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Project overview in Durham, NC
Touchstone Electric’s Raleigh branch completed a comprehensive 200A service and panel upgrade for homeowner Velma Jackson-Suitt in Durham, NC on November 15, 2024. Led by technician Jack Mannino, this permitted and inspected project replaced the aging 200-amp meter base, upgraded the indoor main panel, improved grounding and bonding, and added whole-home surge protection for added safety and reliability.
Our team coordinated the power drop with the utility, managed permitting and inspection, and carefully reconnected existing circuits to minimize downtime during the service change.
What we upgraded and installed
- 200A meter base replacement: Installed a new 200-amp meter base and set ground rods with grounding electrode conductors. Our crew handled scheduling the temporary power drop with the power provider and all permitting.
- Main panel – 200A indoor (aluminum bus): Brought the panel up to current electrical code, grounded and bonded the enclosure, reconnected the service entrance conductors, and re-labeled circuits for clarity and safety.
- New breakers to match the home’s loads:
- 7x 15A standard breakers
- 3x 20A standard breakers
- 3x 30A standard double-pole breakers
- 1x 40A standard breaker
- 1x 50A standard breaker
- Whole-home surge protection: Installed a system with a 10K coverage/3-year term to help protect appliances and electronics from damaging voltage spikes.
- Feeder and raceway improvements: Added approximately 8 feet of 2-inch PVC conduit with fittings and pulled about 80 feet of 2/0 THHN conductors to support the 200-amp service.
- Outage planning: Power was safely disconnected during the service change; a generator was available for limited temporary power upon request.
Safety, code, and inspection considerations
As Durham-area inspectors continue implementing NEC 2020 requirements, some homes may need AFCI breaker upgrades on specific circuits. In certain cases—such as shared neutrals—adding AFCI can reveal preexisting wiring issues that require additional troubleshooting. For this project, we updated the service equipment and installed standard breakers as listed above, while advising the homeowner on potential future AFCI requirements if directed by the inspector.
All work was performed to current code standards, with permits obtained and inspection coordinated through the appropriate authorities.
Warranties and long-term protection
- Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty on our workmanship.
- 20-year transferable warranty on the aluminum-bus panel components installed.
- Whole-home surge protection with a 10K coverage/3-year term for added peace of mind.
Together, these protections help safeguard the home’s electrical system and provide confidence in the quality of the installation.
Local expertise for panel upgrades in Durham
If you’re planning a 200A panel upgrade, meter base replacement, or whole-home surge protection in Durham, NC, our Raleigh branch has the experience to manage the entire process—from utility coordination and permitting to a clean, code-compliant installation. This project falls under our Panels & Service Upgrades and Electrical Panel Upgrades services, and it reflects our focus on safety, clarity, and reliable power distribution for today’s homes.
Praised by our customer
Velma Jackson-Suitt praised our work with a Google review. See the shared review link here: View on Google.