the conductor or circuit.
- Amps measure the current. They describe the speed of electrons through a circuit or conductor.
- Amps and Volts combine to create Watts, so Amps x Volts = Watts.
For more details, read this explainer or watch this video.
How do I determine my panel size?
To determine the size of your panel, locate your main electrical panel, which should be near your electric meter. Depending on your home, this may be outside, in the basement, or in a closet on the other side of the meter. Make sure you’re looking at your main panel, not a sub-panel. An electrical subpanel is a smaller service panel that receives power from your main breaker panel to distribute electricity to a specific area, such as a garage, basement, or home addition.
Once you have located the panel, identify the main breaker which is usually located at the top. The capacity of the panel should be written on or next to that switch. It could be labeled “Main” or “Service Disconnect”. The size information can also be found written on a label on the electrical panel or on the electric meter.
Is my panel ready for electrification?
If you have an electrical panel that is 150 Amps or higher, it is likely your home can be electrified without needing to upgrade your panel (however, charging a car can be a different matter). If your panel is 100-150 Amps, you may be able to get away without upgrading it, depending on what you are interested in accomplishing. Experts agree that a panel of less than 100 Amps won’t be enough to support a fully electric home.
If you can’t electrify your home from your current panel, it is possible you may need an electrical service upgrade in addition to a new panel. This means that during the upgrade, an electrician will replace the wires that run from your electric meter to the utility pole, install a new panel, and rewire your circuits. Electrical service upgrades are expensive, and depending on what kinds of issues the electrician runs into, they may end up taking months to complete. For more information on the pros and cons of upgrading your electrical panel check out this article.
What are the differences between smart and traditional panels?
Traditional panels can attach to a traditional breaker box to manage the flow . These options tend to be less expensive and may be a better option if you don’t need to upgrade your existing panel.
Smart panels however, may entirely replace your existing breaker box. They manage the flow of electricity in your home and allow individual currents to be turned on or off so that a home’s electrical demand isn’t too high. Many smart panels include an app or remote that allows you to track your electricity and toggle on and off individual circuits to reduce usage. Doing so can make it quick and easy to reduce your utility bills, by minimizing unnecessary electricity consumption. Additionally, if you have a time-of-use plan with your utility, you can use your smart panel to help you avoid pulling electricity from the grid during surge pricing times.
Read more about smart panels and how they relate to the grid here.
Can I pre-wire my home if I plan to buy new appliances over the next several years?
Yes, and it’s smart to do so! Whether you’re preparing your current home for future electrification or building a new home – pre-wiring is a great step to take. Hiring an electrician for several projects at once is usually cheaper than hiring them for individual, smaller projects. Pre-wiring can also help you make changes more quickly in case of an emergency. For example, if your heater was to break and you were interested in switching to an electric option. You may need to wait weeks for your home to be rewired to accommodate this, meaning you would be forced to select a traditional heating option, or go without heat for weeks to months. Pre-wiring your home, however, would allow you to quickly switch to the electric alternative! Alternatively, re-wiring piece by piece can spread out expenses, and allow you to be more intentional about which appliances and technologies that you want to choose.
Read more about your pre-wiring options here.
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