Every home's electrical system was designed for the load it was expected to carry at the time it was built. A 100-amp panel installed in a 1975 Phoenix home wasn't designed for two AC units, an EV charger, a home office, and a modern kitchen. A 200-amp panel installed in 2005 wasn't designed for a second EV, a home battery backup, and a pool pump added later. The gap between what a panel was built for and what a household actually demands today is one of the most common electrical issues we see across the Valley — and one of the most straightforward to address when caught before it becomes a tripped-breaker situation at the worst possible time.
At American Home Pros of Arizona, we handle the full scope of residential electrical service — from panel upgrades and sub-panel installations to service entrance work, circuit additions, troubleshooting, and whole-home assessments. We're licensed electricians who pull permits, coordinate with APS and SRP, and stand behind every job. We're not a specialty electrical contractor — we're a full-service home services company with an electrical trade license, which means the EV charger, the panel it plugs into, and the circuit running to it all come from one company on one invoice.
Panel Upgrades and Service Upgrades
A panel upgrade is one of the most impactful electrical investments a homeowner can make — not because it adds visible amenities, but because it removes constraints that are limiting everything else you want to do with your home.
100-amp to 200-amp service upgrade
The most common upgrade we perform. A 100-amp service panel was standard residential construction from the 1960s through the mid-1980s. Today, a typical household with central AC, electric water heater, dishwasher, washer/dryer, multiple refrigerators, a home office, and an EV charger may be running at or near 100-amp capacity on a regular basis. Adding one more high-draw circuit — a second EV charger, a hot tub, a pool pump — may not be possible without tripping the main breaker or overloading the service entrance.
A 200-amp service upgrade involves replacing the main panel with a new 200-amp panel, upgrading the service entrance conductors and weatherhead if needed, and transferring all existing circuits to the new panel with proper labeling. We coordinate with APS or SRP for the utility-side disconnect and reconnect — that scheduling is included in our scope, not handed back to the homeowner to manage separately.
200-amp to 400-amp service (whole-home expansion)
Larger homes with multiple AC systems, pools, home battery storage, solar inverters, and multiple EV chargers are sometimes running near 200-amp capacity. A 400-amp service upgrade — or a 200-amp service with a 200-amp sub-panel — addresses this. We assess actual load before recommending an upgrade rather than defaulting to the largest available service.
What's included in every panel upgrade
- Full load calculation per NEC Article 220 — sized for current load plus adequate future capacity
- New main panel (Square D, Siemens, Eaton/Cutler-Hammer — we specify by application, not by what's on the truck)
- Transfer of all existing circuits with proper labeling
- New main breaker, grounding, and bonding to current code
- Service entrance assessment — we inspect the weatherhead, meter base, and service entrance conductors and flag anything that needs replacement
- Permit pulled before work begins — electrical panel upgrades require a permit and inspection in every Valley jurisdiction we serve
- APS or SRP utility coordination for disconnect/reconnect scheduling
- Inspection coordination — we schedule and meet the inspector
- A-Team Maintenance Club members receive our 5-year workmanship guarantee on the installation
Dangerous Panel Brands — What to Know
Two specific panel brands from the 1960s–1980s have documented safety concerns that go beyond normal aging:
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels were widely installed in residential construction from the 1950s through the 1980s. Industry testing and consumer safety research has consistently found that Stab-Lok breakers fail to trip under overload conditions at a significantly higher rate than code-compliant breakers — meaning circuits that should be automatically disconnected when overloaded may not be. If your home was built before 1990 and you're not sure what panel brand you have, it's worth a look. If you have a Stab-Lok panel, replacement is the standard recommendation from the electrical industry.
Zinsco (and rebranded GTE-Sylvania) panels
Similar failure profile to Stab-Lok — breakers that may not trip under overload, bus bars that can arc and melt, and panel designs that create fire risk that standard panels don't. Also widely installed in residential construction from the 1960s through the 1970s.
We identify both panel types on every electrical assessment call. If you have either, we'll tell you directly, explain what the concern is, and quote a replacement. We don't pressure — we inform.
Sub-Panel Installations
A sub-panel (also called a secondary panel or load center) is a separate panel fed from the main panel that serves a specific area or load — a detached garage, a barn, a casita, an addition, or a dedicated high-load circuit group like a workshop or home gym.
Sub-panels serve two purposes: distributing circuits to a remote location without running individual circuit home runs all the way back to the main panel (more efficient wiring, less voltage drop over distance), and organizing dedicated loads separately from the main panel for easier management and circuit identification.
