Electrical Panel Upgrades
Bring an undersized or obsolete service up to something that can carry solar, a battery, an EV charger and everything you already own.
Most Valley homes needing a panel upgrade are hitting one of three walls: the existing service is 100 amps and the household load has outgrown it; solar or a battery is being added and the busbar cannot legally take the backfeed; or the panel is a discontinued or recalled model that no longer accepts breakers. The work is a one-to-two-day job with a permit, an inspection and a short utility disconnect.
This work is performed under Arizona ROC #344757, CR-11 — Electrical — commercial & residential. Verify it.
How to tell whether you actually need one
Some of these are urgent. Some are being oversold to you. The honest list:
- Breakers that trip repeatedly on normal load, not on a single faulty appliance
- A 100 amp service with an EV charger, a heat pump or solar planned
- A panel brand no longer supported, or one with a known safety history
- Scorching, buzzing, a warm panel cover, or any burning smell — stop and call someone today
- A solar or battery install where the 120% busbar rule blocks the interconnection
- Fuses rather than breakers, or a service that has never been touched since the house was built
The 120% rule, in plain terms
The National Electrical Code limits how much solar you can backfeed into a panel relative to its busbar rating. It is the reason a solar quote sometimes arrives with a panel upgrade attached that the homeowner was not expecting.
It is a real constraint, not an upsell — but there are sometimes alternatives, including a line-side tap or a supply-side connection. If someone tells you an upgrade is the only option, it is worth a second opinion.
The process
-
Load assessment
What the house actually draws now and what you are planning to add.
-
Permit
Pulled with the local jurisdiction; utility coordination arranged for the disconnect.
-
Replacement
Panel, breakers and grounding replaced. Meter base too, if the scope includes it.
-
Inspection
Jurisdiction inspection, then the utility reconnects.
What drives the price
- Panel only, versus panel plus meter base and service entrance
- Amperage: 100 to 200 amp is the common upgrade
- Whether the service is overhead or underground
- Panel location and how far it is from the meter
- Whether the existing grounding and bonding meet current code
- Permit fees, which vary by jurisdiction
| Work | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 200A panel swap, Phoenix | $1,300 – $7,500 depending on source | Manta, AZ DC Electric, County Electric |
| Full service replacement incl. meter base | $6,400 – $8,750 | AZ DC Electric |
| Electrical permit fee, Phoenix | $50 – $300 | AZ DC Electric |
Blackout Electric’s own current pricing replaces this section at launch. Real local numbers from the contractor doing the work beat national cost-guide ranges on credibility — published figures for panel upgrades alone vary by more than 2.5× between sources, which is precisely the gap real pricing fills.
Frequently asked
Is 100 amp service enough for a home in Phoenix?
For a smaller older home with gas heat and no EV, often yes. Add electric heating, a heat pump, a Level 2 charger or solar with a battery and 100 amps runs out quickly. A load calculation gives you a real answer rather than a rule of thumb.
How long is the power off?
Typically most of a working day for the changeover itself, with the utility disconnect and reconnect scheduled around it. We will give you the window before the day, not on it.
Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?
Yes. Service work is permitted and inspected in every Valley jurisdiction. Anyone offering to do it without one is offering you an unpermitted service that will surface at resale.
You may also need
EV Charger Installation
Future-ready Level 2 charging on a properly sized circuit — with an honest answer up front about whether your panel can take it.
Read more →Battery & Energy Storage
Store power for outages, peak usage and long-term energy independence — sized to the loads you actually need to keep running.
Read more →Whole-Home Surge Protection
Protect your home and electronics from the power spikes monsoon season puts on Valley services. The cheapest insurance in the house.
Read more →Get a straight answer on your job
Tell us what is on the roof and what needs to happen. You will get a real assessment, not a sales call.