Whether you need to upgrade to a higher electrical service or not depends on a number of factors. In most cases, you should take the initiative and upgrade to a higher electrical panel. By doing this, you can save yourself the trouble of having to do it later on and probably not in the best of circumstances.
Ensure you consult a professional electrician before attempting to upgrade to a higher electrical panel.
Generally, a 200 amps electrical panel is the standard capacity for modern homes. Anything lower than that, for example, an 80 or 100 amp service panel may prove inadequate and can cause damage in the breaker panel/ electrical panel, tripping of breaker, blackouts, electrical fires, damage to appliances, and more.
What is Amps, and why is it important?
Amp is used to measure the amount of electrical current that can flow through a circuit. In other words, an amp is used to measure the capacity of your home’s electrical system.
It is very important to know the maximum capacity of your home’s electrical distribution system to avoid overloading the circuit. A general rule is to not exceed 80% of the maximum capacity of the electrical circuit.
How to determine Amp size
The amp size can be seen on the main breaker switch or in the diagram on the inside cover of your panel box. If you are unsure about this, call an electrician to check it out.
Amp measurement
Amp measurement is the process of determining the total amount of current in use by all electrical devices active at that time. It is the measurement of the total amount of electricity usage in your home.
Do not attempt to take amps measurement for your home on your own. Call a professional electrician for this process.
Why should you upgrade to a 200 amp electrical panel?
You stand to gain a lot by upgrading to a 200 amp service. Below are some benefits:
- More power: By upgrading to a 200 amp service,more power is available for your home use. With a 200 amp service, you can add more electrical items, appliances, and others without the worry of overloading your circuit, or causing your breaker to trip.
- Safety: An upgraded 200 amp service, allows you use power more efficiently and safely. You no longer stand the risk of going over the maximum capacity of your electrical circuit. In most cases, reaching this maximum capacity can lead to electrical fires.
- More circuits: You can diversify your home into multiple circuits to power additional electrical appliances more efficiently with an upgraded panel.
- It helps in the long run: In the case of future home upgrades, upgrading to a 200 amp service makes things much easier as you would have more electrical power for any situation.
It’s important to note that you should not engage in any electrical procedure on your own unless you are an electrician yourself. Since that’s not always possible, you can call us for a prompt response.