Common sub-panel applications we handle
- Detached garages — lighting, outlets, EV charger, and workshop equipment on a local sub-panel rather than long individual runs back to the house
- Casitas and guest houses — a sub-panel in the casita simplifies occupancy and allows separate circuit management
- Barns and outbuildings (New River, Gold Canyon, Cave Creek) — larger electrical loads from agricultural or equestrian equipment on a sub-panel with proper outdoor-rated installation
- Home additions — new rooms added to a home can be served from a sub-panel near the addition rather than loading individual circuits onto the main panel
- Heavy-load circuits — home gyms, workshops, and commercial kitchen equipment benefit from a dedicated sub-panel that keeps those loads from interacting with general house circuits
Every sub-panel installation includes load calculation, breaker sizing, appropriate wire gauge for the run length (voltage drop matters on longer runs), proper grounding and bonding, and permit coordination.
Service Entrance and Weatherhead
The service entrance is everything from the utility transformer to your main panel — the weatherhead (the curved pipe where utility lines enter the home), the meter base, and the service entrance conductors running from the weatherhead to the main panel. Most homeowners never think about it until there's a problem.
We inspect service entrance condition on every panel upgrade — because a new 200-amp panel connected to a deteriorated 1965 service entrance doesn't perform correctly and may fail utility inspection. Common service entrance issues in older Valley homes:
Weatherhead deterioration
Exposed to Arizona's UV, heat cycles, and monsoon seasons, weatherheads from the 1970s may have brittle insulation on the service entrance conductors.
Meter base issues
Meter bases that need replacement for the utility upgrade, or that show signs of corrosion or arcing damage.
Undersized service entrance conductors
Original conductors sized for 100-amp service need replacement for a 200-amp upgrade.
Inadequate clearances
Utility companies require specific clearance from rooflines, windows, and vegetation; homes that have had roof work or landscaping changes may no longer meet current clearance requirements.
We photograph and document service entrance condition as part of every panel assessment and explain what we find before quoting any work.
Arizona-Specific Electrical Considerations
AC systems dominate residential electrical load
Arizona homes run central AC 10 to 14 hours per day for 6+ months a year. A properly sized panel for Arizona needs to account for AC load in a way that national code calculations, which are based on average climate assumptions, sometimes understate. We use Arizona-specific load assumptions on every calculation — not the national default.
APS vs. SRP utility coordination
Panel upgrades that involve service entrance work require a utility disconnect and reconnect — power is off for most of the upgrade day. APS (Arizona Public Service) and SRP (Salt River Project) serve different parts of the Valley, have different processes for scheduling disconnects, and have different requirements for service upgrade paperwork. We handle both. When you call us for a panel upgrade, you don't need to contact your utility separately — we include that coordination in our scope.
Permit requirements
Panel upgrades require a permit and inspection in every Arizona jurisdiction we serve — this is non-negotiable from a safety and insurance standpoint. Work done without a permit creates liability on resale, may affect homeowner's insurance coverage, and fails to capture the inspection that confirms the installation was done correctly. We pull the permit, meet the inspector, and provide you with permit documentation. This is included in every quote — not an add-on.
Aluminum branch circuit wiring (older homes)
Homes built in the East Valley from the late 1960s through mid-1970s — parts of Mesa, central Tempe, West Phoenix, and Sun City — were sometimes wired with aluminum rather than copper branch circuit wiring. Aluminum wiring at outlets and switches is a recognized fire hazard due to how aluminum expands and contracts differently than the devices it connects to. If your older home has aluminum branch circuit wiring, the standard remediation is installing CO/ALR-rated outlets and switches throughout, or pigtailing aluminum to copper at each device. We identify aluminum wiring on every assessment in homes from this era and quote remediation honestly.
What Else We Handle
Beyond panel upgrades, we handle the full scope of residential electrical work:
Circuit additions and electrical runs
Adding a circuit from the panel to a new location — a garage outlet, a workshop receptacle, a dedicated kitchen circuit, a bathroom GFCI update. We run new circuits cleanly through walls and attic spaces, with proper wire gauge for the load and distance.
Troubleshooting and diagnosis
A breaker that keeps tripping, outlets that don't work, lights that flicker, a circuit that's dead for no obvious reason. We diagnose the actual cause — not just reset breakers — and quote the fix before touching anything.
