Do you need to replace your electrical panel?
Do you need to upgrade your electrical panel?
Replacing Your Electrical Panel
If you have had the same electrical panel for 30 years, it might be time to replace it. And if your electrical panel is one of the defective brands listed below, you should consider replacing it, even if it has not been 30 years. You may have defective circuit breaker connections that can cause a fire. The defective electrical panels listed below have been known to start home fires. Our skilled residential electricians can check and assess your electrical panel to give you peace of mind.
Defective Electrical Panel Brands:
Federal Pacific Electrical Panels
Zinsco also sold as Magnetrip, Sylvania, Challenger, and split-bus style panels
Upgrading Your Panel
In the northwest, many people are moving to renewables, which means using more electricity. Are you adding a hot tub, electric tankless water heater, or electric vehicle to your home? All these things use electricity rather than natural gas, propane or fuel oil, requiring more electrical power to your home.
Even if you see a place in your electrical box where another circuit breaker can go, your electrical panel may already be putting out the maximum amount of power it can. To protect you from an electrical fire, you need to have a breaker that matches your wiring, as well as an electrical panel and outside meter that matches the amount of power to be delivered. In short, you need an expert electrician to make sure everything matches; otherwise, an electrical fire can happen.
If you own a defective panel or need to upgrade a panel, contact us. We can make sure everything matches your usage, so you can rest assured you will not have an electrical fire. We will also give you a 7-year warranty on our recommended parts and labor, while doing your job the same day.
Electrical Remediation In Portland
A homeowner in North Portland recently faced a challenging situation with their home’s electrical system. The house was originally wired using the knob-and-tube method and was struggling to keep up with the demands of modern living. Seasonal appliances, such as air conditioners and space heaters, were putting extra stress on the outdated wiring, creating potentially unsafe conditions.
Knob and tube is one of the industry’s oldest wiring systems, dating back to when electricity was originally put in structures. It is uninsulated, uses suspension to protect it from combustible items, and is considered unsafe by modern standards. Knob and tube was a home wiring style used from 1880 until roughly 1940. It was designed to handle light bulbs, a record player, or a radio, with a maximum power of 300 watts per device. Unlike today, where A/C units and electric heaters can draw up to 1800 watts, the huge gap between the original wiring’s capacity and the present power needs put the residence at risk of an electrical fire.
Knob and Tube is universally known for being hazardous in homes, to the point where homeowners insurance will frequently deny coverage if it exists in a purchased home.
Knob and tube abatements require knowledge and experience working on antiquated installation methods that simply make no sense to modern, trained electricians. Wires have no color designation, have no consistent installation method, and simply don’t function in the same way as modern systems. It’s a skillset all of its own, which we at Falcon Electric have.
To resolve the issues, we recommended knob and tube remediation. This process involves replacing the old, uninsulated wiring with modern, dedicated circuits. By dispersing the power demands across multiple circuits, the home’s electrical system can now handle the increased load safely and efficiently. Our expertise in working with antiquated installation methods was crucial in successfully completing the project.
Thanks to the knob and tube remediation, the homeowners can now use their seasonal appliances without worrying about potential electrical hazards. The risk of an electrical fire, which was a serious concern due to the stress placed on the old wiring’s connections, has been significantly reduced. The customers are happy and grateful for the peace of mind that comes with knowing their home is now electrically sound and safe.
Upgrading to a Power-Management System
A customer in Hillsboro called requesting an upgrade from their current electrical panel to a power-management system. The customer had previously installed solar panels and wanted to maximize their potential while minimizing their monthly utility bills.
Upon inspection, we found that the solar panels were connected to the utility service. The existing standard panel was only capable of power distribution and overload protection, lacking the ability to monitor and manage power usage in real-time.
To address the customer’s needs, the customer wanted a Leviton Smart Breakers power management system installed. This cutting-edge technology allows the customer to monitor their power usage in real-time, providing valuable insights into day-to-day power consumption. The programmable nature of the panel enables the customer to specify when specific circuits are on or off and receive alerts if they fail.
With the new power management system in place, the customer gained several benefits:
- Real-time analysis: The customer can now trace “vampire loads” in their home, where electronics draw power even when not in use, and disable them to reduce unnecessary power consumption.
- Peak hour optimization: By tracking energy usage beyond their solar production, the customer can adjust their consumption to minimize excess usage during peak hours when power companies charge the most.
- Automated scheduling: The customer can program schedules to automatically turn off and on areas of the home that are not in use, further optimizing power consumption.
- Backup solution integration: The power management system can integrate seamlessly with backup solutions, ensuring that during a power outage, unnecessary loads are shed according to programmed conditions, preserving limited backup power for essential functions like refrigeration and heating.
They recognized how much power their home audio system used in standby mode, they programmed to turn off the majority of the home while at work to maximize the solar payback program and started to change their lifestyle around avoiding peak hours. These changes are estimated to result in monthly savings of between $115 to $280 per month for their family.
While the power management system does not directly improve the efficiency of their solar panels, it empowers the customer to make choices that maximize the energy produced by their solar installation and minimize utility power use, ultimately saving them money.
