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200-Amp Panel Upgrade and Surge Protection in Jacksonville, NC
Touchstone Electric’s Raleigh team completed a comprehensive 200-amp panel upgrade and whole-home surge protection for Michael East in Jacksonville, NC. Led by technician Francisco Martinez, this project modernized the home’s electrical service, improved safety and reliability, and brought the system in line with current code requirements. Completed on 03/28/2025, the work included permitting, inspection coordination, and careful planning to minimize downtime.
Scope of Work Completed
- Pulled permit and coordinated inspection for a smooth, code-compliant upgrade.
- Replaced the main electrical panel (200A, indoor) with an aluminum bus bar panel that includes a 20-year transferable warranty. We brought the panel up to current electrical code, properly grounded and bonded it, relabeled circuits, and reconnected the service entrance and existing branch circuits.
- Installed a whole-home surge protection system with a $50,000, 10-year equipment warranty to help safeguard appliances and electronics from damaging voltage spikes.
- Added a 200A outdoor service disconnect, meeting NEC 2020 requirements for an exterior disconnecting means.
- Ran a new 4-conductor feeder from the exterior disconnect to the main panel using SER 4/0 (4-wire), approximately 27 feet, and separated neutrals and grounds in the panel as required.
- Upgraded the grounding system with a new driven ground rod and a continuous grounding electrode conductor to the main service panel.
- Installed and organized new breakers to match the home’s loads: 1x 60A, 1x 40A, 3x 30A (double-pole), 9x 20A, and 6x 15A.
- Provided team support with an additional electrician wireman to keep the project on schedule.
During the planned outage, we made a generator available for limited power to help maintain essential needs while service work was underway.
Why This Upgrade Matters
A modern 200-amp service provides the capacity and safety foundation most Jacksonville homes need for today’s appliances, HVAC equipment, and technology. The new exterior disconnect enhances emergency access and safety, while the updated panel improves reliability and future serviceability.
The whole-home surge protector diverts excess voltage to ground during surges caused by lightning activity, utility fluctuations, or large equipment cycling. This helps extend the life of sensitive electronics and protects covered equipment. The product’s $50,000, 10-year warranty is secondary to homeowner’s insurance and excludes direct lightning strikes; see manufacturer terms for covered equipment and claim conditions.
Grounding and Bonding Brought to Code
Proper grounding is essential for fault clearing and surge performance. We installed a new ground rod and a continuous grounding electrode conductor to the main service, ensuring low-impedance paths and compliance with modern code requirements. The panel was bonded and neutrals/grounds were separated appropriately due to the new outdoor main disconnect.
Membership and Warranties
This project includes Touchstone Electric’s Signature Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty. Michael also received our Annual Home Safety Plan – GOLD, which begins with a whole-home safety inspection and includes:
- Panel inspection, bus bar evaluation, voltage readings, and bonding/KO checks
- Testing of surge protection and service disconnects
- Inspection of main service components: meter base, feeders, riser/weatherhead, and grounding
- Testing of GFCIs and review of major appliance/HVAC disconnects
- Perks: upgrade to a 4-year warranty on Touchstone work, 8% discount on today’s work (max $500), $0 dispatch, and $0 diagnostic visits
Local Service You Can Trust
As a Raleigh-based team proudly serving Jacksonville, NC, we handle every step—from permits to utility coordination—to deliver safe, clean, and code-compliant panel and service upgrades. Whether you need a 200-amp panel, an exterior service disconnect, surge protection, or grounding improvements, Touchstone Electric is ready to help.
Our customer, Michael East, praised our work with a review. Read it here: Google Review.
If you’re considering an electrical panel upgrade or whole-home surge protection in Jacksonville, contact Touchstone Electric to schedule an assessment with our Raleigh branch.