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Project overview
Touchstone Electric’s Charlotte team, operating out of our Matthews branch, completed a comprehensive Panels & Service Upgrades project in Huntersville, NC for homeowner John Tierney. On August 29, 2024, technician Christian Cedillos upgraded the home to a 200A, 40/80-space electrical panel, integrated whole-home surge protection, and ran a new 60A spa circuit to the hot tub with a dedicated disconnect.
This Electrical Panel Upgrades service was designed to improve safety, add capacity for present and future loads, and bring the installation in line with current electrical code.
What we upgraded and installed
- 200A indoor main panel (40/80): Replaced the existing panel and main lug, labeled the new panel, and brought the system to current electrical code. We grounded and bonded the panel, reconnected the service entrance cable, and reconnected existing circuits.
- Whole-home surge protector: Installed as part of the upgrade and includes a $25k warranty on the device.
- Permitting and inspection: All work included permitting and a scheduled inspection for compliance and peace of mind.
- Temporary power support: During the brief outage for the panel swap, a generator was made available for limited power usage.
These steps enhance reliability, reduce nuisance tripping, and protect sensitive electronics from damaging surges.
New breakers and dedicated spa circuit
To align with the home’s load needs and provide room for growth, we installed new, appropriately sized breakers and wiring:
- (11) 20A standard breakers: Ideal for small appliance and general-use circuits.
- (10) 15A standard breakers: For lighting and standard branch circuits, including bathroom lighting per the 2020 code.
- (2) 30A double-pole breakers: For larger equipment such as a dryer, water heater, HVAC condenser, spa, or EV charger as applicable.
- (1) 60A breaker + 60A spa circuit: We ran a new 60A circuit to a spa disconnect and wired the hot tub to the disconnect for safe, code-compliant operation.
Key materials used in this upgrade included:
- NM-B 4/3 cable (30 ft): Heavy-duty branch/feeder wiring for larger loads.
- 1" PVC conduit (11 ft): With fittings and terminations as needed for protection and routing.
- THHN #4 conductors (11 ft): For a short feeder segment, as required by the installation.
- Appliance installation – major: Connection for a customer-supplied major appliance (e.g., indoor spa), including receptacle or hardwiring as appropriate.
Ongoing protection and membership
The homeowner also enrolled in our Annual Home Safety Member – PLATINUM plan, which begins with a Home Safety Inspection:
- Panel Inspection: voltage readings, bus bar condition, sealed KOs, proper bonding
- Site test electrical safety devices: surge protector, service disconnects, etc.
- Inspect main electrical service: meter base, feeders, water intrusion, riser/weatherhead, grounding system
- Site test home protection systems: Smoke/CO detectors, security systems, camera systems
- Inspect HVAC and major appliance disconnects
- Test GFCIs
Additional PLATINUM perks include:
- Battery replacement for smoke detectors (up to 10 ft ceilings)
- Upgrade to an 8-year warranty on Touchstone Electric workmanship
- 8% discount on today’s work (max $500)
- $0 dispatching to your home
- $0 to diagnose any electrical problem
The installed panel carries a 20-year transferable warranty.
Why this upgrade benefits Huntersville homes
This 200A panel and surge protection package strengthens the electrical backbone of the home. It improves safety through proper grounding/bonding, expands available spaces for future projects (like EV charging, HVAC upgrades, or a workshop), and helps protect electronics and appliances from power surges.
Local service and customer feedback
Our Charlotte team proudly serves Huntersville, NC and surrounding communities from our Matthews branch. For panel upgrades, surge protection, and spa/hot tub wiring, our licensed electricians deliver code-compliant solutions tailored to your home.
Customer John Tierney praised our work with a public Google review: Read the review on Google.