200A Meter/Panel Upgrade & Surge Protection in Fort Mill, SC

Our Charlotte branch (Matthews) recently completed a full 200-amp meter/panel combo upgrade for homeowner Elizabeth Vance in Fort Mill, SC. Led by technician Wyatt Barnes, this project modernized the home’s main electrical service and added whole-home surge protection for reliable, code-compliant power. Completed on December 16, 2024, the work was permitted and installed to current NEC 2020 standards.

Project Overview

This Panels & Service Upgrades project focused on replacing an aging service with a new 200A over/under meter/panel combo featuring feed-through lugs. Our team coordinated the temporary power drop with the utility to keep downtime to a minimum and ensured safe restoration after inspection. For added resilience, we installed a whole-home surge protective device at the main panel to divert damaging voltage spikes to ground.

As part of our Meter Base & Service Replacement process, grounding and bonding were updated to current best practices to help stabilize the electrical system and protect equipment.

What We Installed

Meter/Panel Combo – 200A (over/under, feed-through lugs): Modern service equipment to support today’s electrical demands and future circuits.
New Circuit Protection:
- 1x 45A standard breaker – suitable for large loads such as dryers, water heaters, condensers, spas, or EV chargers.
- 1x 20A double-pole standard breaker – ideal for small appliance or specialty circuits.
- 2x 30A double-pole standard breakers – common for appliances like dryers or condensers.
Grounding System Upgrades: Drove a new ground rod (typically 8 ft) and installed approximately 15 ft of #6 bare copper grounding wire, properly bonded and secured per code.
Whole-Home Surge Protector: Installed at the main panel to shunt excess voltage to ground, reducing risk to appliances and electronics from lightning, grid fluctuations, or equipment cycling.
Electrical Permit: Filed and coordinated with the local authority having jurisdiction; work performed to NEC 2020 requirements.
Annual Home Safety Plan – GOLD: Enrolled the homeowner for proactive inspections and savings.

Code Compliance, Permitting, and Utility Coordination

Our process included permitting with the county and scheduling the utility power drop to safely perform the service change. As more inspectors implement NEC 2020, some homes may require updates such as AFCI protection on certain circuits. We explain these requirements in advance and troubleshoot pre-existing wiring issues (like shared neutrals) if they cause nuisance tripping when AFCI protection is added.

When needed, Touchstone Electric can make a generator available for limited power use during the outage upon request. Our focus is a smooth upgrade with clear communication at each step.

Safety and Reliability Benefits

Capacity and headroom: The new 200A meter/panel supports present loads and future projects such as EV charging or HVAC upgrades.
Improved grounding and bonding: Enhances system stability and helps protective devices operate as intended.
Whole-home surge protection: Adds a first line of defense against voltage spikes that can degrade or damage electronics and appliances.
Professional permitting and inspection readiness: Work aligned to NEC 2020 for safety and long-term reliability.

GOLD Home Safety Plan Perks

Elizabeth’s enrollment in our GOLD plan includes an annual Home Safety Inspection and useful member benefits:

Panel inspection: voltage readings, bus bar condition, bonding, and proper knockout seals.
Site testing of key safety devices: surge protection and service disconnects.
Main service review: meter base, feeders, weatherhead/riser, and grounding system.
Home protection systems check: Smoke/CO detectors, security/camera systems.
GFCI testing and major appliance/HVAC disconnect checks.
Member perks: extended workmanship coverage, discounts on today’s work (up to program limits), plus $0 dispatch and $0 diagnostic fees for future visits.

Customer Experience

Elizabeth Vance praised our team with a Google review after the project. Read or share the review here: Google review for this project.

If you are in Fort Mill, SC and need a Panels & Service Upgrade or a Meter Base & Service Replacement, our Charlotte branch is ready to help with expert guidance, clean workmanship, and code-compliant results.