Services
Panel Upgrades
Here at EVO, we are always concerned with safety, and we are very anxious that homeowners in the area call us if they suspect they may need an electric panel change. There are several signs that this may be necessary.
The lights dim or flicker any time a major appliance comes on (such as a refrigerator or air conditioner). The electric panel ever feels hot to the touch. An electric panel change is also generally recommended for “split-buss” electrical panels that were popular in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Instead of having one circuit breaker to shut down the whole panel if necessary, the split-buss panel has up to six main breakers. Our 21st century lifestyles, with multiple TVs, computers, refrigerators and other electronics have made these electric panels obsolete and often subject to overload, power outages, reliability and safety issues. We also recommend electric panel change for fused load centers because replacement parts are difficult to find and often improperly maintained, which can also cause safety problems.
We urge customers with any of the above conditions to call us immediately so that we can come and assess the situation. We evaluate electric panels on a case-by-case basis, judging by the condition, age, brand, model and the availability of replacement parts. Sometimes an electric panel only needs repair or replacement parts. Square D, Cutler-Hammer (CH) and General Electric panels are generally well-built and may only need a few upgrades. Other times, however, we do recommend an entire electric panel change for our customers’ safety. When we do replace an electric panel, we generally use General Electric brand because of their flexible installation configurations, copper buss bars, ample room for wires and readily available replacement components. We can also install other types of electric panels, such as Cutler-Hammer (CH), Square D QO, or Eaton/Cutler-Hammer (BR), depending upon the customer’s needs.
