Panel upgrades are the most common call Hardy Electric gets. Some are about capacity: a house on 100 amps that now wants solar, an ADU or an EV charger, which is where the county requires a 200 amp service. Many are about safety: insurance companies are requiring homeowners in late 70s to early 90s tracts to replace Zinsco, Federal Pacific and Pushmatic panels at renewal, because those breakers fail to trip and overheat. Eloy handles the planning, the permit, the utility coordination with Southern California Edison or SDG&E, and the inspection himself. Licensed California contractor, CSLB #1146740.
01The Work
What a panel job covers
100, 125 or 200 amp. Going from 100 to 125 amps is usually straightforward and is what the utility is fine with for most homes. Solar, an ADU or an EV charger is where the county requires a 200 amp service. Eloy sizes the service for what the house is doing now and what is planned, pulls the permit, coordinates the meter pull with Edison or SDG&E, and sets a new panel with proper grounding and bonding and every breaker labeled.
Zinsco, Federal Pacific and Pushmatic. These panels went into homes built between the late 70s and early 90s, and insurers now require them replaced at renewal. The breakers fail to trip under a fault and keep heating up. Eloy swapped a Zinsco out last week and found a conductor inside charred from heat the breaker never caught. If the label inside your panel door says any of these names, send a photo. The replacement is about safety, and Eloy will tell you plainly where yours stands.
Subpanels and inspections. A subpanel for a garage shop, a detached building, pool equipment or an ADU, fed with conductors sized for the run and a load calculation done before anything is ordered. Service upgrades wait on the utility's schedule more than anything else, and Eloy has worked with both Edison and SDG&E enough to keep that part moving. He meets the inspector himself and has had very few failed inspections.
02On the list
Included, not upsold.
- 01200 amp service upgrades for solar, ADUs and EV chargers
- 02100 to 125 amp panel upgrades
- 03Zinsco, Federal Pacific and Pushmatic panel replacement
- 04Insurance-required panel replacements at renewal
- 05Subpanels for garages, shops, pool equipment and ADUs
- 06Meter and service entrance work with Edison or SDG&E
- 07Load calculations, grounding, bonding and breaker labeling
- 08Planning, permit and inspection handled by Eloy
03How Long
A straight panel swap is usually one day, with the power off for most of it. On a service upgrade the utility's schedule for the meter pull is the long pole, and Eloy will tell you what Edison or SDG&E is running before the job is booked.
04What It Costs
Priced after a look at the existing panel and a load calculation. Planning, the permit and the inspection are built into the number, not added later. Estimates are free.
Quoted before the work starts. The number agreed is the number paid.
05Get a Quote
Text a photo. Get a number back.
Tell us what needs doing, and Eloy will call or text you back with a price and a time. Or skip the form: (760) 703-9446