Whole-home electrical assessments
For homes being purchased, inherited, or significantly renovated, a whole-home electrical assessment gives you a documented picture of the system's current condition, any safety concerns, and what upgrades make sense in what order. Common before starting a major renovation or before listing a home that has had undocumented work.
Generator prep circuits and transfer switches
If you want to add a whole-home or partial-home generator, the electrical prep work — a transfer switch or interlock kit at the panel, a dedicated generator inlet, and proper bonding — is part of our scope. We size the transfer switch for your critical load circuit group and install it to code.
EV Charger Installation·Tesla Charger Installation·Recessed Lighting·Outdoor Lighting·Security Lighting·Ceiling Fan Installation·Circuit Breakers·Receptacle Replacement·Electrical Run
Signs Your Panel Needs Attention
- Breakers that trip repeatedly, especially under normal loads
- Lights that dim or flicker when the AC compressor or another large appliance starts
- Burning smell from the panel or from outlets
- The panel is warm to the touch — especially around the main breaker or bus bars
- Breakers that feel loose, won't reset cleanly, or don't click firmly into position
- You want to add an EV charger, hot tub, pool pump, or second AC unit and aren't sure the panel has capacity
- Your panel is a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco brand
- The panel has visible rust, corrosion, or discoloration at breakers or wiring connections
- Your home was built before 1990 and the panel has never been assessed
A burning smell from a panel is an emergency — shut off the main breaker and call us. Don't wait.
Not every panel symptom means a full upgrade — if just a breaker needs replacement rather than a full panel upgrade, see our circuit breaker service.
Service Area
Same-day electrical service and panel upgrades across our full territory:
- Queen Creek
- San Tan Valley
- Gilbert
- Chandler
- Mesa
- Tempe
- Scottsdale
- Phoenix
- Anthem
- New River
- Florence
- Apache Junction
- Gold Canyon
- Surprise
- Sun City
- Peoria
- Cave Creek
- Glendale
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a panel upgrade cost in Arizona?
A standard 100-amp to 200-amp panel upgrade in the Phoenix Valley typically runs $1,800 to $3,500 depending on the panel brand, whether service entrance work is needed, utility coordination requirements, and permit fees. We provide upfront flat-rate pricing covering all of that before any work begins. Call us for a same-day assessment.
How long does a panel upgrade take?
Most panel upgrades take one full day — typically 6 to 8 hours. Power is off for most of that time. Utility reconnect scheduling (APS or SRP) is the variable — we coordinate that in advance so the timing is predictable.
Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?
Yes — in every Arizona jurisdiction we serve. We pull the permit, meet the inspector, and provide permit documentation. This is included in every quote.
Can I add an EV charger without upgrading my panel?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on your current panel capacity and what's already on it. We assess actual load before recommending anything — some homes have plenty of available capacity; others are close enough to the limit that adding a 50-amp EV charger circuit would push the panel over safe operating range. We tell you which situation you're in before quoting the charger install. If you need a panel upgrade to support an EV charger, learn more on our EV charger installation page — we handle both in-house.
What's the difference between a panel upgrade and a sub-panel?
A panel upgrade replaces your main service panel with a higher-capacity version. A sub-panel adds a secondary panel fed from the main — it adds circuits and organizes loads but doesn't increase your total service capacity. If your main service is already 200-amp and you need more circuits in a detached garage or addition, a sub-panel is the right solution. If your main service is 100-amp and you need more capacity overall, a service upgrade is the answer. Sometimes the right answer is both.
What brands of panels do you install?
We install Square D (Schneider Electric), Siemens, and Eaton/Cutler-Hammer — the three most widely specified residential panel brands in the industry. We don't install no-name imported panels or discontinued brands. We'll tell you which brand we're specifying for your install and why.
Is aluminum branch circuit wiring dangerous?
Aluminum branch circuit wiring (not the same as aluminum service entrance conductors, which are standard and safe) was installed in some homes from the late 1960s through mid-1970s and carries recognized fire risk at outlets and switches. The standard remediation — CO/ALR-rated devices or copper pigtailing at each outlet — addresses the risk without full rewiring. We identify aluminum wiring during assessments in homes from this era and explain the remediation options.
What does "A-Team Maintenance Club members receive our 5-year workmanship guarantee" mean for electrical work?
The 5-year workmanship guarantee covers the labor and installation work we performed. If something fails due to how it was installed, we come back and fix it at no charge. It's separate from any manufacturer warranty on panels, breakers, or devices. It's an A-Team Maintenance Club member benefit — ask us about the Club when you schedule.