Service upgrades
Electrical Panel Upgrades for EV Charging in Sunnyvale
Service upgrades and subpanels that make a charging circuit possible, across Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Santa Clara.
Capacity first
When the Panel Is the Reason You Cannot Charge Yet
Sometimes the load calculation comes back and the answer is no. Not no forever, just no until the service gets bigger. Electrical panel upgrades for EV charging in Sunnyvale cover moving a 100-amp service to 200 amps, adding a subpanel closer to the garage, and clearing out the tandem breakers that have been quietly eating your capacity since the last remodel. Sunnyvale EV Charger Installation runs into this constantly in the older tracts, where the service was sized for a gas range, a gas dryer and one air conditioner. Adding a continuous 40 or 48 amp load to that changes the arithmetic completely. The upgrade is a bigger job than a charger install because it involves PG&E, the city, and usually a full day of work, and we schedule it as its own project so nothing gets compressed.
100A to 200A service upgrades and new subpanels
PG&E disconnect and reconnect coordinated by us
Grounding and bonding brought to current code
Every circuit transferred, identified and labeled
What a Panel Upgrade Includes
A service upgrade touches more than the panel, so here is the full scope.
Full load calculation and documentationWe calculate the existing demand and the proposed demand, and the paperwork goes to the city with the permit rather than living in somebody's head.
Service size recommendationNot every house needs 200 amps. Sometimes a subpanel or a load management device solves the problem for a fraction of the cost, and we say so when that is true.
New main panel and main breakerModern panel with proper bussing, adequate breaker spaces for future circuits, and current-generation breakers rather than obsolete parts nobody stocks.
Meter socket and service entrance workWhere required, the meter socket, mast and service conductors are replaced to match the new capacity.
Grounding and bonding brought currentOlder Sunnyvale services often have a single ground rod or a questionable water bond, and the upgrade is when that gets corrected to current code.
PG&E coordination and disconnect schedulingWe arrange the utility disconnect and reconnect so the outage window is planned rather than improvised.
Subpanel installation where it makes senseA garage subpanel shortens the charger run and leaves room for future circuits, which is often the smarter spend.
Circuit transfer and labelingEvery existing circuit is moved over, identified and labeled properly, which is the part inspectors notice and most homeowners never see done well.
Arc-fault and GFCI compliance on transferred circuitsWhere code requires the protection on relocated circuits, it goes in during the upgrade rather than becoming a correction later.
City of Sunnyvale permit and inspectionFiled, scheduled and attended, with the charger circuit permitted alongside it so you are not doing this twice.
How it works
Assessment, Coordination, Upgrade Day
Step one
Assessment and honest scope
We look at the service, the meter, the grounding and the existing load, then tell you the smallest thing that solves your problem. Sometimes that is a panel upgrade and sometimes it is a subpanel or load management.
Step two
Permit, utility coordination and a fixed price
The written figure covers the panel, the service work, the permit fee and the utility coordination. We file with Sunnyvale and schedule the PG&E disconnect.
Step three
Upgrade day
Power is off for part of the day while the old panel comes out and the new one goes in with every circuit transferred and labeled. Inspection follows, the utility reconnects, and the charger circuit goes in on the same permit.
Why Choose Us for Panel Upgrades
We tell you when you do not need one
A panel upgrade is a real expense, and plenty of companies reach for it by default. If a load management device or a 40-amp charger setting gets you where you need to be on your existing service, that is what we will propose.
The utility coordination is handled
PG&E scheduling is the part of this job that turns a one-day project into a three-week one when it is not managed. We handle the disconnect and reconnect sequencing so your outage window is known in advance.
Everything is labeled and documented
When we finish, the panel directory is accurate, the load calculation is on file with the permit, and the work is documented for resale, insurance and any incentive program that asks.
Find Out If Your Sunnyvale Panel Needs Upgrading
The load check answers this in one visit and costs nothing. If an upgrade is required we will show you the math, and if it is not we will tell you that too.
(408) 317-9189